JULY/AUGUST 2024

Volume 20 Number 4

Interview: Succession Implementation in Indonesia

Partial Replacement of Artemia with Dry Feeds

Focus on Sustainable Aquafeeds

MRF to address Parastic Diseases

MCI (P) 012/10/2023 PPS1699/08/2013(022974) ISBN 1793 -056

The Red Tilapia in Vietnam

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 JULY/AUGUST 2024
Contents 1
Volume 20 Number 4

Interview: Succession Implementation in Indonesia

Partial Replacement of Artemia with Dry Feeds

Volume 20, Number 4 July/August 2024 MCI (P) 012/10/2023 ISBN 1793-056
Focus on Sustainable Aquafeeds

MRFs to address Parastic Diseases

MCI (P) 012/10/2023 PPS1699/08/2013(022974) ISBN 1793 -056

From the editor

The Red Tilapia in Vietnam
2 Shrimp prices: Lower for longer

Industry News
3 A renaissance and an inclusive shrimp farming industry

5 Unfounded: Accusations about shrimp farming’s role in widespread, continuous

mangrove destruction in India. Commentary by Willem van der Pijl

www.aquaasiapac.com
Shrimp Aquaculture
21-day old red tilapia fry. Page 42
8 Four models and one farm
How the commercial application of four farming models is working well for the team at PT
Delta Marine farm in Sumbawa. By Zuridah Merican

Editor/Publisher
Zuridah Merican, PhD
13 Effects and economics of partial replacement of Artemia with dry feeds in post
Tel: +6012 205 3130 larvae production
Email: [email protected] Babu Rathinam, Grace Angel and Victor Suresh showed no negative effects on the hatchery
productivity and post larvae quality and yielded 10% savings in feed input costs.
Editorial Coordination
Corporate Media Services P L Feed Technology
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16 The search for sustainable and nutrient-rich shrimp feed leads to krill
Email: [email protected] The future of the shrimp aquaculture industry depends on cost efficient and more sustainable
Web: www.corpmediapl.com feed ingredients.

Design and Layout 19 Sustainable aquafeed takes centre stage

Words Worth Media
Management Pte Ltd

A panel at Seafood Expo Global 2024 discusses commitments to responsible feed sourcing
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.wordsworth.com.sg 21 Growth of aquaculture requires alternative and sustainable feed ingredients
At the USGC international aquaculture conference post- SEG, Barcelona
AQUA Culture Asia Pacific is
published bimonthly by
Interview
26 Succession Implementation
The route of PT Delta Marine from trading to shrimp farming and passing the baton. By Zuridah
Merican
Aqua Research Pte Ltd
3 Pickering Street,
#02-36 Nankin Row, Feed Technology
Singapore 048660 30 The power of mannan rich fraction to address parasitic disease challenges
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45 A red tilapia cage farming business in the Mekong Delta
All rights reserved. No part of How demand vs supply cycles affect small-scale farmers
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July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 2 From the editor

Shrimp prices:
Lower for longer
and chicken), Rabobank’s average rates are 13.47% for Ecuador; 4.36%
protein index has shown that shrimp is for India; 6.3% for Indonesia and
relatively cheaper today than in 2020. 2.84% for Vietnam. This will change
Shrimp is touted as a price elastic the trade landscape for matching the
product i.e. when price decreases, export country to the import country
consumption increases so why have and prompt Ecuador to focus on
Zuridah Merican we not seen this shrimp consumption China, with which it has a FTA, instead
increase? Very simply – this is based of the US.
on wholesale prices which has not

G lobal economists had a tag line cascaded down to retail prices. The Suez Canal, a major waterway
when describing US interest for ships has seen traffic fall 80%
rates. It was called ‘higher for longer’ Demand comes from the largest due to Houthi rebel attacks, diverting
indicating the Federal Reserve was markets which are China, the US and ships around the Cape of Good
not cutting interest rates anytime the EU+UK. China was the biggest Hope requiring 15 extra shipping
soon. The shrimp industry now has a driver with record imports of 987,601 days. Together with reduced traffic
similar tag line for shrimp prices i.e. tonnes in 2023 but China’s shrimp along the Panama Canal, this has
‘lower for longer’. Shrimp is a global imports were down by 4.2% in value increased container shipping prices
commodity, and prices are mainly and up by 12.4% in volume so there 5-fold to USD8,000 per 40-foot
determined by demand and supply was deflationary pressure. Ecuador container for China exporting to EU.
with government tariffs and supply led with 72% market share followed Although less than during the Covid
chain woes thrown in. A review from by India at 13%. For YTD April 2024, period, it does mean fewer available
various vantage points will give a China’s imports reached 290,031 containers and ships due to longer
clearer picture. tonnes (-5% Y-o-Y) with 75% coming shipping routes. This will increase
from Ecuador at lower prices. Will prices along the supply chain such
US shrimp wholesale prices have China’s increasing demand continue? that high market prices will not
fallen below pre-Covid levels and This is unlikely due to the continued translate to high farmgate prices.
to 20-year lows. During the 2020 fall in property prices which poses a
lockdown, restaurants were forced to huge risk to consumer confidence. So, what does the crystal ball show
close temporarily, and prices tumbled for 2024? Will the demand vs. supply
but when restaurants re-opened The supply side has been the key equilibrium change or are low prices
in 2021, there was revenge dining disruptor and Ecuador has doubled the new normal? Demand may improve
increasing prices. Concurrently, in- production over the past 5 years. slightly over 2023, based on growth
country inventory was low due to The Global Seafood Marketing in US which is highly dependent on
minimal replenishment of shrimp Conference reported that global passing lower prices to the retail
as shipping was curtailed and later vannamei shrimp production reached segment, but the AD and CVD rates
traffic jams at Los Angeles Port 5.15 million tonnes in 2023. Ecuador will be counterintuitive. China’s
slowed supply to warehouses. When led with an estimated 1.45 million economy cannot lift demand further.
supply normalised in 2022, prices tonnes. The industry expects single Supply will not contract despite
fell and continues until present day. digit growth due to slower demand Ecuador’s growth slowing. India’s
The ‘cost of living’ crisis has affected and lower prices in 2024. The US anti- production will maintain. Hence
the US but when compared to a dumping (AD) and countervailing low prices will remain as domestic
basket of other proteins (beef, pork duties (CVD) rates will hurt sales demand growth will take time. Today,
and there is still a big concern with while better cost of production
insecurity in the country. India is expected due to cheaper feed,
produced an estimated 850,000 labour costs are rising. Productivity
OUR MISSION tonnes and YTD 1st crop 2024 has and efficiency will be the key to our
shown stocking to be 20% lower success.
We strive to be the beacon for the
with stocking densities unchanged
regional aquaculture industry.
at 20-30PL/m2. Failure rates remain
We will be the window to the world as farmers live with WSSV and EHP
for Asia-Pacific aquaculture but harvest ABW have increased to
producers and a door to the market >20g, thus increasing biomass.
for international suppliers.
We strive to be the forum for the The US Dept of Commerce has
development of self-regulation in published its preliminary rates for If you have any comments,
the Industry. AD & CVD. Apart from some specific please email:
companies, the general combined [email protected]

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Industry News 3

A renaissance and an inclusive shrimp

farming industry
T he second Shrimp Aquaculture Conference (SAC),
held in June in Bali, was organised by the Young
Shrimp Farmers of Indonesia with the acronym
PMI (Petambak Muda Indonesia). The theme was
“Aquaculture Renaissance”. This 2024 edition captured
the interests of stakeholders outside of Indonesia with
40% international participants, notably from Thailand,
the Philippines and Vietnam. In his opening address, PMI
President Rizky Darmawan, CEO Delta Marine group,
emphasised, “At PMI, we are first and foremost shrimp
farmers. We organise SAC for the good of the industry,
to ensure its sustainability. As we take over from our
predecessors, we want to create a sustainable industry
for the next generation.
Business Talk was led by Ronnie Tan, Consultant, US Grains
Council (left) with panellists, from second left, ChingLing
“We want more people to see the wonderful world of shrimp Tanco, Managing Director of Mida Trade Ventures, Aris
and what it can bring to the country’s economy. The industry Utama,Head of Sales & Marketing, Bumi Menara Internusa
needs a revival to have more entrants. By renaissance we and Van Vu, co-founder and CEO, Otanics Technology, JSC,
mean rebirth with inclusivity, using technology, data and Vietnam.
science to bring up shrimp aquaculture. I quote in Latin;
Veni, Vidi, Vici which means we “came, saw, conquered”.
This is through sheer hard work and innovations.” Farm management
Chiow-Yen Liew, dsm-firmenich approached the dynamics
Shrimp and hatchery owners at SAC commented how of ponds aging by documenting the whole process in
farming continues to be challenged by poor biosecurity the shrimp ponds: from nutrient built up in ponds and
practices, management, and diseases. Small scale decomposition of organic matter to changes in biodiversity
hatcheries use local polychaetes from areas where shrimp of plankton and fluctuations in water quality. Liew also
farms discharge water. Diseases include Enterocytozoon described the effects of feed containing different levels
hepatopenaei (EHP) in combination with white faeces of crude protein on the pond environment in terms of
disease (WFD), and infectious myonecrosis virus (IMNV). phosphorus and nitrogen loadings. Kamaru Budianto from
Currently, an estimated 40% of farms in West Jawa are not Yuki Water Treatment spoke on the climatic effects on
operating. water quality, such as changing seawater temperatures.
He went on to discuss water disinfection with UV to address
different pathogen loads.
Managing diseases
In disease management, a reactive approach is common. Nutrition and feed management
Dr Melony Sellars, Genics, Australia suggested early Shrimp farmers are under pressure with low farmgate
detection of diseases such as when 1,000 copies of prices and the added burden of increasing feed prices.
WSSV are present, it is an early warning of not to stock. Dr Daranee Seguin said options include using alternative
“Fitness for purpose tests is important for this industry,” ingredients to reduce feed costs, moving from marine
said Sellars. Based on the work carried out at Viet Uc, meals to cheaper plant-based protein meals such as
a large hatchery and farming group in Vietnam, Sellars DDGS and improving overall efficiency with functional
showed how biosecurity planning and improvements can feeds. Indonesia is a leader with the use of feed with
be implemented leading to better profitability. Early low crude protein (30%) which other than reducing feed
detection of pathogens in a farm in Ecuador led to 50% costs, also reduces the impact of feeds on the pond
increase in nauplii production and 10-15% increase in environment.
production. Maxime Hugonin, MixScience Asia, presented
on the development of a blend of short chain and medium Dr Albert Tacon presented a holistic approach to shrimp
chain fatty acids which works to disrupt the infectivity of nutrition and health. He said, “In Indonesia, labels on
the polar tubule of EHP. A field trial in Vietnam using the feed bags give no indication of the dietary nutrient levels
blend as top coating, increased shrimp resistance against within the feed. Most feeds have the same proximate
EHP and control of EHP in the gut. composition; feed quality and performance are currently
determined by the farmers.” As more plant meals are
Rishita Changede, Teora is working to develop next being used in shrimp feeds, approximately 50%, he
generation solutions. “With fast spread of pathogens, cautioned on risks of poor feed intake and FCR with the
solutions available for disease management are difficult to presence of antinutritional factors and mycotoxins. Use
sustain. In the case of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), of feed additives with health benefits are common but
the virus is changing and rapid solutions are needed these are not always a panacea against diseases. Finally,
to block or reduce the viral load. Rishita described the Tacon said, “A weak link is top dressing. The feed miller’s
application of nanopeptides, delivered orally to manage job is to provide the farmer with good feed and that of the
pathogens by blocking multiplication. farmer is to grow the shrimp.”

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 4 Industry News

Since feed is a significant cost component in the farming

process, efficient feed management practices are crucial
for all farms. At AQ1, Keone Dodd has led research on
feed management using acoustic systems. She presented
real time feeding data from AQ1, derived from some case
studies, such as the transition from feeding with blowers
to sensor-based feeding. Dodd said that farmers must
find the best way to deliver the feed to shrimp in the most
effective way, minimising feed wastes while maximising
shrimp growth.

From left, Caleb Wurth, USGC, Malaysia; Christopher Tan, Mida

Trade Ventures, Singapore; Bernand Lim, Hoc Po, Philippines;
Constantine Ong, Santeh Feeds, Philippines; Bianca Animas,
Philippines; Bettina Lim, Hoc Po, Philippines and June Wu,
Wittaya Aqua.

Latest trends in the global shrimp market

Tanco noted that although Ecuador and India have
increased production and there is an oversupply
situation, Indonesia is shielded as farmgate prices remain
high. But, being highly dependent on the US market with
easy peeled products, the risk is high. Aris commented
that consumers’ focus on shrimp welfare has added
pressure on the sustainability issue. BMI is part of the
new Global Shrimp Council which aims to increase shrimp
consumption via nutrition, good taste, easy to cook and
Rizky Darmawan (standing, third left) with the organising team better targeted marketing. As prices of large size shrimp
at PMI. remain resilient, Van expects Vietnam to maintain its
share in this segment.
Marketing
The low shrimp prices and the anti-dumping (AD) and Changing consumer demand over the past 5 years
countervailing duties (CVD) imposed on imports of frozen While Tanco said the change has been towards quality
shrimp to the US, affect all players. While presenting on and premium products in the retail sector e.g. without
navigating current markets and beyond, Lie Ce Yung, phosphate treatment, Aris said that with the US AD and
PT Central Pertiwi, said that the demand for certified CVD, there is a need to build up domestic and regional
products is increasing; Japan is asking for BAP and demand. On dealing with AD and CVD, Aris suggested to
ASC certifications, while demanding small size shrimp. focus on premium products and selling live shrimp locally.
Indonesia exported 209,065 tonnes in 2023, mainly China could be a target market.
raw frozen vannamei shrimp. “Some 85% of Indonesia’s
shrimp goes to the US. We need to export to the EU and Elephant in the room
we need our government to help.” As Ecuador continues to increase production, will any
increase in consumption just benefit Ecuador and not
Business talk on marketing Indonesia’s Asian producers? Due to logistics and high freight cost,
Tanco suggested that Asian producers target the China
shrimp market and allow Ecuador to focus on the US, which
A panel moderated by Ronnie Tan, US Grains Council Ecuador benefits due to proximity. But the focus is on
discussed several issues on marketing shrimp. Panellists flavour and quality. Aris said that China wants HOSO
were Chingling Tanco, Mida Trade Ventures, Philippines; and for Indonesia, the US market is less demanding,
Aris Utama, Bumi Menara Internusa, Indonesia; and Van and Indonesia can cater to this demand. Tanco added
Vu, Otanics Technology, JSC, Vietnam. that Asian producers may find it difficult to compete
with Ecuador’s extensive culture system producing
shrimp of HOSO quality, especially to prevent burst
hepatopancreas. An alternative is to do live cooked
HOSO.

According to Aris, Indonesia has been aligned for so long

with the US market and may find it difficult to compete with
Ecuador and India because their offer prices are so much
lower. Since Indonesia’s market share has decreased, it is
time for Indonesia to think of new approaches.

Who pays for sustainability?

