Saving Seafood

MAINE: Salmon farm sparks opposition

February 4, 2021 — Opposition is mounting to a large-scale salmon farm in Frenchman Bay before the project’s backers have formally submitted an application to locate roughly 30 net pens at two sites north of Bald Rock and the Hop islands.

In a related move, a citizens group is calling for the Maine Department of Marine Resources to toughen its rules regarding aquaculture leases that range widely from mussel to oyster cultivation in coastal Maine. Applications for these enterprises have jumped threefold in just five years.

Early this week, American Aquafarms’ President and CEO Mikael Roenes still had not filed a DMR application for his company’s proposed ocean farm to raise Atlantic salmon and possibly cod in the northern-northwestern section of Frenchman Bay.

From Norway’s southern coastal town of Grimstad, Roenes early last fall outlined his plan to raise the fish in floating net pens, fitted with polymer-membrane cloth sacks in which fish waste (feces and feed) collects at the bottom. The waste is pumped to and passes through an attached filtration unit before being discharged at sufficient depth into the sea.

Read the full story at the Ellsworth American

Northeast seaweed: Maine production continues to climb; doubling projected by 2025

January 29, 2021 — Seaweed continues to be a promising industry in coastal communities along the U.S. East and West coasts. Globally, the industry is valued at $12 billion, but commercial growth could be boosted by improved processing infrastructure and expanded markets.

While 95 percent of edible seaweed products in the United States are imported, there is a wild and growing cultivated harvest in the Northeast. A March 2020 study published by the Island Institute, titled “Edible Seaweed Market Analysis,” looked at growth potential in Maine’s edible seaweed markets over the next 15 years. The report found that production in Maine will grow about 12 to 15 percent annually over the next decade and is expected to more than double seaweed production by 2025.

Sugar kelp and alaria aquaculture are low-barrier and relatively affordable. They provide value-added opportunities for commercial fishermen and local economies, particularly where wild fisheries have declined. Maine Department of Maine Resources data on farm raised seaweed indicates that in 2018, 53,564 wet pounds valued at $37,897 were landed. In 2019, 280,612 wet pounds valued at $176,132 were landed.

Atlantic Sea Farms, a large commercial seaweed farm in Maine with 24 partner farmers, grew 30,000 pounds of seaweed in 2018. This year, the company planted enough for 800,000 pounds. The crop Atlantic Sea Farms cultivates ends up in products including fresh and frozen seaweed in pureed cubes and ready-to-eat and fermented products.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

US aquaculture lobbying group urges Biden to prioritize local seafood production

January 29, 2021 — Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS), a trade group has emerged to promote aquaculture in the United States, has sent a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, asking that his administration prioritize domestic seafood production.

Specifically, the group has asked that aquaculture be included as part Biden’s oceans and climate policies “as a means to build back a stronger, more resilient America.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Concerns of conflict on Maine’s coastline

January 25, 2021 — If you live in Maine, or if you’ve visited, you know it’s a seafood state. Maine lobster is delivered all over the world and continues to be one of the biggest industries in Vacationland.

Although traditional lobstering and commercial fishing dominate our coastline, other industries have expanded their reach over the past few decades.

Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic species for food. In Maine, farmers raise Atlantic salmon, oysters, mussels, seaweed, scallops, clams, trout, and more. The industry is growing, steadily. Executive Director of the Maine Aquaculture Association Sebastian Belle said the aquaculture growth is about 2 percent each year.

This year, the growth will be flat, Belle added. Every sector of the seafood industry has been hit by the COVID-19 due to the impacts the pandemic has had on the restaurant industry.

With aquaculture growing, one organization is concerned about continued conflict on the coastline. Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation (PMFHF) was established two years ago. Executive Director of the non-profit, Cyrstal Canney said her group is fighting to reduce the size and amount of aquaculture leases.

Read the full story at News Center Maine

MAINE: Fishery group pans proposed salmon farm off Gouldsboro

January 21, 2021 — A Portland-based fishery group is expressing concerns about the proposed site and size of a salmon farm in waters off Gouldsboro.

Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation said the area proposed by American Aquafarms, in Frenchman’s Bay, is heavily fished by lobstermen.

American Aquafarms is an aquaculture startup backed by a Norwegian investor that has under contract the purchase of the 100,000-square-foot Maine Fair Trade Lobster processing facility in Gouldsboro. The company hopes to develop a salmon-farming operation there.

American Aquafarms was launched in Portland last year by Mikael Rones, CEO of Global AS, which is based in Trondheim, Norway. The proposal calls for building a salmon hatchery as well as farming and processing facilities on the site and operate closed deep-water pens for raising fish.

