2007 News - Aquaculture today

At a special gala industry awards dinner at the Sheraton Grand Hotel, Edinburgh on Wednesday 18 April it was announced that Michael Laurenson of Blueshell Mussels has won the Aquaculture Today 2007 Fit for the Future Award for work in the shellfish sector.

LEADING figures in the global seafood industry came together this week for an annual aquaculture conference.

This week Aquaculture Today brought together the fish farming industry to deliver the latest news and views from our pioneering and innovative sector. Organised by Fish Farmer magazine, the conference has become an essential platform to develop useful relationships and showcase the latest advances in farming, research, technology, processing and consumer relations.

Leading figures from across the UK, Europe, America, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East come together once a year at Aquaculture Today. Attending companies and organisations are:

UK consumers perceive salmon as having one of the best animal welfare standards, according to a new report.

Schering-Plough have been shortlisted for an Aquaculture Today Fit for the Future award for innovation in aquaculture. Their nomination recognises Schering-Plough's continual work towards developing and enhancing vaccinations and treatments, in order to improve the quality of a fish's life and reduce the occurrence of disease outbreaks.

THE Institute of Aquaculture in Stirling has teamed up with Scotland’s first nutritional health clinic to offer patients an innovative new service testing the Omega-3 levels in their blood. The new business link could see up to £50,000 poured into the Scottish economy.

SHETLAND-BASED Johnson Sustainable Seafoods added another trophy to its cabinet last night. The company, well-known for being the world's first producer of organic farmed cod, picked up the award in the Aquaculture Producer category at last night's glittering Seafood Awards ceremony in London.

FOUR leading Argyll and Bute aquaculture companies have been short-listed for the prestigious 2007 Aquaculture Today - Fit for the Future Awards, which will be announced in Edinburgh, in April.

We contacted Sainsbury's to tell them that they had been shortlisted for a Fit for the Future Award for Innovation. They were nominated by our panel of judges for their strong focus on sustainability and for being proactive in trying to get consumers to try new species. Melanie Sachdeva, Head of Fish at Sainsbury's told Aquaculture Today:

Clare Island Seafarms is one of the most exposed salmon farms in the world. Located in the raging but pristine Atlantic Ocean, six km off the coast of County Mayo in the West of Ireland. Clare Island, now part of the Marine Harvest Group, is comprised of five sites, two smolt sites, two on-growing dites and a harvest site. All of the farm's cages are moored individually due to the high energy conditions.

Our conference sponsors, Freedom Food was set up by the RSPCA in 1994 to improve the welfare of animals farmed for food and offer consumers a greater welfare choice. Did you know that nearly 12 million salmon are covered by the scheme today?

Paul Armstrong-Wilson, Managing Director of Solway Transport Ltd has become involved with drawing up live fish transport standards with interested organisations from the RSPCA's Freedom Food to DEFRA.

Wester Ross have been recognised for their contribution to the Finfish sector, by being shortlisted for an Aquaculture Today Fit for the Future award.

AQUACULTURE remains the world's fastest growing food production sector, with 47.8 million tonnes of production each year, according to a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). And with capture fisheries levelled off, fish farming is providing ever-greater amounts of fish for food.

Responding to news that Marical has been shortlisted for a Fit for the Future award for innovation, the company's Chief Operating Officer, William T. Thomas, told Aquaculture Today:

If you are a member of an industry-recognised trade association, you can save £100 off our 2-day full conference package, including our special gala industry awards dinner.

2006 was an exciting year for Fjord Seafood Scotland. They successfully gained accreditation in the following; Scottish Finfish Aquaculture Industry Code of Good Practice, BRC for fresh fish processing and EurepGAP (first fishfarming and processing company in Scotland to achieve this prestigeous accreditation). Fjord Seafood Scotland, the largest private sector employer in the Western Isles, produces a full range of fresh fillet and smoked salmon products at their factory in Stornoway.

"Over 20 years in the business and still always passionate about oysters" Hugo Vajk of Caledonian Oyster Company told Aquaculture Today.

Responding to the news that Johnsons Seafarms have been nominated for an Aquaculture Today Fit for the Future Innovation Award, Managing Director, Karol Rzepkowski said:

Jim McLachlan of Loch Striven Mussel Farm is the owner of Xplora, a manufacturer of mussel farming equipment. He has developed a mussel ladder system which is easier to install and harvest than conventional ropes and his farm has significantly increased its production since changing to the new design. This innovation has been recognised by Aquaculture Today, with Loch Striven Mussel Farm being shortlisted for a Fit for the Future Award for work in the shellfish sector.