Van said that EU buyers demand sustainability credentials
A panel on aquaculture innovation was led by JALA’s Liris but who should pay for this? “What is happening is that
Maduningtyas (right) and comprising (from left), Rubi Haliman, certification bodies assumed this responsibility on behalf
PT. Central Proteina Prima, Indonesia; Michael Phillips, of buyers and supermarkets in the US,” commented Tanco.
Futurefish, Thailand and Dr Krishna R Salin, Asian Institute of The EU is more serious with more audits. In Vietnam,
Technology, Thailand. large companies like Minh Phu help small farmers attain
certification.
July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific
 Industry News 5

Unfounded: Accusations about shrimp

farming’s role in widespread, continuous
mangrove destruction in India
Commentary by Willem van der Pijl, Shrimp Insights, released on July 15 2024

R ecent reports have accused India of continuous,

widespread mangrove destruction through its
expansion of shrimp farming on the country’s east coast.
along the coastline and in salt pan lands, wherever
feasible. Some funds that the new program draws from
were allocated for afforestation efforts to compensate
But is this
Unfounded: claim about
Accusations a fair one?
shrimp farming’s role in widespread, continuous mangrove for diverting forests for non-forest use. Successful
destruction in India conservation and afforestation efforts depend greatly
Satellite byimagery
Commentary analysis
Willem van der Pijl, Shrimpby Indian
Insights, space
released tech
on July 15 2024 start-up on cooperation and the co-management of mangrove
GalaxEye Space using its own aquaculture pond database habitats with local communities, civil society, and other
Recent reports have accused India of continuous, widespread mangrove destruction through
and Clark Labs’ mangrove database (Figure 1) prove these
its expansion of shrimp farming on the country’s east coast. But is this claim a fair one?
actors in the coastal ecosystem, such as the shrimp
accusations
Satellite to by
imagery analysis beIndian
unfounded. Their
space tech start-up analyses
GalaxEye Space usingshow
its own that industry.
from 1999
aquaculture to 2022,
pond database only
and Clark 0.3%
Labs’ of database
mangrove the total ltand
(see Image covered
1) prove these
with mangroves
accusations was
to be unfounded. converted
Their analyses showinto fish1999
that from and shrimp
to 2022, ponds.
only 0.3% of the One of the organisations working on mangrove
total land covered
What’s more, withthe
mangroves
totalwas netconverted into fish and shrimp
area covered ponds. What’s more,
by mangroves has conservation and afforestation is the Swaminathan
the total net area covered by mangroves has actually increased by 8%.
actually increased by 8%. Foundation. This organisation has been working on this
In this commentary, I will debunk the myth that the recent expansion of shrimp farming task from 1993 onwards and claims to have restored
In thishascommentary,
operations I “widespread”
led to “continuous” and will debunk the
mangrove myth I will
destruction. thatback the
this 2025 ha of mangroves. On the eastern coast, the
recent
up expansion of shrimp farming operations has led to
with evidence. organisation has been working in Tamil Nadu between
“continuous” and “widespread” mangrove destruction. I 1993-2018 and has restored 900 ha of mangroves. In
Figure 1. An illustration of the different sources and steps used in the analysis presented in
will back this up with evidence.
this commentary
Andhra Pradesh, it worked on mangrove conservation
between 1999-2002 and 2017-2021 and restored
860 ha of mangroves. In Odisha, its activities took
place between 1996-2004, and it restored 240 ha of
mangroves. Read more about the organization’s work in
its report on “Restoring mangroves ecosystems saves
the coastline and community”.

Facts on mangroves and shrimp farms in

India’s east coast
The majority of India’s shrimp farms and mangroves are
concentrated on the east coast. For this reason, GalaxEye
Space has limited its analysis to the east coast.
Credit: GalaxEye Space
Figure 1. Cost comparison between the different feeding
protocols. Credit: GalaxEye Space The primary mangrove forests on the east coast are the
Sundarbans (West Bengal), the Bhitarkanika Mangroves
(Odisha), the Godavari-Krishna Mangroves (Andhra
Understanding mangrove conservation in Pradesh), and the Pichavaram Mangroves (Tamil Nadu).
India today Smaller patches are also found in other parts of the east
Strengthened conservation efforts by India’s government coast’s deltas and river estuaries. Shrimp farming is
that started in the early part of the 21st century with a concentrated in Andhra Pradesh, with significant farming
strengthened forest act and the implementation of the activities also being present (in order of significance) in
Coastal Aquaculture Act, combined with the overall public West Bengal, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu (Figure 2).
awareness on the significance of mangrove forests for
the country’s ecological health mean that rather than
declining, the total area covered by mangroves on the
eastern coast has actually increased by 8%. So how did
this happen?

India strongly supports the Ramsar Convention on

Wetlands and has the most significant number of Ramsar
sites in South and Southeast Asia. The Indian government
has made the protection of wetlands in general, and the
protection of mangroves in particular, a priority. India’s
finance minister announced two major programs for
mangrove plantation and wetlands conservation in the
country’s latest annual budget for 2023-24. One initiative, Credit: GalaxEye Space
Figure 2. Total area covered by mangroves in each state on the
“Building on India’s Success in Afforestation, Mangrove East Coast and the growth of the area from 1999-2022. Refer
It’s true to say that India’s east-coast shrimp farms and mangroves compete for scarce land
Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes to the blog in Shrimp Insights on “Why Look at 1999 Onwards.”
along the coastal creek- and riversides. Data on mangroves from Clark Labs and analysis
(MISHTI),” will entirely focus on mangrove plantation Credit: GalaxEye Space
using GalaxEye Space’s proprietary pond database show that between 1999 and 2022, the
land covered by fish and shrimp ponds expanded by 87%, and that the total area covered by
mangroves increased by 8% (see Image 3). In 2022, around 385,000 ha on the east coast
was covered by fish and shrimp ponds, and around 260,000 ha was covered by mangroves.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

Image 3: An illustration of some of the geographies where mangrove forests expanded
between 1999-2022. As 9,550 ha of land was lost during the same period, the gross increase
Image 3: An illustration of some of the geographies where mangrove forests expanded
between 1999-2022. As 9,550 ha of land was lost during the same period, the gross increase
of mangroves was even close to 30,000 ha.
6 Industry News

West Bengal is home to the majority of

India’s mangrove, around 192,665 ha of
mangroves and a portion of one of the most
famous and largest mangrove forests in the
world: the Sundarbans. Traditional shrimp
farms have been active since the 1980s
around the Sundarbans. These are large,
multi-hectare ponds where farmers grow
shrimp at low densities. The Sundarbans
are now well preserved, and no significant
destruction of mangroves due to shrimp
farming expansion has occurred between
1999 and 2022. This is slightly different
in other coastal districts in West Bengal,
where more intensive shrimp farming has
expanded recently, and, despite local
Credit: GalaxEye
Figure 3. AnSpace
illustration of some of the geographies where regulations, some mangrove conversion has
mangrove forests expanded between 1999-2022. As 9,550 ha occurred. The total land covered by mangroves in West
of land was lost during the same period, the gross increase of Bengal slightly increased from 189,555 ha to 192,665 ha.
mangroves was even close to 30,000 ha. Credit: GalaxEye Space
This, again, illustrates the success of India’s mangrove
conservation and afforestation efforts.
It’s true to say that India’s east-coast shrimp farms and
mangroves compete for scarce land along the coastal Industry coexisting with vital ecosystems
creek- and riversides. Data on mangroves from Clark India is one of the world’s largest shrimp producers and
Labs and analysis using GalaxEye Space’s proprietary is home to some of the world’s most significant mangrove
pond database show that between 1999 and 2022, the habitats. While the shrimp industry is vital for India because
land covered by fish and shrimp ponds expanded by 87%, of its economic significance and the number of jobs it
and that the total area covered by mangroves increased creates, mangroves are essential for coastal protection,
by 8% (Figure 3). In 2022, around 385,000 ha on the east biodiversity, and carbon sinking. It’s in the interest of
coast was covered by fish and shrimp ponds, and around the industry and the wider Indian society that the shrimp
260,000 ha was covered by mangroves. industry and the country’s mangrove habitats not only
coexist but also flourish.
While the total area under mangroves increased, also
some mangroves were lost. The majority of mangroves If we take a moment to consider the market challenges
during this 23 year period was lost for a variety of the Indian industry faces in the wake of these claims,
reasons: because of climate change, tropical storms, committing itself to supporting increased mangrove
industry expansion, and other agricultural activities conservation and afforestation projects could significantly
to name a few. These reasons, according to GalaxEye enhance its market image and consumer perception.
Space’s analysis, resulted in a loss of around 8,800 ha According to Indian legislation, companies must spend
of mangrove forests. a 3% of their three-year trailing average net profit on
corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities; mangrove
Over the same 23-year period, mangrove to fish or shrimp conservation projects would be a good place to start for
pond conversion was limited to an area of 750 ha. This some of the country’s shrimp exporters in light of this
figure represents just 0.3% of the total land covered by situation.
mangroves and only 0.2% of the total fish and shrimp
pond area. Placing these figures in context makes claims While some deforestation has indeed happened over the
accusing India’s shrimp industry of continuous and past 25 years, contrary to common belief the numbers
widespread mangrove destruction not only unfair and show that the scale of conversion does not justify the
misrepresentative, but also unfounded. accusations being put on the Indian shrimp industry: as
proved in this analysis, the industry’s impact has been
Let us take a closer look at two of the major states quite limited. In my view, these claims are, therefore,
where mangroves and shrimp- farming exist side-by- unfounded, unfair and unjust. Even more, while the
side. Andhra Pradesh, is home to some major rivers: The shrimp industry expanded rapidly during this period, the
Godavari, The Krishna, The Pennar, and The Vamsadhara. land covered by mangroves increased significantly, by
Most of the region’s mangrove forests are found in the more than 20,000 ha.
estuaries of these rivers, but they also occur in smaller
patches along the coastline. It’s essential to spread this message within the industry,
to retailers, and to consumers worldwide: accusations like
Despite the rapid expansion of the shrimp industry, this don’t only damage the Indian shrimp industry but the
and around 450 ha of mangroves that despite forest global shrimp industry more broadly.
conservation regulations were converted to fish and
shrimp ponds, the area covered by mangroves in Andhra Disclaimer: As part of the analysis, Galaxeye Space has compared
Pradesh grew from 32,047 ha in 1999 to 42,493 ha in 2022, its results with the data from India’s forest department. Although
an increase of 33%. This increase is a strong confirmation there are slight differences in the absolute figures, both sources
of conservation and aggressive afforestation efforts of confirm the trend of growth of the total area under mangroves.
federal and state level authorities.
Contact the author at [email protected] for
more information on this analysis?

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

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 8 Shrimp Aquaculture

Four models and one farm

How the commercial application of four farming models is working well for the team at PT Delta
Marine farm in Sumbawa
By Zuridah Merican

W hen Rizky Darmawan took over the management

of the PT Delta Marine farm in 2014, the 70ha farm
in Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia had 33
cement ponds. In 2018, expansion was with 20 ponds
of 0.25ha in two new sections and 3 treatment ponds of
0.4ha each.

Today, the farm is operating 55 concrete and lined ponds,

18 round tanks and 3 raceways. Rizky and farm manager
Joseph Santoso, both in their 30s, share the ambition of
constantly innovating to find the best way to increase
productivity in shrimp grow-out. A strong feature is the
more than 600m intake pipe into the ocean and waste
settling ponds with lush mangroves. There are 13 treatment
and reservoir ponds.

“We want to be more future focus. I am paranoid for the

future and do not want to keep to my comfort zone. We
must keep looking for innovative ideas such as round
tanks and raceways to always be better. That is how we can Rizky Darmawan (right) and farm manager Joseph Santoso,
set ourselves apart from other players. I realise that the both in their 30s, share the ambition of constantly innovating
majority of shrimp farmers are often contented and keep to find the best way to increase productivity in shrimp grow-
out.
to the same structure and do not try to change,” said Rizky.

Raceways “We started in 2021 and have gone through more than
Among the four models at the farm, Rizky’s favourite is the four cycles successfully. We have not had a bad crop with
50m long and 20m wide, 1000m2 raceways. The depth at this raceway design, and I am tempted to expand with
the shallow end is 1.5m. “Before, the hype was to construct more raceways. The production was 5.2 tonnes/1,000m2.
round tanks to utilise space. However, compared to the A cost and space advantage is that raceways can share a
land area used for round tanks, I find that raceways are the wall.”
most efficient in terms of the use of land. They are straight
and long, and they don’t need much gap between them, Both Rizky and Joseph are proud of the raceway design
maximising space. We stock at 300 PL/m2 now, and we can and now want to incorporate HDPE liners onto these
continue to stock more,” said Rizky. raceways.

Currently, there are three of these

raceway systems, one is 50m
long x 20m wide, and two, 50m
long x 10m wide. The raceway is
designed to keep sloping down
towards one of its corners where
the drain/shrimp toilet is located.
Paddlewheels and diffusers aerate
the water.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 IMMUNE E
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HATCHERY PROBIOTIC™ HATCHERY PROBIOTIC TM

FOR VIBRIO REDUCTION FOR WATER QUALITY
10 Shrimp Aquaculture

Cement ponds. Some of the smaller round tanks and lined ponds.

A discussion was whether they should place solar panels 314m2 area. In the large tanks, in one cycle, the stocking
across the concrete raceways. One might say that solar density of PL10 was 300 PL/m2 and over days of culture
panels will shield away the sunlight but for Rizky, there is (DOC) 115, shrimp reached size 31/kg.
not much need for plankton in intensive culture systems.
With solar energy he has calculated savings of 5-10% Joseph said, “There was partial harvesting bringing the
versus electricity from the grid. total harvest to 7.2 tonnes/cycle or 72 tonnes/ha. Aeration
is from blowers and paddlewheels. We use one HP per
“My only concern is the wastage of solar energy during the 200m2 of water. These large tanks have a new shrimp toilet
shutdown period as we practise an all-in all-out process system, and we manage just by pulling the cord to release
for each site. Solar energy is very useful if we adopt a the waste.”
staggered production protocol,” said Rizky.
Concrete and lined ponds
Bringing in the aspect of staff welfare, Joseph explained All in all, there are 91 ponds including reservoir
that during the shutdown period, which is around 40 days ponds, occupying 30ha of the total land area of 70ha.
and includes pond drying, staff will visit families. “This is Additionally, there are 18 ponds used for trials with sizes
important for them. For all models and throughout the farm, ranging from 314m2 to 1,000m2. Concrete ponds followed
we have a thorough clean-up process after each cycle.” a design from the 1980s.

Round tanks Stocking density ranges from 150-180 PL/m2. Partial

There are now two super large round tanks of 1,000m 2
harvesting starts at DOC 70 and each partial harvest is
with 37m diameter, in addition to 16 smaller tanks with 5-10 tonnes. It is all-in all-out for each section.

Partial harvesting at DOC

90 and packing for the long
journey to the processing plant,
alternately layering 300kg ice
and 300kg shrimp and finally
adding more ice.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Shrimp Aquaculture 11

Productivity and disease management

At the farm, there have been outbreaks of white faeces
disease (WFD) and infectious myonecrosis virus (IMNV).
In the case of WFD, the strategy is to use probiotics to
address the Vibrio population.

Recently, the success rate has been 90% and the survival
rate was 95% with FCR of 1.2. Harvest sizes are around
size 30/kg. Each cycle is 120 days. Rizky explained that
success rate means that ponds have gone through a full
120 days in the pond. “Our SOP is that once we see a
problem with the crop, we harvest.”

FCR versus shrimp size

On the best FCR at this farm, Joseph said, “This was
1.02 at DOC77 size 57/kg in the round tank model. In a
discussion on prices versus size and cost of production,
two young farmers from Thailand said that for them prices
reach a plateau such that it is THB 180/kg for size 30-
35/kg and THB210/kg for size 25-29/kg. While costs
of production continue to increase mainly due to higher
FCR, the differential in prices are small which does not
merit growing larger shrimp. In contrast, in Indonesia,
prices continue to rise with size which encourage farmers
to produce larger shrimp.

Cost of production
The average cost of production (COP) for concrete and
lined ponds are around IDR35,000/kg (USD2.16/kg) for
size 30/kg. In a comparison of COP for his four culture
models, Rizky said that the round tanks are newer models,
and the COP is lower because of higher stocking density.
Nevertheless, it is difficult to compare with other farms
as here, COP is also spread over an area such as 1,000m2
with sharing of lab services etc. COP is affected when the
survival rate is low and while the same energy needs are
applied.

Shrimp from a partial harvest at DOC90, size 64/kg.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

12 Shrimp Aquaculture

Farm automation Increasing production targets

The general understanding is that real time monitoring of “My next move is to try to run a nursery. This will increase
ponds has its merits. “In the perfect world, it should work our number of cycles/year. Now we have 2.5 cycles/year
but the accuracy is still not there yet. Finally, the decision and produce 2,000 tonnes/year. With a nursery, we may
has to be done by humans which means that automation increase to produce 3,000 tonnes/year. With a nursery,
helps to draw out a problem but solving it requires production will be like clockwork.
experience. In some cases, we need one equipment for
each pond, which is expensive for large farms like this However, this may mean that the staff may not have their
with 76 ponds. Effectiveness also depends on the worker’s usual and important break cycle holidays. “We really need
level of training and skill,” said Rizky. to understand the consequences and outcomes before
making a decision about this.”
“In Indonesia, labour is cheap. We have the responsibility
to give employment to the local community. There is a “We want to be more future focus. We must
social sustainability aspect and the more we employ, the keep looking for innovative ideas such as
more the community benefits. In our opinion, it is good
enough to monitor using our YSL probes for the daily round tanks and raceways to always be
checks, and test several other parameters, once or twice better. That is how we can set ourselves
a week.” apart from other players.” - Rizky

On a wall of a raceway, Rizky with two young

Thai farmers. Chodpipat Limlertvatee (left),
LK Farm in Chumphon province and Chaimet
Chuenchom, TSM Farm in Ranong, attended
the Shrimp Aquaculture Conference in Bali,
organised by PMI.

A large 37m diameter round tank.