Read the full story at MaineBiz

Opposition arises to American Aquafarms’ net-pen proposal in Maine

January 21, 2021 — An group of residents of the U.S. state of Maine have announced their opposition to an American Aquafarms proposal to grow up to 30,000 metric tons (MT) of Atlantic salmon in closed net-pens located near the town of Gouldsboro.

American Aquafarms President and CEO Mikael Rones told SeafoodSource soon after the project’s announcement he chose Maine due to its natural resources and the aquaculture industry’s potential in the state. The company purchased an East Coast lobster facility in Gouldsboro, Maine, in October 2020, with plans to establish a hatchery, fish farm facilities, and a processing plant.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

MSC’s Brian Perkins joining GAA as its new chief operating officer

January 19, 2021 — The Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) has hired Brian Perkins as its chief operating officer.

GAA announced on 18 January that Perkins, who has more than 40 years of experience working in the seafood industry, will be joining the organization as its chief operating officer. GAA said the COO role was created with the intent that the seat-holder will eventually transition to the position of CEO, lining Perkins up to eventually take over leadership of the organization.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Veramaris becomes first ASC-MSC certified microalgae for feed

January 19, 2021 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

Veramaris® has become the first microalgae oil producer for feed to achieve certification to the joint ASC-MSC Seaweed (Algae) Standard. The company responsibly and sustainably produces EPA & DHA Omega-3 algae oil [1] for use in the aquaculture industry as fish feed and pet food and is the first American producer to achieve the ASC-MSC certification.

Veramaris’ certified sustainable facility, which is entirely land-based, adds an estimated 45% to the global supply of MSC certified EPA & DHA Omega-3 [2] and covers approximately 15% of the global requirement for EPA & DHA in farmed salmon feeds.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), aquaculture is instrumental for meeting the increasing global demand for nutritional food while restoring the health of our oceans. To meet this growing demand sustainably, fish farms need responsibly-sourced fish feed – an ASC-certification requirement. This feed must contain the two key Omega-3 fatty acids EPA & DHA, which are vital for animal and human health and mostly come from wild-capture fish. One ton of Veramaris algae oil provides as much EPA & DHA as from 60 tons of forage fish.

The certification is good news for pet owners who want to provide their pets with optimal nutrition while reducing the environmental paw-print of their dogs and cats. Consumer research conducted for Veramaris has shown that 75% of pet owners are willing to pay more for pet food brands containing algae Omega-3. By including Veramaris algae oil in their products, pet food producers can offer customers a sustainable option for keeping their four-legged friends healthy and happy.

Patricia Bianchi, ASC-MSC Seaweed Account Manager said: “Congratulations to Veramaris on becoming the first producers of algae-derived Omega-3 to be certified against the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard. This certification confirms that the operation minimizes the impacts on the environment, with good labor conditions and positive impacts for the community.

“Our oceans are under great pressure to supply fish both for direct human consumption and for feed in the aquaculture industry. We are hopeful that the sustainable and responsible production of Omega-3 from algae will help to relieve some of this pressure on wild stocks and help reduce the risk of overfishing.”

Karim Kurmaly, Veramaris CEO said: “This achievement is an imperative milestone on our journey to expand the world’s access to sustainable EPA & DHA Omega-3. We are committed to working with partners along the value chain to bring transparent and sustainable solutions to the industry that results in healthy fish, healthy food and healthy oceans for generations to come. I extend my gratitude to the global Veramaris team that has worked very hard to bring us to where we are today with this great achievement.”

Gaining the ASC-MSC certification required a rigorous audit process against dozens of requirements for good management practices. An in-depth audit over many days was carried out by an independent company, SAI Global that checked records, took measurements, and interviewed operators to assess whether the facility met every requirement in the standard. These requirements include responsible energy use, minimal impacts on biodiversity, fair treatment and pay for all staff and involves a public consultation period.

Find out more about the ASC-MSC Seaweed & Algae Standard

Sysco tightens seafood sustainability policy to require more MSC- and ASC-certified seafood

January 14, 2021 — Foodservice distributor Sysco will significantly increase its purchases of certified responsible seafood by 2025, as part of an enhanced commitment with its partner, World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

The Houston, Texas, U.S.A.-based distributor will also expand its current responsible sourcing program for its U.S. broadline business to include sourcing for its specialty and Canadian broadline business, Sysco said in a press release. It is adding new commitments to prohibit the sale of endangered species, advance its traceability work, and help address deforestation.

Read the full story at Seafood Source