Responding to the news that Hjaltland Seafarms have been shortlisted for an Aquaculture Today Fit for the Future Award in the finfish category Managing Director Michael Stark said:

JERSEY Oyster Company, the largest grower and exporter of oysters in Great Britain, has been nominated for a prestigious 2007 Aquaculture Today - Fit for the Future Award, which will be announced at our event in Edinburgh this April.

Not only have Scottish Sea Farms been shortlisted as one of the finalists in the Seafish Awards 2007 for Aquaculture Producers, Salmon Category, they have also been shortlisted for an Aquaculture Today Fit for the Future Award for their work in the finfish sector.

According to Michael Laurenson at Blueshell Mussels: “Demand for our fresh Scottish mussels has never been stronger due to the exceptional quality of produce offered and the dedication of the workforce in our processing plants.”

A scientific panel revealed today that rising global demand for healthy seafood has exceeded wild capture fisheries' ability to provide all fish meals demanded by consumers: aquaculture is helping to fill the gap between sustainable wild supplies and the public demand for seafood.

Jim Buchanan has been nominated by industry colleagues for a special Aquaculture Today Fit for the Future award. Mr Buchanan has been shortlisted for his contribution to aquaculture, having played an important role as secretary to the British Marine Finfish Association for many years. When we contacted him with the news, he was delighted:

Congratulations to Deep Dock and Myti Mussels in Wales for their achievements. Both companies have been short-listed for an Aquaculture Today Fit for the Future Award.

Aquaculture Today awards finalist, Doug McLeod, Chairman of the Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers, has been acknowledged for his contribution to the industry.

We are pleased to confirm the winners of the 2007 Aquaculture Today Fit for the Future Awards. The winners were announced at a special gala industry awards dinner on Wednesday, April 18.

The winners were selected from a range of exceptional companies and individuals that were shortlisted in 4 categories: finfish, shellfish, innovation and contribution to aquaculture.p/>

Ian Grant, Chairman, Crown Estate

Scots Secretary will study Crown Estate report

Ian Grant, Chairman of the Crown Estate, will give the keynote speech on Thursday April 19 and is expected to update delegates on the Crown Estate's progress regarding management of Scottish resources.

From Papua New Guinea to Kazakhstan, Jamaica to Lithuania, a leading Scottish research institute is shaping sustainable aquaculture development across the globe.

AN innovative sustainable shellfish management project, which was shortlisted for last year's Aquaculture Today Fit for the Future Award, has reached completion.

The full Aquaculture Today 2007 programme is now available for you to view and download. Find out about all the speakers, subjects and times.

Mário Lopes Dos Santos of DG Research at the European Commission will deliver a presentation to delegates on April, 19. Not only will Mr Santos update delegates on EU research and development findings in relation to fish welfare and environmental issues, he will also explain the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development.

FP7 is the short name for the Seventh Framework Programme. This is the EU's main instrument for funding research in Europe and it will run from 2007-2013. FP7 is also designed to respond to Europe's employment needs, competitiveness and quality of life.

We will all look forward to learning more about this new programme and how it will benefit our industry.

AFTER the success of the inaugural 2006 Crown Estate Scottish Salmon Farmer Awards, the search is on for this year’s winners.

The awards reward innovation and best practice in Scottish salmon farming and will recognise salmon farm operators who employ the highest standards of salmon husbandry; perform well in export markets; support local communities, and farm with a high level of environmental awareness. They will be presented at a ceremony and dinner in Inverness on May 31.

The winners’ shortlist will be announced at the Aquaculture Today 2007 conference dinner in April.

Landcatch Natural Selection sponsor conference

Landcatch Natural Selection (LNS) continue their support for Aquaculture Today. Not only are LNS important sponsors, they are also responsible for organising a special raffle competition for delegates and FISHupdate readers. Each year LNS chose a worthwhile cause to support and in 2007, raffle proceeds will go to Aquaculture without Frontiers. The raffle prize-winner will be drawn at the Aquaculture Today's special gala awards dinner on Wed April 18.

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Sponsors, Freedom Food work with industry to improve welfare

Freedom Food is a farm assurance and food labelling scheme set up by the RSPCA in 1994 to improve farm animal welfare and to address growing consumer demand for higher welfare produce. It is the only farm assurance scheme in the UK with improved welfare as its primary goal, and is completely independent from the food industry.

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Seafood industry is cash poor relation

CLAIMS that the seafood sector is increasingly a poor relation when it comes to cash aid are set to be highlighted at a major Edinburgh conference.

Demands for a change in funding policy, partly to help boost the sector’s key health message, will be made when the disparity between cash aid for the seafood industry, compared with other food production sectors, comes under the spotlight at Aquaculture Today 2007.

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