There are only two of these. In one
cycle, the stocking density of PL10
was 300 PL/m2 and over days of
culture (DOC) 115, shrimp reached
size 31/kg.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Shrimp Aquaculture 13

Effects and economics of partial

replacement of Artemia with dry feeds in
post larvae production
Replacement showed no negative effects on the hatchery productivity and post larvae quality, and
yielded 10% savings in feed input costs
By Babu Rathinam, Grace Angel and Victor Suresh

of the rectangular cement tanks used in

hatcheries and has a volume of 140L. The
tanks received constant aeration via a
25mm PVC pipe laid at the bottom of the
tank and connected to a 1HP ring blower.
Seawater flowing through an ultra-filter
(<0.5µm) was used in the tanks.

A single batch of specific pathogen free

(SPF) Litopenaeus vannamei post larvae
(PL3) was transferred from the commercial
production unit to GSHFTC. Post larvae were
stocked at either 8,000 or 11,500 PL/tank
resulting in stocking densities of 60 PL/L
and 80 PL/L respectively. Post larvae were
fed six times a day, every four hours and
each meal consisted of live Artemia nauplii
and the Growel Origin hatchery feed.

Within each stocking density, two feeding

protocols were tested (Table 1):
• A standard feeding protocol adopted in
most hatcheries;
PL12
PL12 harvested
harvested at theatend
theofend of the
the trial. trial. were
Shrimp Shrimp wereswimming
actively actively against the water • A test feeding protocol in which Artemia
swimming
current againsttothe
and appeared water and
be healthy current and appeared to be
stress-free. feeding was reduced by 25% and Growel Origin® shrimp
healthy and stress-free. hatchery feed was increased by 25%.

Two sizes of Growel Origin feed were used. Particles

F eedand
Effects inputs constitute
economics a replacement
of partial major costofcomponent
Artemia within
dryshrimp
feeds in post larvae
hatchery operations. Approximately, 3.4kg of Artemia with an average size of 150µm were fed to post larvae of
production
cysts and 8kg of dry feeds are required to produce one 1-7 days (PL1-7) and 300µm for post larvae more than 5
Replacement showed no
million vannamei negative
shrimp posteffects on theTogether
larvae. hatchery productivity
these two days
and post (PL5). Five randomly chosen tanks were assigned
larvae
feed components
quality, and yielded 10%cost about
savings USD480-520
in feed input costs per million of for each dietary treatment at each stocking density in a
post larvae production. Artemia cysts cost 350% more than 2x2 design.
By
dryBabu Rathinam,
feeds Grace Angel
and involve and Victor costs
additional Suresh to hatch them into
live nauplii. So, a replacement of Artemia with dry feeds will
Feed inputs constitute a major cost component in shrimp hatchery operations. Approximately,
reduce the cost of post larvae production provided that such
3.4kg of Artemia cysts and 8kg of dry feeds are required to produce one million vannamei
replacement
shrimp will
post larvae. have these
Together no negative effect on cost
two feed components the about
hatchery
USD480-520 per million of
productivity
post and post
larvae production. larvae
Artemia quality.
cysts cost 350% more than dry feeds and involve additional
costs to hatch them into live nauplii. So, replacement of Artemia with dry feeds will reduce the
In this article, we report the results of a feeding trial where
cost of post larvae production provided that such replacement will have no negative effect on
Artemia
the usage
hatchery was reduced
productivity by 25%
and post larvae and compensated by
quality.
an increase in the dry diet by 25%. The test was done at two
different stocking densities of post larvae (PL) in the tanks:
60 PL/L and 80 PL/L - the lower and upper ends of stocking
densities used in commercial hatcheries. Growel Origin®
shrimp hatchery feed, an extruded, crumbled, micro
coated feed produced in India (Growel Feeds Private
Limited) was used exclusively throughout the trial.

Trial methodology
The feeding trial was conducted at the Growel Shrimp
Hatchery Feed Trial Center (GSHFTC) which is located
within the premises of a commercial hatchery near Ongole,
Andhra Pradesh, India. The centre has 25 ‘U’ shaped tanks A view of the Growel hatchery feed trial facility.
made of fiber reinforced plastic. Each tank is a miniature

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

14 Shrimp Aquaculture

Feeding
Standard feeding Test feeding Standard feeding Test feeding
protocols

Stocking
80 PL/L 80 PL/L 60 PL/L 60 PL/L
density
Artemia Artemia
Artemia Feed Feed
nauplii/ nauplii/
Feed nauplii/PL/ (g/day, Feed Artemia (g/day)
PL/feeding
(g/day) feed 25% more than PL/feeding (g/day) nauplii/ (25% higher than
PL size (25% lower
Standard) (25% lower PL/feed Standard)
than
than (g)
Standard)
150 µm 300 µm 150 µm 300 µm Standard) 150 µm 300 µm 150 µm 300 µm
4 1.35 - 5 1.62 - 4 1.12 - 5 1.62 - 4
5 2.6 - 5 3.23 4 2.08 - 5 3.25 - 4
6 2.6 0.9 5 2.85 1.48 4 1.84 0.96 5 2.87 0.9 4
7 1.3 2.8 5 1.62 3.42 4 1 2.28 5 1.3 2.8 4
8 - 4.6 3 - 5.72 2 - 3.68 3 - 4.6 2
9 - 5.3 3 - 6.6 2 - 4.24 3 - 5.3 2
10 - 5.9 2 - 7.37 1 - 4.72 2 - 5.9 1
11 - 7 2 - 8.75 1 - 5.6 2 - 7 1
12 - 8.2 2 - 10.25 1 - 6.56 2 - 8.2 1

Table 1. Standard and test feeding protocols, and Artemia nauplii per PL/feeding administered in the trial. Feed/day/tank was divided
into 6 rations/day.

Water exchange was 30-50% per day according to post the standard feeding protocol group, higher survival was
larval age. Salinity was gradually decreased every day observed in the tanks stocked at 60 PL/L and slightly lower
by 3ppt from 30 to 5ppt on the day of final harvest to survival was observed in the tanks stocked at 80 PL/L.
acclimate the PL to the low salinity at which they will be
stocked in the ponds. An average of 20 post larvae were The average total length of the post larvae was higher
collected daily to assess rostral development, average when stocked at 60 PL/L as compared to those stocked at
total body length, and muscle gut ratio. 80 PL/L. The highest mean body weight of 8.95mg/PL was
achieved in post larvae stocked at 60 PL/L and with the
Stress tests treatment protocol in which Artemia was reduced and dry
When post larvae reached the PL12 stage, the tanks were feed quantity was increased. The post larvae body weights
completely harvested to assess survival (%), mean PL of other treatments were nearly similar (Table 2).
length (mm), and biomass harvested (g) from each tank.
Additionally, 20 post larvae were taken from each tank to Feeding Survival (%) PL length PL weight Biomass
perform two stress tolerance tests. Post larvae from each Protocols (mm) (mg) (g/tank)
treatment were packed in plastic bags with oxygen in the 60 PL/L, 97.71 ± 6.11 12.45 ± 0.39 7.57 ± 0.58 49.2 ± 2.2
same manner as for packing for transportation and left Standard
for 12 hours. Post larvae were then counted to assess Feeding
survival. In the second test, post larvae in 5ppt water 60 PL/L, 93.72 ± 3.44 12.53 ± 0.40 8.95 ± 0.32 56.4 ± 1.5
were transferred to 30ppt water for 30 minutes and then Reduced
transferred back to fresh water for 30 minutes. Post larval Artemia
swimming activity, colour changes and mortality were Feeding
observed during the stress tests. 80 PL/L, 88.11 ± 7.80 12.02 ± 0.50 7.69 ± 0.99 56.2 ± 5.3
Standard
“The strategy of reducing live Artemia by Feeding
25% and increasing the dry diet by 25% can 80 PL/L, 95.12 ± 5.73 12.35 ± 0.58 7.68 ± 0.17 63.9 ± 5.1
Reduced
give cost savings of USD 24-25/million PL Artemia
production which represents 10% savings in Feeding
feed inputs cost.”
Table 2. Effects of PL density and feeding protocol on growth and
survival of white shrimp Litpenaeus vannamei. Each value is the
Growth performance and economic mean±SD of five replicates.

analysis
Results from the stress tests revealed post larvae
Over the 11-day experimental period, water quality
survival at more than 95% in both tests. No signs of
parameters remained within the optimal range for the post
stress were evident when post larvae were transferred
larvae, with no significant difference among the treatments
from 5 ppt to 30ppt and then to freshwater. There
(temperature 30-32oC; pH 8.1 and total ammonia nitrogen
was no noticeable difference in post larval swimming
2-3mg/L).
behaviour among the treatments. Shrimp were actively
Survival, post larvae length and weight were consistently swimming against the water current and were observed
high among all treatments (Table 2). Within post larvae in to be healthy and stress-free.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Shrimp Aquaculture 15

Stocking Density 80PL/L 60PL/L

Test Feeding (25% less Test Feeding (25% less

Feeding Protocols Standard Feeding Standard Feeding
Artemia; 25% more Feed) Artemia; 25% more Feed)

Artemia nauplii usage, kg 5.25 4 5.67 4.33

Cost of Artemia usage, USD 189.1 144.24 204.11 156.08

Dry feed usage, kg 3.8 4.72 4.06 5.19

Cost of dry feed usage, USD 79.82 99.26 85.24 109.06

Total cost of feed inputs, USD 268.92 243.49 289.35 265.14

Table 3. Cost comparison between the different feeding protocols.

Economic analysis
This is shown in Table 3. Reducing the use of Artemia by
25% and concurrently increasing dry feed by the same
percentage resulted in consistent savings of about
USD24-25/million PL production which represented
about 10% savings in feed input costs.

Although the post larvae stocked at 60 PL/L, performed

slightly superior to those stocked at 80 PL/L, the latter Babu Rathinam is Technical Manager, Hatchery Feeds R&D
group showed acceptable performance under the
standard feeding protocol and exceptional performance Grace Angel is Manager, Nutrition & Feeds R&D
when live Artemia was reduced and Growel Origin® dry
feed was increased. Dr Victor Suresh is Technical Director.

More importantly, the cost of feed inputs to produce a All authors are with Growel Feeds Private Limited, India.
Email: [email protected]
million PL was lower when the post larvae were stocked
at a higher density because the feed or Artemia nauplii
must be at a sufficiently high density in water to enable
the post larvae to find the feed easily before consuming
them. Most other hatchery operating costs per unit of
post larvae production would also be lower at the higher
 *#
stocking density provided that the productivity per tank
(mainly driven by survival) or post larvae quality were not
adversely affected.  #& #!##  #"

## #  %# #&#

We believe that the higher stocking density of 80 PL/L
can be easily supported by the use of a good dry feed and
management, and there is no need to rely more on live   &#!#& &

Artemia feeding in the higher densities.  !% # #% $

Conclusions  # #%%### 

Reducing the use of live Artemia by 25% and compensating

for the reduction by increasing dry feed usage by 25% did &##
& # # # &# % "
not result in any major negative impacts on water quality,
survival, growth or stress tolerance of vannamei post #   ## &#"

larvae between PL3 and PL12 even when the post larvae &  %#  

were stocked at a density of 80 PL/L. Growel Origin shrimp

hatchery feed was used as the only dry feed in the trial and
found to support consistently high survival and growth of
vannamei post larvae.

If a good quality dry feed is used and the tanks are

well managed, stocking density can be maintained at
80 PL/L without any discernible adverse impacts on
the hatchery productivity or post larvae quality. This
strategy of reducing live Artemia and increasing the
equivalent with dry diet can give about 10% savings in
the cost of feed inputs.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

16 Feed Technology

The search for sustainable and

nutrient-rich shrimp feed leads to krill
The future of the shrimp aquaculture industry depends on cost efficient and more sustainable feed
ingredients. Through years of study, krill has proven to be a well-managed marine resource that can
fill nutritional gaps and stimulate strong growth performance.

S hrimp aquaculture is a growing industry, with a

rising consumer demand focusing on sustainable
operations. At the same time, pressure on marine
“It’s not a question of whether to include marine
ingredients in the feed, but rather, which marine
ingredients to include and at what inclusion levels.
wild stocks is increasing. Commercially farmed shrimp Over the course of many years and multiple scientific
accounts for 83.7% of the world’s shrimp consumption studies, we see that krill stands out amongst its marine
today. Presently, this industry faces challenges stemming peers as a well-managed and sustainable resource that
from oversupply in the market, which has led to falling has proven effective in stimulating growth of shrimp
prices in recent years. when put to the test, side-by-side, with other marine
ingredients,” says Dr Alberto J.P. Nunes, Professor
The mission of the modern shrimp farmer has become at Federal University of Ceará’s Institute of Marine
a delicate balancing act of securing sustainable Sciences – LABOMAR.
operations, while taking the right measures to achieve
production and economic efficiency. The combined goal Krill’s effectiveness in shrimp feed
of sustainability and efficiency in shrimp aquaculture
has put the spotlight on shrimp feed which has formulations
emerged as a key factor in terms of balancing costs and Much of the scientific study around shrimp feed
reducing impacts to support sustainable growth in the formulation has been dedicated to evaluating the
industry. effectiveness of diets with low amounts of marine
ingredients, testing whether minimising the inclusion
The challenge of costly shrimp feed of marine ingredients in the right combination can still
“Feed can represent over 50% of shrimp production contribute to performance. In one such review study
costs. When attempting to reduce these costs by developed in 2022 (Nunes et al., 2022) by LABOMAR
removing expensive ingredients, there is a risk of and Aker BioMarine, the authors asserted that Antarctic
eliminating nutrients that are essential for the shrimp’s krill, in its krill meal form, is a viable option to fill the
growth and health,’’ says Lena Burri, Director R&D nutritional gaps created by the reduced inclusion of
Animal Nutrition and Health at Aker BioMarine. other, less sustainable, and potentially higher cost
marine ingredients.
The question for the industry and for the aquaculture
scientific community has become: how do we secure In a typical feed formulation, more than half of the
nutrient-rich feeds with effective ingredients that are formula consists of protein raw materials and crystalline
both sustainable and cost-efficient? amino acids derived from marine ingredients. These
nutrients amount to more than two-thirds of the cost
– which makes them the most expensive part of the
The search for new, sustainable and cost- shrimp feed. To reduce this cost, the typical course of
efficient marine ingredients action is to replace the marine source of the protein and
Marine ingredients are at the heart of an effective amino acids with plant-based sources, such as soybean
shrimp feed. They are rich in protein and essential or canola meal, or animal by-products.
amino acids that are key to strong growth performance.
In essence, they play an important role in ensuring “The downside of using plant-based ingredients or
good production outcomes. However, many marine animal by-products in the feed is the lower nutritional
ingredients can be costly, especially when included at value and reduced effectiveness when it comes to
high levels, and they are increasingly scarce resources stimulating growth performance. When we look at krill
due to overfishing of some marine species. meal in comparison, we see a sustainable and nutrient-
rich ingredient that has proven effective in multiple

Dr Lena Burri says, “ When

attempting to reduce these
costs by removing expensive
ingredients, there is a risk
of eliminating nutrients that
are essential for the shrimp’s
growth and health.”

Krill was ranked as the best feeding effector and growth

enhancer for Pacific whiteleg shrimp in comparison to six other
marine ingredients (Nunes et al., 2019).

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 THE SUSTAINABLE
SHRIMP FEED INGREDIENT
Krill is a sustainable and functional feed ingredient.
It is certified by MSC.
18 Feed Technology

For Dr Alberto J.P. Nunes,

the question is, “which
marine ingredients to
include and at what
inclusion levels.”

Low marine ingredient inclusions, reducing as much as

75% of less sustainable marine ingredients increase feed
intake and enhance growth, yield, and feed conversion ratio
(Nunes et al, 2022)

aquaculture feed trials – with results showing that it

stimulates appetite and enhances growth even at lower “..a merit that is increasingly
inclusion levels,” explains Nunes. important to shrimp
In a 2019 scientific review article (Nunes et al., 2019) producers who seek to reduce
also conducted by LABOMAR and Aker BioMarine, the their environmental impact,”
scientists ranked krill meal as the best feeding effector
and growth enhancer for Pacific whiteleg shrimp in
says Ragnhild Dragøy.
comparison to six other marine ingredients. In a new
study published in 2024, it was demonstrated that Resources (CCAMLR). The krill biomass has been
an inclusion as low as 1.5% of krill meal was enough closely monitored for decades, and according to a
to increase feed intake and enhance growth, yield, recent 10-year monitoring study (Skaret et al., 2022),
and feed conversion ratio (FCR). In this study, other the Antarctic population has held steady and has even
ingredients were optimised and resulted in good exhibited growth in the last two decades.
performance with low marine ingredient inclusions,
“What’s notable about Aker BioMarine’s krill operation
reducing as much as 75% of less sustainable marine
is our strict management and underutilisation of the krill
ingredients. The authors asserted that the strong growth
resource. We aim for zero by-catch, low emissions, and
results were likely due to krill’s feed attractiveness
full transparency across the entire value chain, which
along with the dietary nutrients it delivers.
means that every batch of krill can be traced all the
way back to where it was caught. This precautionary
Krill meal serves as a nutritional approach has resulted in a healthy and plentiful krill
powerhouse in shrimp feeds biomass, making it a sustainable and well-supplied
To understand the unique qualities of krill, it’s important ingredient for shrimp feed,” says Pål Einar Skogrand, VP
to look to its origins. Antarctic krill is found in the Policy and Impact, Aker BioMarine.
pristine waters of the Southern Ocean, where it feeds
on microscopic algae – consuming up to 20% of its “The need to reduce shrimp feed costs is growing more
own body weight each day. Krill’s nutrition-rich profile urgent in this challenging industry. However, reducing
has put it in the ‘super ingredient’ category – high in costs cannot come at the expense of nutrition and
protein, peptides, essential amino acids, micronutrients, sustainability of the operation,” he adds.
and phospholipids that carry fatty acids, including the
all-important omega-3s. Peptides and amino acids in What separates krill from the marine
krill also happen to be feed attractants, which help to ingredient pack?
increase the attractability and palatability of the feed. In the quest to find an ingredient that balances these
The result is that more feed is consumed by the shrimp requirements, krill stands out amongst its fellow feed
and less is wasted, leading to greater growth due to ingredients. Its combination of proteins, nutrients and
high intake and overall improved efficiency combined feed attractants is enabling the reduction of other
with a lower feed loss. marine ingredients that may be scarce in supply, costly
or unsustainably fished. Krill meal opens the door to
“The combination of krill’s rich protein and lipid
improving the cost efficiency and nutritional intake of
profile, with the phospholipids, vitamins, chitin, and
shrimp, without sacrificing sustainability. It’s a win-win-
astaxanthin it contains, makes it an ideal feeding
win for shrimp aquaculture.
component for shrimp feeds. The bonus is that it is also
a sustainable ingredient - a merit that is increasingly References
important to shrimp producers who seek to reduce Nunes AJP, Dalen LL, Leonardi G, Burri L (2022). Developing
their environmental impact,” says Ragnhild Dragøy, sustainable, cost-effective and high-performance shrimp feed
VP Product Management and Sustainability for Feed formulations containing low fish meal levels. Aquacult Reports;
Ingredients, Aker BioMarine. 27, 101422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aqrep.2022.101422
Nunes AJP, Sabry-Neto H, Oliveira-Neto S, Burri L. (2019).
Feed preference and growth response of juvenile Litopenaeus
The growing importance of sustainable vannamei to supplementation of marine chemoattractants in
ingredients in shrimp feed a fishmeal-challenged diet. J World Aquacult Soc. 2019; 50:
Norway-based Aker BioMarine accounts for the majority 1048–1063. https://doi.org/10.1111/jwas.12648
Skaret G, Macaulay GJJ, Pedersen R, Wang X, Klevjer TA, Krag
(65-70%) of the global catch of krill. Krill catch limits
LA, Krafft BA (2023). Distribution and biomass estimation of
are set at less than 1% of the total estimated biomass Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) off the South Orkney Islands
in Area 48, a measure that is strictly regulated by the during 2011–2020, ICES Journal of Marine Science, 80(5),
Commission for Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living 1472, https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsad076

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Feed Technology 19

Sustainable
aquafeed takes Pole Position!
centre stage
T his year’s Seafood Expo in Barcelona was a huge
success for the Aquaculture Stewardship Council
(ASC), as the organisation garnered attention for its
efforts in promoting responsible aquafeed production.
The three-day Seafood Expo event, which attracted over
35,000 seafood professionals, saw ASC’s distinctive
branded booth becoming a focal point for seafood
enthusiasts, experts, retailers, buyers, and processors
alike.

One of the highlights of the expo was ASC’s panel

event, which centred on the importance of responsibly
produced aquafeed. The panel, featuring key industry
players, drew a crowd of 120 attendees eager to learn
more about the ASC Feed Standard and its implications
for the aquaculture industry.

Great upgrade
With the theme ‘Feed Responsibly: Why Responsible
Aquaculture Needs Responsible Feed’, key industry
players shared how they are adopting the ASC
Feed Standard to drive transparency, social and
environmental improvements in feed supply chains.
The panel included representatives from Skretting, Thai
Union, and New England Seafood, each offering unique
of your feeds!
perspectives on their journey towards responsible feed
production.

Esther Luiten, ASC’s Commercial Director kicked

CeFi ® pro
off the event with a warm welcome, acknowledging Autolyzed brewers’ yeast
the impressive turnout. The focus of the day was on
responsible feed production—an essential component
of sustainable aquaculture. Luiten proudly announced | Rich in nutrients and active
the certification achievements of three feed companies, ingredients
highlighting their commitments to meeting the rigorous
standards set by ASC. She emphasised the global
reach of this initiative, with certified sites spanning from
| High bioavailability of the same
Mexico to Thailand, Chile, and Ecuador, and exciting
prospects in the pipeline for further expansion. | Stimulates the metabolism
The significance of responsible feed cannot be | Promotes feed intake and
overstated, given its pivotal role in shaping the future of
aquaculture. Luiten underscored the challenges inherent performance
in achieving this goal, setting the stage for a panel
discussion on the difficulties in driving impactful change.
Before delving into the dialogue, a brief video provided
insight into the ASC standard, setting the tone for an
engaging exploration of responsible feed practices. Visit our website:
leibergmbh.de
Transparency and traceability in feed
sourcing
Ruth Hoban, Head of Sustainability at New England
Seafood emphasised the importance of transparency
and traceability in feed sourcing for her company. Hoban
spoke about the increasing scrutiny from UK retailers
and NGOs regarding these demands. She emphasised
the need for standards like the ASC Feed Standard to
guide companies on their journey towards responsible
feed sourcing. The dialogue delved into the broader
implications of the ASC Feed Standard beyond marine
ingredients, with Hoban shedding light on the evolving
landscape of feed production. She highlighted the
importance of due diligence and assurance in sourcing Leiber GmbH | Franz-Leiber-Str. 1 | 49565 Bramsche
raw materials, emphasising the role of the ASC standard Germany | [email protected]
in providing greater transparency and confidence to
processors and retailers.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

20 Feed Technology

In the panel, from

left, Alexandra
Warrington, Jorge
Diaz, Adam Brennan
and Ruth Hoban .
Standing is Esther
Luiten. (Source: ASC)

Commitments to responsible feed sourcing address the wide-ranging impacts of feed production
Adam Brennan, Chief Sustainability Officer, Thai throughout the supply chain. Warrington lauded the
Union Group elaborated on the group’s ambitious introduction of the ASC Feed Standard as a pivotal
sustainability strategy, which includes commitments to step towards scrutinising these impacts and driving
responsible feed sourcing aligned with climate change meaningful change.
and biodiversity goals. He emphasised on the role of the
Discussing the initial reactions from feed companies,
ASC Feed Standard in helping the company deliver on
she highlighted a spectrum of responses, ranging
its commitments.
from eagerness to apprehension. She elucidated on
He elucidated the tangible benefits of the ASC Feed the complexity of the ASC Feed Standard, which was
Standard for his company’s sustainability goals. crafted in consultation with diverse stakeholders to
He emphasised how the standard aligns with Thai address the multifaceted nature of supply chain risks.
Union’s commitments to climate responsibility and Warrington reiterated ASC’s commitment to supporting
sustainable aquaculture, providing a robust framework feed mills in navigating the requirements of the
for addressing material risks within the supply chain. standard.
Brennan stressed on the credibility and scalability of the
The positive reception and continuous support from
standard, underlining its role in driving impact at scale
stakeholders across the aquaculture supply chain
while instilling consumer confidence through the ASC
reaffirmed ASC’s commitment to promoting responsible
label.
feed practices.
Risk mitigation and industry advancement As the dialogue ended, it became evident that
Jorge Diaz, Global Sustainability Manager, Skretting while challenges remain, the ASC Feed Standard
shared insights from his company’s journey in embracing represents an important step forward in fostering
the ASC Feed Standard, reflecting on the initial sustainability and responsible practices within the
apprehension, daunting challenges and subsequent aquaculture industry. With continued collaboration and
determination to forge ahead on the journey towards support, stakeholders might be able to navigate the
certification. Diaz highlighted the subsequent benefit of complexities of feed production, paving the way for a
adopting responsible feed practices and spoke about more sustainable future. With more feed companies
the transformative potential of the standard in reshaping undergoing the certification process, the momentum
relationships with suppliers. With a commitment towards towards environmentally and socially responsible feed
understanding these standards, he explained that taking production continues to grow.
a collaborative approach is necessary for risk mitigation
and industry advancement. The Seafood Expo Global served as a platform for
meaningful dialogue and collaboration towards a more
A growing awareness among stakeholders sustainable future for aquaculture. As the demand
Alexandra Warrington, Feed Standard Senior for responsibly sourced seafood continues to rise,
Coordinator, ASC concluded the panel session by initiatives like the ASC Feed Standard play a vital role
emphasising on the collaborative efforts needed to drive in driving positive change across the aquaculture supply
positive impacts on both people and the planet through chain.
responsible feed production. Warrington set the stage
ASC certified farms have until October 2025 to switch to
by expressing her delight at the growing awareness
sourcing compliant feed produced under the ASC Feed
among stakeholders regarding the pivotal role of feed in
Standard. Feed mills that get certified in 2024 will not
fostering responsible aquaculture.
have to pay licence fees on the volume of compliant
She emphasised that responsible culture is inseparable feed they produce this calendar year.
from responsible feed, noting the critical need to

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Feed Technology 21

Growth of aquaculture requires

alternative and sustainable feed
ingredients
The USGC international aquaculture conference’s topics range from demand and supply, feed
sustainability to DDGS and corn fermented protein for aquafeeds

T he ecosystem for aquafeeds continues to change. It

is now the era of Aquafeeds V3 where the focus is
on traceability and sustainability, according to IFFO’s
scenario of a faster demand recovery, globally there is
sufficient supply growth potential to prevent a strong
price recovery.”
Director of Research, Dr Brett Glencross. By October
2025, Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)’s certified El Niño is tapering off which will help feed producers. Fish
farms must use feeds certified to its new feed standards. meal volumes will recover to the 5 million tonnes mark.
A new challenge from 2025 is the EU’s Deforestation “The fishmeal/soy meal price ratio is expected to continue
Regulation affecting the entire supply chain for soy a gradual decline after hitting its peak in Q3 2023. The
complex (soybeans, soy oils and soy meals etc).“While five-year average was 4.2,” said Sharma.
aquafeed millers constantly seek sustainable feed
Outlook for the tilapia and catfish
ingredients, a demand is out there for sustainable feed
Ragnar Nystøyl, Chief Analyst, Kontali discussed trends
ingredients, but this comes at a cost,” said Ronnie Tan,
in the global supply of tilapia and merged these into
Aquaculture Consultant, USGC.
aquafeed demand. Tilapia and catfish fit into the lower
“The US Grains Council promotes two corn co-products, end of the seafood ladder, with prices around USD1.60/
Distiller’s Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) and corn kg and USD1.20/kg. In comparison, salmonids are at
fermented protein (CFP); both can play a larger role USD9.50/kg. In terms of supply, global volumes of the
in aquafeed production, particularly with regards to tilapia reached 6.5 million tonnes at a 5-year compound
sustainability,” said Carlos Suarez, USGC’s Sustainability annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.8% while for the catfish,
Manager. Sustainability in aquaculture is more complex mainly pangasius from Vietnam, volumes reached 5.2
and different from that for livestock production. million tonnes at a CAGR of 3.2%.

Taking advantage of the presence of the global seafood In 2023, aquafeed volumes were expected to decline
and aquaculture stakeholders attending Seafood Expo in the order of 4% for tilapia feed and 5% for catfish feed.
Global in Barcelona, USGC held a half day International Overall aquafeed volumes have been on the decline in 2023
Aquaculture Conference. Ramy H. Taieb, Regional Director, according to the data from Alltech. The decline was led by
US Grains Council - Middle East, Africa and Europe and China and Southeast Asia.
Karisha Kuypers, Agricultural Attaché, USDA FAS Madrid
Kontali adopts the weighed raw material index for salmon
welcomed over 40 aquafeed producers, together with
feeds and using this, Nystøyl demonstrated that inflation
shrimp and fish farmers.
and squeezing margins led to slow growth. Tough feed
Global shrimp supply outlook logistics have affected the trade of tilapia and catfish from
Rabobank’s Novel Sharma, Analyst-Seafood, said that China and Southeast Asia to the EU, Africa and America. “In
2024 is seeing the lowest shrimp prices. At the retail mid-December 2023, the Red Sea crisis had a significant
level, they do not reflect those at wholesale prices and impact on trade and imports to the EU; the total volume
the hope is that retail prices will go down leading to during that period was only 99,113 tonnes”.
increase in demand.
Tilapia and catfish trade
China’s domestic supply is expected to affect future Growth in tilapia supply levelled off in 2023. The US was
demand, but the macroeconomics of the country does not no longer driving growth of the tilapia market. US volumes
favour the population spending a lot on buying shrimp. “We declined from 700,000 to 450,000 tonnes but the US
need the demand and supply to close up to have better remained the reference for the tilapia trade. In terms of
prices,” said Sharma. prices, those for fresh tilapia have increased while frozen
tilapia declined to USD4.00/kg in 2023 and frozen whole
Supply in 2023 and 2024 fish price hovered around USD2.00/kg. For the catfish,
Growth in supply from Ecuador is expected to slow down the major markets were China, USA and the EU.
to 5% in 2024. Ecuador is pushed by its technification
process in the farming level and investment in processing. 2024 and beyond
Ecuador’s industry can pivot to any product, as its exporters The volume growth for the tilapia is uncertain because of
did in 2021 to quickly match market demands. After years feed costs but price levels may improve with international
of growth, Southeast Asia’s production is expected to drop, trade of frozen tilapia. Issues on feed, price and
led by Vietnam and Indonesia. inconvenient logistics are expected to hamper growth for
both tilapia and catfish. Kontali expects growth of both
Despite low prices, Rabobank does not expect supply pangasius and hybrid/local catfish in Latin America for
to contract in 2024. It expects India and Indonesia to be local and regional consumption.
encouraged by US demand expectations. “Low prices will
remain and become the new normal. Even in an optimistic

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

22 Feed Technology

Aquafeed demand and grains supply but the need was to control cost. With regards to fishmeal,
According to Tan, the Alltech Global Feed Survey showed aquaculture is using fishmeal more than before. It continues
aquafeed production in 2023 at 52.09 million tonnes, to be used as a strategic ingredient. Grains will underpin all
down 4% from the previous year. Shrimp feed volume feeds going forward. Growth in grain consumption by 2032
was over 8 million tonnes mainly from Latin America and will be 465 million tonnes and feed will consume 106 million
Asia, but with growth in the former and stagnation in the tonnes.
latter.
Where are we with formulation now?
Global tilapia feed production was over 9 million tonnes led Glencross discussed how diet formulations are designed,
by China, Egypt, Indonesia, Brazil and Bangladesh. Global stressing that formulations are based on nutrients,
production of pangasius catfish feed was over 4.5 million Increasingly, industry is looking at formulations based on
tonnes (excluding China) and if farmgate prices of the fish digestible levels such as digestible energy and protein.
do not improve, the industry will continue with economical Using the example of a modern formulation for the Asian
feeds. seabass, Glencross demonstrated how specifications
change for different stages. Eight different specifications
The outlook for 2024 sees new challenges. “Will inflation, can be applied over the production cycle of this fish (from
looming recession and gloom in the US, EU and China first feeding to 5kg harvest size).
respectively, dent seafood demand?” asked Tan. While
salmon prices will remain high, securing feed volumes, Secondly, digestible levels are fixed but crude or gross
low shrimp prices will cause shrimp feed volumes to shrink. levels vary. Thirdly, as the animal’s size changes, there is
Notwithstanding, feed insecurity is on the rise. Fishmeal a different pellet size and the protein: energy dynamics will
prices are expected to soften but current inventory is still also change. He discussed the regulation of feed intake and
low. how the fish reacts to feed. Fish have the same five senses
as humans do, plus the ability to sense vibrations in water
Tan echoed Nystøyl, that bottlenecks at Suez and Panama via their lateral line and in some cases electrical currents.
Canals will tighten the supply chain. Alternative protein Fish have a higher sensory capacity than mammals and
ingredients are in the feed companies’ radar, but utilisation marine meals stimulate feed intake.
will depend on price and scalability. Tan gave a 2H 2024
outlook on grain supply, forecasting lower soybean meal Future synergies
prices and range-bound prices for corn and DDGS with “All feed ingredients have SWOT - strengths and
supporting fundamentals. weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. There is no
such thing as the perfect ingredient,” said Glencross.
Synergies between marine meals and He added that all ingredients have risks and formulators
grains need to be aware of the ramifications and impact they
Glencross showed how the use of ingredients is changing. create on formulations. But with an understanding of the
As aquaculture grew, formulation became much clearer, strengths of an ingredient, and the weaknesses of another,

USGC also participated in Seafood Expo Global with

a booth. Visitors and conference participants, from
right, Tho Ching Ching, COO and Allen Goh, CEO at
GST, Malaysia; Guntur Mallarangeng, CEO, Delos
Aqua Indonesia with visitor, Francisco Murillo, Tropo
Farms, Ghana.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Feed Technology
ArtAquacultureAsiaMEGACIDmayo2024.pdf
23 1 22/5/24

complementarity is possible. Marine ingredients are complementary to

increasing grain use in feeds, providing cost effective nutrients.

“Managing diet palatability is becoming critical and control of palatability will

empower formulation,” said Glencross. Palatants tend to be enzymatic or acid
hydrolysates of fishery products with key chemical stimuli such as peptides
and free amino acids. The typical inclusion rates are 0.5-5% but Glencross
reminded that responses are variable depending on hydrolysis, between
species but overall, still gives good palatability.

Seabass and seabream in the Mediterranean

Kantham Papanna, Consultant on Fish Pathology & Aquaculture, formerly
Head, Fish Pathology, Nireus Aquaculture (now Avramar) said that together
Greece and Turkey produced 70% of European production, with a total volume
of 363,000 tonnes in 2022. Species wise, volumes were 28% gilthead bream
and seabass at 25%. Economic sustainability is a concern for players in Greece
and Turkey and a common challenge is high feed and energy costs. Turkey
also faces currency devaluation and high inflation.

Major markets are local as well as Italy, Spain, and France. The supply chain Organic acids + allicin
is limited to chilled fish which needs a cold chain supply line from harvest
point to final markets. Turkey has the advantage of selling to Russia while For aquaculture use
there is an embargo for EU producers. Tracking prices, Kantham showed
that these have been quite unstable over the past two decades. March 2024
in feed plants
prices were €6/kg for the seabass and €5.5/kg for the seabream. In Greece,
300 companies in Greece are integrated from hatchery to sale and logistics Free your harvests
and a few have retail outlets. from antibiotics
There is a two-phase grow-out in open sea cages over a 2-year cycle. In Controls fungi, protozoa,
year 1, small 60-80m diameter cages hold 2-60g fish and in year 2, large and pathogenic bacteria
cages (100-200m diameter) and 15-20m deep, hold more than 60g fish to
Quickly troubleshoots
harvest. Genetically improved juveniles reach harvest sizes of 350-450g
Red Head events
fish in 13-18 months with over-wintering when water temperatures are
16°C. Does not affect probiotic
bacteria
The hatchery segment is well organised. With technological advancement,
survival to 2g fry has improved tremendously over 35 years to the present 45% Biodegradable and
for seabream and 25% for seabass. Some 70% of the juveniles produced are environmentally safe

Check it out!
from genetically improved stock. In Greece, Avramar, the largest producer
in the Mediterranean works with Benchmark Genetics and Scotland’s Xelect.
Japanese and Scandinavian breeding companies are working in Turkey. + palatability
Their output has seen improvements in harvest weight, fillet yield, body + survival
shape, robustness, deformity reduction and disease resistance against + feed conversion
Vibrio, viral nervous necrosis (VNN) and parasites.

Vaccinations against several pathogens are in place starting with 20g

fish, better nutrition with functional feed ingredients for parasite control,
fallowing of the sites and year class separation, with priority on stocking
with robust juveniles.

Feed standards
“In the pursuit of sustainable shrimp production, feed is important,” Cleaner environments.
said Michiel Fransen, Standards and Science Director, ASC. There is the Cleaner harvests.
importance of quantifying the footprint of feed ingredients through life cycle
assessments (LCAs), focussing not only on environmental impacts but also
resource management and scalability.

ASC has two types of certification programs: one for aquaculture farms
and a recent certification for feed. Fransen, discussed the ASC Feed ®

Standard, outlining sustainability challenges and principles for feed Let’s aquaculture together
used in aquaculture, focussing on responsible ingredient sourcing and www.megasupply.com
transitioning to deforestation-free supply chains. He explained the [email protected]
challenges encountered with feed: up to 80% of carbon footprint of
aquaculture is in feed; deforestation and land conversion are the biggest
drivers. Sustainability credentials of marine ingredients and feed supply
chains are long and complex, making traceability difficult. Responsible EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR FOR INDIA
sourcing of ingredients - marine and plant ingredients are included in its [email protected]
five principles. Fransen reflected on how the role of the supply chain has +91-9962525791
shifted from business to business towards business to consumer, with
concerns on origin of supply chain and trust built in.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

24 Feed Technology

“We basically are asking that the feed miller undertakes Turkey produced 876,000 tonnes of feeds for an
due diligence on their ingredient sources to demonstrate aquaculture production of 575,000 tonnes. But with prices
low risk on key factors (legal, environmental and social).” of fish feed increasing and volatility in the soy market,
Professor Deniz Coban, Agriculture Faculty, Aydın Adnan
He added that as transparency is key, similar to the farm Menderes University, Turkey, has conducted laboratory
standard, ASC publishes on its website what the feed trials with DDGS, adding it in feeds at three inclusion
mill reports on water consumption and disposal, effluent rates, 10%, 20% and 30%.
discharge, energy consumption, GHG emissions and ASC
feed volumes sold. He concluded that feed conversion ratio (FCR) was lower,
weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR) were higher in
DDGS in aquafeeds the 20% inclusion group. It was observed that the use of
“DDGS and CFP do not compete for the same space. DDGS up to 30% in rainbow trout feeds had no negative
Regular DDGS is for lower protein feed of less than effect on skin and fillet colour. Digestibility trials also
33% crude protein and CFP for higher protein feeds of showed no negative effect on digestibility rates. It was
more than 33%CP,” said Tan. The strengths of DDGS observed that the feed cost decreased significantly due to
in aquafeeds include the protein component, energy, the increase in DDGS protein source in the trial feeds.
available phosphorous, yeast, beta-glucans and
xanthophyll, and for CFPs, the highly digestible amino CFP in aquafeeds
acids. (Table 1). For Dr Kevin Herrick, Director of Nutritional Technical
Services, POET Bioproducts, USA, CFP represents the
Shrimp feed Tilapia feed Pangasius Marine Fish next evolution of the distiller’s industry. Its nutrient profile
32-40%CP 28-32%CP feed feed makes it ideal for aquaculture formulations and provides
26-28%CP 40-50%CP an alternative ingredient in most formulations but there are
Indonesia still a lot more to learn on the benefits. Using the AquaOp
DDGS Thailand Indonesia Vietnam formulation software which captures requirements for
Vietnam regional species and ingredient specifics, CFP replaced
Indonesia some soybean meal and wheat gluten meal with 3.1%
Indonesia
Thailand reduction in feed costs in a formulation for steelhead
CFP Thailand
Vietnam
Vietnam trout in Turkey. It replaced some soybean meal, gluten
Malaysia meal, and blood meal with a 2.7% reduction in feed costs,
in a formulation for gilthead bream. A formulation for the
Table 1. Opportunities for DDGS for freshwater fish and shrimp
and CFP for marine fish & shrimp in Asia. Source: Ronnie Tan, 2024.

The panel discussion on demand and supply was led

by Caleb Wurth, USGC Southeast Asia and Oceana
Regional Director (right). Panellist were, Ragnar
Nystøyl, Kontali; Ronnie Tan, USGC; Kantham
Papanna, India, and Novel Sharma, Rabobank.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Feed Technology 25

seabass with a replacement of soy protein US, where farmers have been improving a series of sustainable
concentrate with CFP and added fishmeal, production practices.” Land and water use was less, GHG emissions
gave a 2.9% reduction in feed costs. (pounds of CO2 per bushel) reduced by 48% and energy use (BTU
per bushel) by 54.6%. The corn used in that process also has reduced
Herrick also debunked some perceptions such environmental impact The goals towards 2030 are to reduce GHG
as effects on fillet colour. CFP has little to no emissions by 13% and irrigation water use by 15%.
effect on fillet colour at typical inclusions as
shown in a 30-day digestibility study with CFP
at 30% inclusion.

Positioning DDGS and CFP for

sustainable aquafeeds
The growth in aquaculture feeds requires
complementary feed ingredients. Fishmeal
and marine ingredients will remain as strategic
ingredients. The industry looks for alternative
ingredients with availability, price and
sustainability attributes. DDGS and CFP meet
all the criteria.

US corn and its co-products ​ can support

the aquaculture industry by ​ augmenting the
availability of feed ingredients to enhance
the performance of aquaculture feeds and its
credibility​in terms of sustainability indicators. The panel discussion on aquafeeds and nutrition was led by Mohamed
“DDGS is extracted from ethanol and has Salah Bouthour, USGC Regional Deputy Director for Africa (left).
been approaching the issue of circularity for a Panellists from right, Deniz Coban, Aydın Adnan Menderes University;
long time,” said Saurez as he outlined US corn Michiel Fransen, ASC; Brett Glencross, IFFO; Carlos Suarez, USGC and
Kevin Herrick, POET Bioproducts.
production practices. “Corn is produced in the

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July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

26 Interview

Succession implementation
The route of Delta Marine from trading to shrimp farming and passing the baton
By Zuridah Merican

T he Darmawans are leading one of Indonesia’s largest

shrimp aquaculture companies, Delta Marine Group.
It was founded by Soedarman and Anita in 1986. The
better than around East Jawa. We now have a landbank of
400ha mainly in Sumbawa, but also in Madura, East Jawa,
and Belitung.
second generation is making waves. While Rizky manages
all aquaculture operations and business development for I started with 27 traditional (earthen) ponds in 2008 and
PT Delta Marine Indonesia (DMI) and associated farms, now we have 76 ponds, all of them lined or concrete, in the
Cynthia runs the group’s trading and business operations. farm in Sumbawa. Additionally, we have 18 small ponds
to run trials. These are of various sizes, from 5,000m2 to
Anita is group CFO and Soedarman, is Chairman. The
smaller ones of 314m2. Rizky wanted to try out round tank
group headquarters is in Sidoarjo, East Jawa.
systems and raceways.
The path of DMI is synonymous with Indonesia’s farmed
shrimp industry which started with the black tiger shrimp Rizky: It took me quite some time to convince my father
to try out shrimp farming in round tanks and today, we
in the early 1980s. Intensification of shrimp farming then
are doing very well with our 16 tanks. Later, I had to do
led to a rapid production increase. Production declined
more convincing to allow me to test out shrimp farming
following outbreaks of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in raceway systems. I have many ideas on shrimp culture
and the recovery in production to around 300,000 tonnes models. I believe that one must try to develop technology
in 2023 came with a change to vannamei shrimp since and change for the better.
2012.
Soedarman: Whatever works and is the best in terms of
Today, while the pioneering cohorts of shrimp farmers are productivity, we will accept and change. Anita is happy
leaving the industry, the next generation is taking over. with this arrangement as she believes that if one must do
However, with DMI, the story is also a succession plan something, one must be responsible and willing to put in
for a long-term tenure in shrimp farming. Post Shrimp the effort.
Aquaculture Conference (SAC), held recently in Bali in
June, I met up with the family for this article. Pulling in Rizky and Cynthia
Soedarman: Basically, both Anita and I are traders, and
How did the Delta Marine Group come about? we knew very little about shrimp farming. We kept to semi-
Soedarman: We are natives of Sidoarjo which is situated intensive farming and had to employ technicians to run the
at a ‘delta’ and so we named the company CV Delta Marine. farm. I did not plan for Rizky to join the business. He went
In 1980s, Anita and I started seafood trading. At that time, to the US to study computer science and then suddenly he
around Sidaorjo, it was traditional farms producing only changed his course to fisheries science! We also sent them
black tiger shrimp. In 1986, I had the interest to venture to China to learn Mandarin because we saw the rise of the
into shrimp farming after trading shrimp from the intensive Chinese economy and thought that it would be a good skill
farms around Banyuwangi in East Jawa. During those days, for them to have.
shrimp farming was very profitable and so I was very keen
to enter this industry. Rizky: When my father asked me to take over the farm, I
had to live there for three months and learn farming from
Much later, I started to buy land for shrimp farming under CV the farm manager and technicians. My father has been
Delta Marine in several locations across Indonesia. In 2007, focussing on the trading business and left the running of
I saw how crowded the shrimp farming activity was on the the farm to the manager. It was not easy for a young man
main island, Jawa and so, went eastwards to Sumbawa in used to city living. But then, for me, my family is already
West Nusa Tenggara where farming conditions are so much involved in this business. Why start from zero, it is much
easier to continue something
that is already there. This is a
wonderful gift.

A learning curve for

father and son
Rizky: When I started in 2014,
the farm was already profitable.
Shrimp prices were at their highs.
However, profits were less than
what we are now achieving,
although prices are at their
lowest today. We tried several
ways to improve but nothing
worked. Production was around
300 tonnes per cycle. I took over
and asked Joseph Santoso, an
old high school friend, to join me.
PT Delta Marine farm in Sumbawa. See pages 8-12.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Interview 27

The Darmawans are leading one of Indonesia’s largest shrimp aquaculture companies, Delta Marine Group. Soedarman and Anita,
started with seafood trading. The succession plan has Rizky as CEO and Cynthia as COO.

Together, all four of us are constantly learning farm with me. They preferred to talk to my parents, although
management. I taught my parents to trust me. One time, knowing that I oversee total operations which include feed
while on site, I saw in one block, that shrimp in the feed purchases. On the other hand, I am happy that the second
trays were dying. I told my parents: we need to harvest generation has taken over, as we easily communicate
quickly. But they asked me to try to fix the problem based with each other. I am also pleased that a major feed miller
on what the technicians had suggested. In the end, we prefers to communicate with us young farmers to better
lost the crop and a lot of money for that block. Fortunately, understand the field situation. To me, this is how we can
we were still profitable as it happened in one block only.
grow the industry in Indonesia, by being open and willing
Subsequently, my parents asked me to decide and use
to share. We do not gain by not sharing!
my best judgement if there are any similar cases in the
future.
Cynthia: My story is about the trading side. Farmers will
What helped me was the comradery of young shrimp call me to ask my opinions on the current market situation
farmers when we formed Petambak Muda Indonesia (PMI and prices, i.e., whether the market is going up or down.
or Young Shrimp Farmers). The initial group of 4 young I would spend some time giving them my take on the
shrimp farmers grew to 20 and then more. We exchanged situation. But when it comes to the actual business of
notes and helped each other in solving issues. For some, buying their shrimp harvest, they will refuse to take my
the learning came from their farmer fathers while others calls, preferring to talk only to either of my parents.
were new entrepreneurs, first timers in the shrimp business
but were hands-on like me.
Community involvement
Soedarman: At our recent cycle, we consecutively broke In Indonesia, shrimp farms provide jobs for local
records. We have managed to develop our own farming communities. This is a strong social element.
methods and have reached our targets. Previously, this Where is Delta Marine with regards to corporate
site was an example of a good location, good water social responsibility or CSR?
quality but poor farm management. We have now turned Rizky: Although DMI does not have an organised CSR
it around. We partly applied the new system and reached program, we are very integrated with the local communities
560 tonnes for that cycle. We finally applied it in all of our at this site. Some staff have their complete families on site.
ponds the next cycle and produced 730 tonnes. Right now, However, whenever the community needs something, it
we are currently on our third cycle with the system, and it is
will approach us for some contributions like for building a
looking like we are going to break that record.
mosque and rebuilding a damaged house. As we expand
downstream, and do our own marketing, we will need
Young gen versus old school ideas
to develop a CSR program and create a positive vibe for
How is it being part of the younger generation in an consumers. We know we can do more.
industry dominated by the first gen farmers?
Rizky: Being part of a family business has its unique
stories. Mine was how feedmillers, refused to communicate

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

28 Interview

Soedarman: This is not part of any CSR, but we use the How important is sustainability for you?
farm site in Sumbawa as a training centre for shrimp Rizky: We start with economic sustainability. If the
farming. Our hope is that they can be future technicians business is not profitable, we will all close our farms.
and farm attendants. Social sustainability is second, as with all shrimp farms,
DMI exists to give local communities work opportunities.
Integration I see environmental sustainability as a long-term vision of
Soedarman: We all concur that we will not enter the feed any shrimp farming business. It is what we need to secure
milling business. As a large feed user, we benefit from for the industry for future generations, for my daughters
very good feed prices, provided we continue to buy big and their children.
volumes. This is a good decision; imagine the risk we must
assume with feed milling, amidst this uncertainty with As part of meeting the sustainability agenda via
ingredient prices. certification, we have designed another farm in Sumbawa
ready for Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)
Rizky: We did muse on having a hatchery, but in the certification. The farm will begin stocking in July. What is
end, we decided just to be a shareholder if we enter that holding us back with ASC audits is the cost of certification.
segment, rather than run a hatchery ourselves. There are We accept that certification does not guarantee premiums,
around 30 hatcheries in Indonesia, the closest we use are but just gives us a ‘licence to sell’. However, all these will
in Sumbawa about 2 hours away and up to Bali, which is change when we integrate a processing plant and carry
around 20 hours away. out our own marketing. In the future, with many sites in
operation, we may want to look at marketing our own
We know that when we operate a hatchery and produce sustainability efforts to consumers.
good post larvae, we can sell in the open market. But if
we fail and produce poor quality post larvae, we might be “ I want to leave a legacy for my children
forced to use it in our farms to mitigate loss. It’s a lose- and for the future generations in shrimp
lose situation. Therefore, as shareholder, we get preferred
treatment - option of quality post larvae for our farms and
farming.” - Soedarman
some control on quality.
To be different from other shrimp farming
The group has a processing plant with a capacity of 10- enterprises
15 tonnes shrimp/day in Gresik. This has been leased out. Soedarman: I want to leave a legacy for my children and
Integration in processing is in the works but we have no for the future generations in shrimp farming. I am focussed
expertise in processing. Another problem is getting skilled on training the next generation in shrimp farming. We
labour. A processing plant for our new site in Sumbawa is employ the high performing trainees to manage our new
planned to be up and running within 3 years. farms. What is the point of planning and starting new
farms and then struggle to find good workers?
Soedarman: We know that we need to maintain quality and
so we need to have control on post-harvest processing. Today, we have two farms in operation in Sumbawa, Delta
Sumbawa is 40 hours away and so we will need to have Marine in Labuan Mapin (DMI) and Arca Aquaculture,
freezing capacity. in Tambora. Our new JV, PT Mitradelta Bahari Pratama’s
farm will soon start operations. The farm is in another part
“ I see environmental sustainability as a of Sumbawa, east of Tambora. We also plan to go over to
long-term vision of any shrimp farming Sulawesi. There is another 50ha in Belitung. My ambition
is to have 600-700 ponds in 2-3 years.
business. It is what we need to secure for
the industry for future generations, for my However, we are building up farms one after another,
daughters and their children.” - Rizky as we go through a learning curve. We may focus on the
large areas in Sumbawa with 7-10 farms. All the while,
we learn to adapt each farm to the environment and local
community. I would like to see PT Delta Marine be a
corporation led by Rizky and Cynthia.

My concern is with the US antidumping tariffs (AD) for

Indonesia.Without this AD, farmgate prices for size 30/kg
have dropped up to IDR65,000/kg. We are still profitable
since our cost of production is around IDR35,000/kg.
However, we are afraid that this case will further drop the
farmgate price even lower. Regardless, we don’t have
any control on price, so we just focus on having stable
production in our farms.

The expansion plans are all in farming and will take more
than 5 years to build. We have to expand slowly as in
Indonesia, there is no support from banks for shrimp
farming. Therefore, we are also looking at investors to
speed up the process. PT Mitradelta Bahari Pratama, is a
mining company and with their expertise and connections,
we are hoping to find a way to tap into bank funds.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

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30 Feed Technology

The power of mannan rich fraction to

address parasitic disease challenges
The production method determines the mannan oligosaccharides’ prebiotic activity, immune-
stimulatory effects, and pathogen-binding capabilities
By Yufan Zhang and Henry Wong

A quaculture has become a critical component of global

food production. As the demand for seafood rises,
ensuring the health and growth of farmed aqua animals is
Once the yeast strain is selected, the fermentation
process begins. The conditions under which fermentation
is carried out—such as temperature, pH, nutrient
paramount. One of the essential factors in achieving this is availability, and aeration—can significantly affect the
the quality of feed used in aquaculture. Among various feed yield and quality of MOS. Variations in fermentation
additives, mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) have garnered conditions can lead to differences in the composition
significant attention for their beneficial effects on the health and structure of MOS. For instance, aerobic fermentation
and performance of farmed fish and shrimp. might result in a different mannose-to-glucose ratio than
anaerobic fermentation. These differences can influence
This article delves into the transformative potential of next MOS’s prebiotic and immunomodulatory functions in
generation of MOS, highlighting their roles in enhancing aquaculture feed.
aquaculture feed and their practical applications in the
battle against the notorious parasite Ichthyophthirius After fermentation, extracting MOS from yeast cell walls
multifiliis. is the next step. The extraction method used can have
a profound impact on the purity and functionality of
Understanding mannan oligosaccharides MOS. Standard extraction techniques include chemical
Mannan oligosaccharides are prebiotic compounds extraction and enzymatic hydrolysis. Chemical extraction
derived from the cell walls of yeast, particularly methods, such as acid or alkali treatment, can effectively
Saccharomyces cerevisiae. They have been extensively release MOS from yeast cells but may also result in the
studied for their ability to enhance gut health, boost formation of unwanted by-products and degradation of
the immune system, and improve the overall growth bioactive compounds. In contrast, enzymatic hydrolysis
performance of aquatic animals. uses specific enzymes to break down yeast cell walls,
producing high-purity MOS with minimal degradation of
The ways in which MOS benefits aquatic animals are both bioactive compounds.
intricate and diverse. In terms of immune modulation,
MOS can recognise toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on the Impact of production methods on
surface of macrophages and promote mRNA transcription functionality
of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and tumor The various production methods described above can
necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) through a series of signalling influence the functionality of MOS in aquaculture feed
pathways. in several ways, including molecular weight, degree of
polymerisation, and molecular structure.
Finally, MOS increase the secretion of cytokines nitric
oxide (NO) and TNF-α. Furthermore, MOS help to MOS with a higher degree of polymerisation are generally
maintain gut health by influencing the structural integrity more effective in stimulating the immune system. This is
of bacterial cell walls and blocking intestinal binding because these MOS structures are more likely to interact
sites, thus preventing harmful microbes from colonising with immune receptors on the surface of immune cells.
the gut. This action is particularly effective against One of the critical functions of MOS is their ability to bind
pathogens such as Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus pathogenic bacteria and prevent them from adhering to
and E. coli, ensuring a healthier and more resilient the intestine. This mechanism, known as agglutination,
aquaculture environment. reduces the colonisation of pathogens and lowers the risk
of infections in aquaculture species. The effectiveness of
Production methods for MOS MOS in pathogen binding is influenced by their mannose
The effectiveness of MOS in aquaculture feed is not structure. MOS with specific structural configurations are
solely dependent on their concentration but also on more effective in binding to the lectins on the surface of
the production method. This involves several stages, pathogenic bacteria. Production methods that optimise the
including the selection of yeast strains, fermentation mannose content with the specific structure of MOS can
processes, and extraction techniques. Each stage can thus enhance their pathogen-binding capabilities.
significantly impact the final product’s quality and
functionality. A new generation of MOS
Mannan Rich Fraction (MRF) is a cutting-edge, second-
Different strains of S. cerevisiae can produce varying
generation MOS product developed using Alltech’s
amounts and structures of MOS. Some strains are more
advanced nutrigenomic tools. By meticulously screening
efficient in synthesising mannose-rich polysaccharides,
yeast cell fractions and investigating their benefits on host
while others may create more unwanted by-products.
intestinal tissue, Alltech has created a more bioactive feed
The choice of yeast strain can influence the molecular
additive. This innovative product can be included in diets
weight, degree of polymerisation, and mannose content
at lower rates while still delivering improved zootechnical
of the MOS. These factors are crucial as they determine
performance, even under challenging field conditions.
the MOS’s prebiotic activity, immune-stimulatory effects,
and pathogen-binding capabilities.
July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific
 AWer the infec1on test, visible white spots (black arrows) and abundant mucus (red arrows)
appeared on the surface of the goldfish. Local amplifica1on of gill in the control group,
demonstrated the occurrence of trophont (white doBed circle, black arrows) while gill in the Feed Technology 31
MOS group showed almost no trophont (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Clinical signs and symptoms

of goldfish after challenge with
Ichthyophthirius multifiliis in the control and
MRF (cMOS) groups.

A: Visible white spots (black arrows) and

abundant mucus (red arrows).
B: Gill in the control group.
C: Gill in the treatment group with MOS.
D: Amplification of gill in the control
group, with trophont (white dotted
circle, black arrows).
E: Amplification of gill of in the MOS
group with almost no trophont.

Figure 1. Clinical signs and symptoms of goldfish aWer challenge with Ichthyophthirius
mul/filiis in the control and MRF (cMOS) groups. A: Visible white spots (black arrows) and
abundant mucus (red arrows). B: Gill in the control group. C: Gill in the treatment group with
MOS. D: Amplifica1on of gill in the control group, with trophont (white doBed circle, black
arrows). E: Amplifica1on of gill of in the MOS group with almost no trophont.

The remarkably lower infec1on rate and mortality of goldfish fed with MOS accounted for Figure 2. The infection rate and survival
rate after challenge with Ichthyophthirius
the fact that MRF could effec1vely prevent the I. mul/filiis from invading the skin and gill multifiliis.
and had a specific protec1ve effect on goldfish (Figure 2).
Control-inf cMOS-inf

igure 2.Figure
The 2. The
infec1on
Practical
infec1on
rate and rate
applications
and rate
survival
in
survival
aquacultureaWerrate aWer
controlchallenge
challenge with Ichthyophthirius
with demonstrated
group, Ichthyophthirius mul/filiis.
the occurrence mul/filiis.
of trophont
The benefits of MOS in aquaculture feed are well- (white dotted circle, black arrows) while gill in the MOS
documented, with numerous studies demonstrating their group showed almost no trophont (Figure 1).
Compared
omparedpositive
with the with
effects on the
control control
the goldfish
growth, goldfish
gill
health, gill lamellae,
lamellae,
and survival the the gill lamellae
of gill lamellae
The remarkablyoflower goldfish of fed
goldfish
infection with
rate
fed
andMRF
with MRF
mortality of
various aquaculture species. Recently, an experiment
(cMOS)
involving increased
cMOS) increased in length
the inand
application length MRFandin respiratory
ofrespiratory was area3).
area (Figure
aquafeed (Figure
goldfish 3). MOS accounted for the fact that MRF
fed with
could effectively prevent the I. multifiliis from invading
conducted. The results not only confirmed the findings
the skin and gill and had a specific protective effect on
of previous studies but also provided new insights into
goldfish (Figure 2).
the effects and mechanisms of MRF, demonstrating
its potential to improve disease resistance and overall Compared with the control goldfish gill lamellae, the gill
Figure 2. The infec1on rate and survival rate aWer challenge with Ichthyophthirius mul/filiis.
performance in aquaculture species. lamellae of goldfish fed with MRF (cMOS) increased in
length and respiratory area (Figure 3).
Ich or Ichthyophthirius multifiliis is a visible
Compared protozoan
with the control goldfish gill lamellae, the gill lamellae of goldfish fed with MRF
with extremely low host specificity that causes white
(cMOS) increased in length and respiratory area (Figure 3).
spot disease of teleost
fishes worldwide and mainly
parasitises the skin, gill, and
fin. In an 8-week growth
experiment and a 2-week
challenge, we investigated
the infection mechanism of
I. multifilis and the effect of
MRF in feed on the resistance
of goldfish to the infection.

After the infection test,

visible white spots (black
arrows) and abundant mucus
(red arrows) appeared on the
surface of the goldfish. Local
amplification of gill in the
igure 3.Figure 3. HE results,
HE staining staininggill
results, gill
lamellae
Figure 3. lamellae
length
HEFigure
staining HEof
length
goldfish
3. results,
of in
goldfish
gill lamellae
staining results, the
length
gill of inlength
controltheingroup
goldfish
lamellae
control and
thegoldfish
of controlgroup
MRF
group
in the
and
and MRF
control
MRF
group
(cMOS)
cMOS) group group
aWer aWer feeding
60 days 60 days
(cMOS)feeding
group aWer
trial. trial.
and MRF (cMOS) group after 60 days feeding trial.
60 days feeding trial.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 AWer 14 days of I. mul/filiis challenge, mucin-2 in the skin and gill of the MRF (cMOS-inf)
group increased remarkably with a significant difference from control-inf group. Besides,
32
Figure 3.Feed Technology
HE staining results, gill lamellae length of goldfish in the control group and MRF
significantly lower expression of the proinflammatory factor IL-1β could be observed in th
(cMOS) group aWer 60 days feeding trial.
MRF (cMOS-inf) group (Figure 4).

Figure
Figure 4. 4. Expression
Expression of immune-related
of immune-related genes
genes in skin and gill of in skin inand
goldfish gill ofgroup.
the control goldfish in the control group.
Figure 4. Expression of immune-related genes in skin and gill of goldfish in the control gro

support phagocytosis by binding

to MRC on the macrophage cell
membrane and change the non-
specific immunity of goldfish by
stimulating cytokine expression. All
these functions are closely related
to the complex molecular structure
of MRF and the precise control of its
production process.

Conclusion
MRF is a powerful tool to enhance
the health and performance of
aquaculture species. While the
production methods are important,
what truly matters is selecting high-
Figure 5. The poten1al mechanism of MRF (cMOS) supports goldfish gill against
quality MRF with proven efficacy.
Ichthyophthirius mul/filiis infec1on.
With the right technology and
production techniques, MRF can
Our research indicated that MRF can influence goldfish phagocytosis and non-specific
significantly boost prebiotic activity,
immunity (Figure 5). AWer the Ich challenge, transcriptome
stimulate immune analysis revealed that MRF-fe
responses,
goldfish displayed a higher level of phagocy1c response,
and bind pathogens, helping thewhereas non-MRF-fed goldfish
displayed a greater inflammatory reac1on. Besides,
aquaculture aWer Ich infec1on,
industry combat MRF-fed goldfish
displayed greater phagocytosis ac1vity, a stronger
diseases such as MRC posi1ve
parasiticsignal,and
higher expression
genes associated with phagocytosis,
bacterial andinfections.
lower expression
As of
thegenes associated with
industry
inflamma1on. These resultscontinues
suggested thatto MRFgrow,
can support phagocytosis by binding to
incorporating
advanced MRF products will
Figure
Figure 5.5.
The The poten1al
potential mechanism
mechanism of MRF (cMOS) of MRF (cMOS)
supports
goldfish gill against Ichthyophthirius multifiliis infection. be
supports
essential in
goldfish
promoting
gill against
sustainable and efficient
Ichthyophthirius mul/filiis infec1on. aquaculture practices, while ensuring healthier and more
resilient aquatic animal production.
After 14 days of I. multifiliis challenge, mucin-2 in the
Our research
skin and gill of indicated that MRFgroup
the MRF (cMOS-inf) can increased
influence goldfish phagocytosis and non-specific
remarkably with a significant difference from control-
immunity (Figure
inf group. Besides, 5). AWer lower
significantly the Ich challenge,
expression of thetranscriptome analysis revealed that MRF-fed
proinflammatory factor IL-1β could be observed in the
goldfish displayed a higher level of phagocy1c response, whereas non-MRF-fed goldfish
MRF (cMOS-inf) group (Figure 4).
displayed a greater inflammatory reac1on. Besides, aWer Ich infec1on, MRF-fed goldfish
Our research indicated that MRF can influence goldfish
displayed
phagocytosisgreater phagocytosisimmunity
and non-specific ac1vity,(Figure
a stronger MRC posi1ve signal, higher expression of
5). After the Ich challenge, transcriptome analysis
genes
revealedassociated
that MRF-fed withgoldfish
phagocytosis,
displayed and lower expression
a higher Dr Yufan Zhangof genes
is China Aquaassociated
BD Manager & with
SE Asia Technical
level of phagocytic response, whereas non-MRF-fed Manager for Alltech and is also Technical Manager for
inflamma1on.
goldfish displayed These results
a greater suggestedreaction.
inflammatory that MRF Southeast
can support
Asia. phagocytosis by binding to
Email: [email protected]
Besides, after Ich infection, MRF-fed goldfish displayed
greater phagocytosis activity, a stronger MRC positive Dr Henry Wong is Commercial Development Director, Asia
signal, higher expression of genes associated with Aquaculture, Alltech.
phagocytosis, and lower expression of genes associated Email: [email protected]
with inflammation. These results suggested that MRF can

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Could gut health drive
outstanding animal
reduce this inflammation
and support microbiota performance and
profitability?
increase gut microvilli length The skin, gut and gills play a vital role in protecting the animal
and height, improving protein against potentially harmful environmental effects.
and fiber digestibility
The gut is a complex system of tissues and organs that plays
an essential role in all interactions related to several functions,
including:
- Food digestion and absorption
- Metabolism and energy production
optimise growth and - Defense mechanisms
immune capabilities for - Immune response
overall better health

Scan this QR Code to get more information about

Gut Health Solutions for Aquaculture
 34 Feed Technology

Harmonising sustainability with profitable

fish and shrimp farming
The Sustainable Seafood Event by Adisseo looks at managing health and feed efficiency for better
productivity

A longside the annual Seafood Expo Global 2024 Supply: Ecuador versus India
in Barcelona, Spain, Adisseo’s aquaculture team While supply will remain status quo for Asian producers, a
organised a by-invitation conference on April 22. This 13-14% increase in production from Ecuador is expected.
“Sustainable Seafood Event by Adisseo” was specially Large players with processing capabilities dominate
curated for more than 50 customers and partners from 18 in Ecuador and with ‘technification’ can easily expand
Harmonising sustainability
countries, including China, with
India,profitable
Singapore,fish and shrimp
Thailand, farming
production. In contrast, India’s industry is dominated by
Indonesia, Turkey, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Georgia small players.
and Europe.
The Sustainable Seafood Event by Adisseo looks at managing health
“In India, and feed
the biggest efficiency
challenge for rates
is failure be?er as well as
Global Aquaculture Outlook 2024: Is there frequent brown outs. The positive aspect is that stocking
produc@vity
a new normal? density is low but does not break biological boundaries, ”
In his overview on recent demand and supply of salmon said Sharma.
Alongside
and shrimp,the annual
Novel Seafood
Sharma,Expo Global
Analyst 2024 inand
Seafood Barcelona, Spain, Adisseo’s aquaculture team
organised a by-invitaCon
Aquaculture, Rabobank, conference
The Netherlands, on April
said22.
thatThis “Despite costs
the “Sustainable of logistics,
Seafood Event we see 65% of
by Adisseo” was Ecuadorian
shrimp, the majority as HOSO, going to China while India
specially curated
dire situation withforfarmed
moreshrimpthan 50 customers
is that and partners
prices remained frompeeled
supplies 18 countries,
shrimp including
to the US. China,
When India,demand
China’s
low despite an all-time high in consumption. In contrast,
Singapore,
Norwegian Thailand,
salmon did Indonesia,
well in 2023 Turkey, Brazil, prices
with average Ecuador,at Mexico,
decreases,Peru, Georgia
we can expect and Europe.
that Ecuador can quickly pivot
PresentaCons
NOK97/kg ascovered
compared a range of subjects
to NOK82/kg starCng
in 2022. with views from Rabobank on global the
In 2024, to other products and markets like demand
US as itand
did during
the recent pandemic.”
supply of farmed
Rabobank expectsshrimp
Europeanand salmon
salmon,pricesproducCon
to remain ofatsustainable aquafeed, to how to manage health
elevated levels in H1 before declining in H2 as supply
and improve feed efficiency.
improves. Outlook for 2024
In 2024, Ecuador will show good growth but a slowdown
In shrimp markets, in 2022, post Covid-19,
Global Aquaculture Outlook 2024: Is there a new normal? there was high in expansion is expected due to adverse profitability. In
inventory with low demand and from H2, China reverted to shrimp markets, the low prices will continue as supply is
In be
histhe
overview on recent
leading shrimp demand
market. and close
It imported supply ofmillion
to a salmonnot andexpected
shrimp,toNovel Sharma,
contract soon. TheAnalyst Seafood
markets in the US, EU,
and Aquaculture,
tonnes of shrimp Rabobank,
despite a more Thethan Netherlands, said that
800,000 tonnes the dire
of Japan andsituaCon
South Koreawitharefarmed
graduallyshrimp is that
indicating growth.
prices remained low despite an all-Cme high in consumpCon.
domestic production. Post Chinese New Year, demand was In contrast, Norwegian salmon did well
down again. Consumption is clearly segregated; imported Lastly, he discussed some effects of El Niño, such as
in 2023 with average prices at NOK97/kg as compared to NOK82/kg in 2022. In 2024, Rabobank
shrimp are frozen and domestic shrimp are fresh chilled - the 2.48 million tonnes Peruvian fishing quota. “’The
expects European
the latter commandingsalmon prices
a slight to remain at elevated levels in H1 before
premium. correction in fishmealdeclining
supply in H2 ashelp
should supply
reduce input
costs, especially for salmon. Soy prices will come down,
improves.
Sharma described a Rabobank shrimp index comparing but an extra burden is the EU deforestation law, effective
vannamei shrimp prices versus selected US proteins. “In from January 2025.”
In the
shrimp markets,
US, shrimp in cheap
is very 2022,inpost Covid-19,
the seafood there
basket butwas
whyhigh inventory with low demand and from H2,
is demand notto
going up?leading
The reason is, because Shrimp industry Asia 2024: Production
China reverted be the shrimp market.atIt the
imported close to a million tonnes of shrimp
retail level, prices have not come down enough to push outlook
despite a more There
consumption. than 800,000
is optimism tonnes of domesCc
that demand producCon.
will come Post Chinese
The shrimp panel New
at the Year,Global
demand was Market
Seafood
down again. ConsumpCon is clearly segregated; imported shrimp are frozen
back in the US and EU, but perhaps not at the level that Conference (GSMC 2024) estimated a supply and domesCc shrimp are of 5.1
fresh chilled - the la_er commanding a slight premium.
industry wishes. In China, the macroeconomics situation million tonnes vannamei shrimp in 2024. This is 4.5%
is not favourable at the moment for the population to more than in 2023, and mainly from China (+20%),
spend on shrimp.” Ecuador (+12%) and Brazil (+20%). It does not expect
more shrimp from Vietnam and other Asian countries.
Rebased Shrimp Index vs Rebased Animal

Relatively expensive
protein Index (Base=Jan2020)

Note: Relative comparison of vannam-

ei shrimp versus select US proteins.
Shrimp price:
• Urner Barry HLSO Farmed raised
Relatively white shrimp index
Composition of average protein price
cheaper index:
• USDA beef loin strip boneless, Prime
cut (600-900)
• USDA pork tenderloin, FOB plant
negotiated sales
• USDA boneless chicken breast,
broiler parts

Figure 1. Shrimp at wholesale has been relatively cheap for 3 years. Source: Rabobank.

Figure 1. Shrimp
July/August at wholesale
2024 AQUA Culture Asiahas been relaCvely cheap for 3 years. Source: Rabobank.
Pacific
 Feed Technology 35

The APAC and India Adisseo

team, from right, Vilas Autade,
Regional Manager - Aquaculture
(Commercial) South Asia, Martin
Guerin, Dr Ei Lin Ooi, Regional
Manager Aquaculture APAC,
Martha Mamora with Prakan
Chiarahkhongman and Allen Wu,
Vice President, Gold Coin Holdings,
Singapore

Dr Prakan Chiarahkhongman, Vice President and Aquatic labelling and sulphite residues. The oversupply situation
Animal Health Care Products Specialist & Solutions and low prices, coupled with recent antidumping and
Provider at Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group Advance countervailing investigations added to the key challenges
Pharma), Thailand, said, “In 2024, we see a continuous fall for industry in Asia.”
in prices such as in week 15 when shrimp prices (size 60/
kg, Guangdong China) dropped 4.3% from week 14. While Eco-friendly farming
imports to the US rose by around 20%, prices were down Linking stocking density to nitrogen (N) output, a 2022
5.45%. In the Chinese market, the average price of shrimp study estimated N effluent from 830ha shrimp culture
imports from Ecuador in the first two months of the year ponds in some countries in Asia in 2022 over days of culture
dropped to a historic low at USD4.36/kg, according to data (DOC) 5-120 at a stocking density of 25PL/m3. Volumes
from Chinese Customs. were high and reached 281ppm N in the water resources
over DOC 100-120. Then, outbreaks of Enterocytozoon
“Imports from Ecuador dropped notably during the first two hepatopenaei (EHP) are indicative of the spread of spores
months of the year, in part because China increased port from contaminated shared water resources and drained
inspections of Ecuadorian shrimp, using regulations on

HEALTH IS AT THE HEART BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

BY OPTIMIZING
OF OUR CONCERNS YOUR HEALTH ADDITIVE STRATEGY

RESTRICT
inappropriate use
of antibiotics and chemicals

REDUCE
losses from subclinical disease
and outbreaks

INCREASE
economical and ecological
sustainability

BOOST
feed perfomance and farm
productivity

www.adisseo.com

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 probioCcs together with the best management pracCces and holisCc approaches are always
recommended,” said Prakan.

36 Feed Technology

Figure 2. Study of microbiome and

microbial population throughout the
culture stage to predict the health
status of vannamei shrimp. Adapted
from: CPF In- house technical research
and development 2023 and Yanting
Wang , Kai Wang, Lei Huang 2020.
Copyright@CPF

into ponds in the vicinity. This pointed to the need for “The control and balancing of the microbial loads of
effluent treatment ponds (ETP). Sludge removal ponds are friendly and pathogenic microbes in the water and shrimp
Figure 2. Study of microbiome and microbial populaCon throughout the culture stage to predict
necessary with heavy water exchange. Often implemented are crucial. An understanding on the application of suitable
the health status of vannamei shrimp. Adapted from: CPF In- house technical research and
are shrimp toilet
development 2023systems. bioaugmentation and probiotics together with the best
and YanCng Wang , Kai Wang, Lei Huang 2020. Copyright@CPF
management practices and holistic approaches are always
In the case of protein in the feed, Prakan said from a 30- recommended,” said Prakan.
45% crude protein diet, the shrimp retains only 15-18%
of dry weight of protein in the body. The rest is for daily Health strategies for higher productivity
metabolism. Excessive N from feeds leaches into the Prior to developing health strategies, it is critical to
water. Excessive ammonia and nitrite are increasingly know the environment and farm situation, according to
linked to phagocytosis activity suppression, resulting in Dr Maria Mercè Isern-Subich, Global Product Manager
an immuno-compromised host followed by various types Aquaculture Health. In-house data from an active
of diseases. surveillance of five shrimp farms in Indonesia, showed
the prevalence of diseases throughout the culture cycle;
Manipulating microbiome for gut health acute hepatopenaei necrosis disease (AHPND), EHP,
Prakan discussed how the ratio of Rhodobacteraceae/ WFD, infectious myonecrosis virus (IMNV) and Vibrosis
Vibrionaceae (R/V) in gut microbiome was studied and (Figure 3).
used to reflect shrimp health. The study showed that more
Rhodobacteraceae (60.1% R/V ratio 26/2 ~ 13/1) was found In collaboration with partners, surveillance in nine tilapia
in healthy shrimp while more Vibrionaceae (94.8% , R/V farming areas surveyed in Brazil showed presence of
ratio 9/5 ~ 1.8/1) was associated with diseased shrimp. multiple pathogens, and the difference in their relevance
is very clear. Multi-infections are a reality globally and
Using metagenomics to study the microbiome in early life
adapting program application is key for success. Isern-
stages of shrimp (Figure 2), Prakan reported, “We know
Subich showed different shrimp and fish in-vivo trials
that at the zoea 3 stage, mouth opening is a critical period;
demonstrating the relevance of combined infections in
Vibrio from water enter the gut and disrupt the ratio of
the disease outcome. Sometimes subclinical presence will
microbial diversity. In a CPF R&D survey of >500 culture
affect the health strategies to apply.
ponds, we saw a decrease in R/V ratio, related to white
faeces disease (WFD). When the R/V ratio was high there Applications comprise a corrective on-farm strategy which
was high survival and excellent growth. Typically, when starts once a disease/outbreak is detected and preventive
the optimum R/V ratio was above 4/1 – 8/1, survival rate in-feed which starts before the outbreak. Separately,
was ~85%. When the R/V ratio was less than 4/1 – 2/1, members of the aquaculture team described how they
survival was at ~65% etc. customised these strategies for each farm/situation.

Bacterial pathogens
A blend of organic acids Bacti-Nil®Aqua (BNA) is used
against bacterial pathogens. The blend supports gut health
and its ability to control pathogen presence to non-harming
levels in pangasius with subclinical disease presence and
improving FCR by 20%.

In a 12-week trial with the 56.5g red tilapia stocked at

300 fish/cage in Thailand which started during the warm
season (when Streptococcosis is a challenge), preventive
application increased biomass by 5%, and corrective +
preventive application improved biomass by 8%. Survival
was 98%. Further gains in FCR and biomass were achieved
with boosted doses even with the unexpected lack of
disease challenge.
Figure 3. Active surveillance of five farms in Bratasena, Lampung,
Indonesia. Adisseo Aqua in house data.

Figure 3. AcCve surveillance of five farms in Bratasena, Lampung, Indonesia.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific
Health strategies for higher producAvity
 Feed Technology 37

Hans Boon (left)

with Dhanunjaya
Goud, Devee
Biologicals Pvt
Ltd, India and Vilas
Autade.

In vannamei shrimp farming, while challenged with infection appeared. “In-feed (preventive) application
diseases, preventive strategies with BNA for extensive primarily acts on the early stages of infection and seems
systems (10 PL/m2), reduced the effect of nutritional stress to be key to recover growth and survival to pre-outbreak
and optimised performance and survival with optimal ROI of levels.”
18 and ROI of 13, with different programs. In Odisha, India,
over a full cycle, the additive at preventive and corrective Case studies in Indonesia
applications was effective in delaying WFD by a week in The challenges with shrimp disease in Indonesia vary with
shrimp stocked at 65 PL/m2. FCR was 1.3 as compared to the farm location, history with diseases, culture density and
1.77 in the control and biomass almost doubled. management protocols. Martha Mamora, Area Manager
Aquaculture, Indonesia stressed that with the health
Multiple infections in shrimp promoting additive, the aim is to delay and control diseases
For Dr I-Tung Chen, R&D Project Manager, Aqua Health, despite not stopping them.
health additives should provide a broad-spectrum
protection, i.e. improve disease resistance. This is by “With current low shrimp prices, it is more critical to
supporting immuno-competency in the shrimp with reduce the severity of multiple infections in farms as well
improvements in villi height and gut microbiome for better as failure rates. When we see non-uniformity at PL7 stage,
gut integrity. The ultimate gain is higher final body weight we confirm the disease as EHP or in PL10, abnormality in
and improvement in FCR. the hepatopancreas as vibriosis. Today, multi-infections
are the reality-our role is to work with the farmers.”
According to Chen, the health promoting additive,
Sanacore®GM can prevent microbiome dysbiosis in She described field results with the health additive
the gut as during an AHPND infection in the laboratory, Sanacore GM in a massive trial on a preventive application
there was sloughing of cells in the control. An in-feed with farms in Bratasena, Lampung, with a history of EHP,
preventive application helped to reduce the severity of WFD and WSSV. “A corrective+ preventive application
EHP-Vibrio infections. “In Indonesian farms where WFD gave improvements of 65% in productivity and 33% in FCR
was detected at DOC 30-40 over the last 4 crops, the at Protein Sources
a stocking density of 100 PL/m2. In the black zone farms
Combining
preventive application was applied from a blend
the of ingredients to achieveEHP,
beginning, with history of WFD, WSSV, IMNV and AHPND in
the desired correct nutritional
followed by the corrective protocol when signs of Banyuwangi and stocking 150 PL/m2, it is possible to fend
composition at theoff
desired price and
disease damage.” sustainability level
10-2023
Seed meals
Soy Protein
Poultry-by- Hemoglobin Hydrolyzed (Soya, Vital wheat Corn Gluten Single Cell
Raw material Fish meal Concentrates Insect meal
product meal meal feather meal rapeseed, gluten Meal Protein
(SPC)
sunflower, etc.)
Protein 67 62 89 83 30 - 50% 82 64 60-64 72 71
Fat 8 16 1 5 2 - 10% 2 2 2 8 10
NFE* 2 2 1 1 20 - 40% 8 21 13 14 3
Ash 14 12 6 3 6 1 2 7 0 7
Fibre 0 0 0 0 3 - 10% 1 2 5 0 1
Moisture 9 8 3 8 8 6 10 8 6 8
Protein quality/amino acid profile
Oil quality/fatty acid profile
Price (indication €/Mton) 2200 900 1275 750 450 1600 1000 900 3500 1000
Anti-nutritional-factors (ANF's)
Oxidati(ve/on) stability/promotion
SUSTAINABILITY
Availability
Other factors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Ad. 1: Rich in Phospholipids, organic minerals, fatty acids Ad. 5: Low in essential amino acids Ad. 9: Limited experience in industrial aquafeed
Ad. 2: Variable product depending of supplier Ad. 6: Not always available in all markets Ad. 10: Limited experience in industrial aquafeed
Ad. 3: Low phosphorous and ash content Ad. 7: Content of yellow pigment
Ad. 4: Variable product depending of supplier Ad. 8: Lack of non-GMO Soya = price premium *Nitrogen Free Extract = starch and sugars
Positive aspect Variable/neutral Negative aspect

Figure 4. Combining a blend of protein sources can achieve the desired correct nutritional composition at the desired price and sustainability
level. Copyright Aquaculture Experience.

1
July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific
38 Feed Technology

A corrective strategy helped farms with a history of EHP, regulation in aquafeed, it cannot be used to feed salmon.
WFD and IMNV in Subang, West Java to recover, increase Salmon feeds now contain approximately 20% rapeseed
average daily growth (ADG) and improve body weight by oil.”
24.5%. In an endemic EHP area, Indokom, Lampung, early
intervention with a preventive strategy helped the farm to There are several algal oils in the market in liquid and
achieve higher than target growth, zero disease outbreak dry forms. Prices are linked to the fish oil market such as
and high survival at almost 80% at DOC100. the recent €10,000-12,000/tonne. Still being discussed
in Europe are GMO oils. GM canola (rapeseed) and
Anti-parasitic action in fish camelina+ contain12% LC-HUFAs (DHA/EPA). Norway
Apex® has synergistic combinations of natural components has already approved long-chain omega-3 oil of
with different properties. Its wide range of modes of action Aquaterra fatty acids from Nuseed canola.
include enhancing mucus defensiveness by improving
Nutritional strategies to protect profit
the detoxification and antimicrobial activities, as well as
improving skin epithelial responses, like cornification. As margins
explained by Chen, Apex shows improved skin health that “There are several ways to increase feed efficiency
supports anti-parasitic actions as well as resistance to and secure profit margins,” said Marleen Dehasque,
different handling operations. The efficacy and dosage are Global Product Manager Aquaculture Nutrition. Key for
dependent on disease pressure. lipid digestion in fish are bile acids synthesised from
cholesterol in the liver. However, with low fishmeal and
Sustainable aquafeed ingredients plant meals in feed, antinutritional factors lower bile acid
Hans Boon, Aquaculture Experience, The Netherlands, said concentration. The digestibility and metabolic enhancer
that technically, it is feasible to reduce fishmeal inclusion based on bile salts, Lipogest, increases fat digestion
rates in aquafeeds by using more animal by products. particularly during suboptimal ambient temperature as
Since the 1990s, there is a trend to reduce fishmeal. Today, shown with seabream in the Mediterranean with a 10.9%
increase in weight and improved FCR.
salmon feed producers in Chile use considerable amounts “What limits replacement is the type of LPL and the level of
of animal-by-products meals as compared to those in
Norway where no animal-by-products are used at all. The
be used
With to replace
the current trendand have thefishmeal
of replacing same growth performance
(a traditional
source of cholesterol) with animal protein sources,
Aqualyso has a high degree of hydrolysis to push nutrient ab
leading salmon producer in Norway, Mowi has 70% plant
shrimp requires an alternative source of cholesterol.
meals and only 17% fishmeal in their feeds.
Having a similar chemical structure as cholesterol, the bile
Boon added that in raw material selection criteria for The
saltsreplacement
can function of
as both lecithin
(partial) and fish
cholesterol oil is also possible
replacement
protein sources, the focus is sustainability and price. At and reduce the feed cost significantly without
ever. The addiCon of Aqualyso could also improve losing growth pe
today’s prices, fishmeal costs around €2,000/tonne as performance.
fish oil and high lecithin diets. With the assumpCon that fish
compared to €1,000-1,200 for blood and haemoglobin
Lysophospholipids
esCmated as USD15/tonne.
a saving of alternative to Another
improve benefit
feed is that
meal; €1,000/tonne for poultry meal; €750-800/tonne
for hydrolysed feather meal – all of which are sustainable efficiency fats, which indirectly may lead to be_er fillet yie
mesenteric
protein sources. Feather meal has 85% crude protein “The newly discovered mechanisms of action of
and has a high organic phosphorus content. Soybean lysophospholipids (LPL) in aquatic species now
meal costs €430-500/tonne but is limited in lysine and Liquid
allows applicaAon
us to know at thespeed
the feed ofmillemulsification and
methionine. liquid applicaCon
increasing is increasingly
active nutrient popular
transport,” said for
Dr cost-efficient
Waldo an
Nuez, Global R&D Manager Aquaculture. “Aqualyso®
“In Europe, besides the regulation on non-GMO soy, there specialty
improves ingredients.
emulsification Ignasi
of fatVives,
in theTechnology Manager Eur
digestive tract
is the deforestation-free issue with soy. Now European specificaCons.
for a more activeAdisseo
surfaceisfor
welltheknown
lipase. for its customer
However, LPL service
soy is being planted. With wheat gluten, the downside liquid dosing systems.
specifications determine Liquid applicaCons
efficacy. With a highare relevant for aq
LPL:PL
is competition with human food use and availability. (phospholipids) ratio, Aqualyso improves active nutrient
Some 5-10% is included in salmon feeds because of its lysolecithins (Aqualyso)
transport in gilthead and marine
seabream. This ispepCdes
not the (Pepsea®).
case
binding properties. There is strong interest and increasing with deoiled lecithin (low PL:PL ratio). The higher the
availability of other seed meal “concentrates” of rapeseed, ratio of hydrolysis, the more nutrient transport occurs.
faba beans, pea, lupin, rice, etc.”

Innovative protein sources

Among these are insect meals but Boon questions the ethics
of growing one animal to feed another. Currently, prices
are prohibitive at 1.5 times that of fishmeal. Availability is
an issue as most companies are still at an early stage and
volumes are small. Figure 4 summarises the sustainability
credentials of available ingredients.

Oil sources for aquafeeds

Marine species in particular, salmonids and shrimp,
require dietary sources of essential long chain highly
unsaturated fatty acids (LC-HUFAs), as well as DHA and
EPA. Today, fish oil costs €5,000-6,000/tonne.

“Some alternative animal oils are poultry oils, but it does

not have LC-HUFAs. Krill oil faces competition with
human applications. Salmon oil has in its fatty acid profile Figure 5. LCA analyses show how Sanacore®GM has a huge impact
6-8% LC HUFAs but with the intra-species recycling Figure 5. the
to optimise LCA analysesofshow
sustainability how
farming Sanacore®GM
(kgCO
2
eq/kg shrimp) has a huge
farming (kgCO2 eq/kg shrimp)
July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific
Sustainability
 Feed Technology 39

Participants from China, from left, Wei Hau Huize, Guicheng Shi (Hengseng Feed mill) with Yirong Le and Herman Heng
from Adisseo, China.

Beyond emulsification, we have demonstrated other Ignasi Vives, Technology Manager Europe, discussed
mode of actions that support digestive and metabolic some equipment specifications. Adisseo is well known
enhancement in species-specific applications.” for its services in the design and implementation of liquid
dosing systems. Liquid applications are relevant for
“A common source of PL is lecithin but three years ago, aquafeed customers for liquid lysolecithins (Aqualyso) and
we saw large increases in lecithin prices and although marine peptides (Pepsea®).
these have come down, it is still important to see how
much of dietary lecithin we can reduce to bring down Sustainability
feed costs. Furthermore, some feed millers would like to The shrimp value chain has a high GHG (greenhouse
do away with lecithin, which is not easy to apply,“ said gas) emissions, from energy use, fishmeal in feeds and
Martin Guerin, Regional Technical Manager Aquaculture, mangrove deforestation. Therefore, action is needed to
ISC-APAC. move to environmentally friendly shrimp farming. “Using
green energy can give 35% cost savings and solid waste
The minimum requirement for phospholipids for
management and planting trees, 20-30kg CO2 can be
vannamei shrimp is 0.9%, and 2% lecithin in diets meets
offset by one tree. Seaweed production from wastewater
this requirement. Today, lecithin prices are much lower
of shrimp farms can offset the GHG emission,” said
at around USD1,000/tonne (depending on the country).
Prakan.
However, a reduction of 1% will save USD10/tonne. The
replacement strategy for lecithin is not easily achieved. Isern-Subich added, “While overall, there are synergies
In a 6-week trial, replacement of 1% lecithin with LPL to mitigate infectious agents and other performance
reduced feed cost and improved growth performance. disruptors, we also showed the impact of Sanacore GM
with reductions in kgCO2 eq/kg shrimp. This is a metrics
“Phospholipids levels in the diet and type of LPL are
to optimise the sustainability of farming.”
critical to full lecithin replacement. With this taken
care of, Aqualyso can be used to replace 2% lecithin Wrapping up, Dr Peter Coutteau, Business Unit Director
without losing performance, thanks to its high degree of Aquaculture, said, “Most companies are investing into
hydrolysis boosting nutrient absorption.” changing the carbon footprint of their supplies and their
products (scope 1 and 2 impacts). However, we know
The replacement of both lecithin and fish oil is also
that for feed additives, the real impact is at the farm level
possible. Fish oil prices are now at their highest ever.
(scope 3). We need to work very closely together with
The addition of Aqualyso could also improve growth
all stake holders including feedmillers and farmers to
performance to a level achieved with high fish oil and
harvest this impact. We need to set up tools and trials to
high lecithin diets. With the assumption that fish oil was
demonstrate that aquaculture is making progress vis-à-
USD2,000/tonne, Guerin estimated a saving of USD15/
vis life cycle assessments (LCAs) but at the same time,
tonne. Another benefit is that the LPL is effective in
knowing that LCAs can be variable at the farm. However,
reducing mesenteric fats, which indirectly may lead to
there is still a general lack of understanding of what
better fillet yield.
sustainability means for the consumer. For example,
while IFFO has shown that the LCA impact of fishmeal
Liquid application at the feed mill and fish oil is relatively low compared to many terrestrial
This is increasingly popular for cost-efficient and
ingredients, consumers still look at fishmeal and fish oil
accurate inclusion of additives and specialty ingredients.
in a negative way.”

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 40 Industry Review -Tilapia

Saline tilapia in Indonesia

Industry Review
The centre in Karawang is preparing to revitalise shrimp ponds in coastal areas of North Java.

Nila Sakti, a strain of tilapia

developed by the Freshwater
Research Centre in Sukabumi
on display at Asian Pacific
Aquaculture (APA 2024),
Surabaya, July 3-5, 2024.

Nila Sakti, a strain of tilapia developed by the Freshwater Research Centre in Sukabumi on

I n many
display parts of
at Asian NorthAquaculture
Pacific Java, there (APA
are abandoned shrimpJulyhigher
2024), Surabaya, farmgate value than tilapia cultured in freshwater.
3-5, 2024.
ponds or ponds where the productivity is way below At the Karawang centre, the aim is just to acclimatise fry
optimal. In February 2024, Indonesia’s Minister of Marine and help farmers start their own hatcheries.
Saline tilapia in Indonesia
Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono started a
The centre in Karawang is preparing to revitalise shrimp ponds in coastal areas of North
program to revitalise these ponds by restocking them with At the centre’s booth during APA 2024, Indra Purwanto
Java.
saline tilapia. It is the role of the Aquaculture Production said that prices for saline tilapia are IDR25,000/kg (live)
Business Service Centre or BLUPPB in Karawang, West and IDR24,000/kg (fresh chilled) for 300g fish. For larger
InJawa
manytoparts of North Java, there are abandoned
work on acclimatisation of the Nila Sakti, a strain shrimp ponds or
300-500gponds where
fish, the
prices productivity
range from IDR26,000 to 27,000
20,000/kg. The cost of production for the saline tilapia is IDR24,000/kg. for
is way
of below
tilapia optimal.
Oreochromis In February
niloticus 2024,
developed Indonesia’s
at the Minister
Freshwater offor live fish
Marine andand
ANairs IDR26,000
Fisheries, Hefresh chilled fish. At over
claimed that the
Sakti Wahyu
Research Trenggono
Centre started to
in Sukabumi, a program to revitalise these ponds
saline conditions. 800g,bylive fish sells
restocking themfor with
IDR28,000/kg. In comparison,
saline tilapia has firm texture and no oN flavour. Fish
saline tilapia. It is the role of the Aquaculture Production Business
are
freshwater fedCentre
Servicetilapia
extruded
isorsold pellets
at
BLUPPB IDR18,000
in
from PT Suri Tani
to 20,000/kg. The
Pemuka
The with
fifth 32%
generation crudeof protein.
Nila Sakti is a result of
Karawang, West Jawa to work on acclimatisation of the Nila Sakti, a strain of tilapiacost of production for the saline tilapia is IDR24,000/kg.
family selection for fast growth, disease resistance He claimed that the saline tilapia has firm texture and no
Oreochromis niloticus developed at the Freshwater Research Centre in Sukabumi, to saline
and adaptability to various farming ecosystems. off flavour. Fish are fed extruded pellets from PT Suri
conditions.
During the freshwater
Economically, the higher aquaculture
biomass and sessionhigh at the Tani
feed Asian Pacific
Pemuka withAquaculture
32% crude protein. conference and
conversion
tradeshow, rate will
Widya benefit farmers
Puspitasari, and reduce
andofcolleagues the use offrom thegrowth,
Karawang
The fifth generation
chemical treatments. of Nila
TheSakti
founderis astocks
result forfamily selection
the selective for fast
During the diseasecentre,
freshwater resistance
aquaculture presented
session at theonAPA
the2024
work
toandinvestigate
adaptability
breeding growth cameand
to various
program fromsurvival
farming of saline
ecosystems.
the Sultana tilapia
Economically,
tilapia from stocked
the higher at
conference, 25 fish/m
Widya
biomass and highwith diNerent initial the
2
Puspitasari, and colleagues from
feed conversion Karawang centre, presented on the work to investigate
weights
Sukabumi, overasarate will
100-day
well as benefit farmers
rearing
tilapia and reduce
from period.
Kenya, Genomarthe use
in of chemical treatments. The
growth and survival of saline tilapia stocked at 25 fish/m2
founder stocks for and
the Philippines, the selective
Kanagawa breeding program
and Ibaraki, cameThe
Japan. from the Sultana tilapia from
with different initial weights over a 100-day rearing period.
Sukabumi,
breeding as well asstarted
program tilapia from Kenya,
in 2014 withGenomar
28 families in theand
Philippines, and Kanagawa and
There
Ibaraki, were
Japan.three
the generation Thefive stocking wassizes;
strain program
breeding from <5 g,
the
started in 10-20g
2014 withand
crossbreeding 20-30g.
28 families
There andFeeding
were the generation
three wasfive
stocking to satiation
sizes; and and 20-
<5 g, 10-20g
observations
of 35 families.
strain was from the were
This made over
strain
crossbreedinghas been a period
of 35 families.of
distributed 100
to
This farmsdays.
strain 30g.Sampling
has been Feeding
distributedwas
was to carried
to satiation
farms out every 10 days.
and observations The
were
throughout Indonesia.
throughout Indonesia. made over a period of 100 days. Sampling was carried out
results showed that stocking fish with an initial weight every 10 ofdays.
20-30g provided
The results showeda daily growthfish
that stocking rate of
with
Acclimatisation
5.7g/day and the
Acclimatisation to saline to ponds
highest saline ponds
survival rate of 89.8%. The harvest size was 532g after 100 days. Feed
an initial weight of 20-30g provided a daily growth rate
At the Karawang Centre, 2cm fry are adapted to saline of 5.7g/day and the highest survival rate of 89.8%. The
conversion
At the Karawang ratio was2cm
Centre, lowestfry arewith
adaptedfishtostocked at 20-30g
saline conditions, fromsize10ppt (APA
conditions, from 10ppt to a maximum of 20ppt, for two harvest size was 532g after 100 days. Feed conversion
2024, Book
to a maximum of of abstracts,
20ppt,
was.org). for two weeks prior to distribution to
weeks prior to distribution to farms. Saline tilapia has afarms. Saline tilapia has
ratio a
was higher
lowestfarmgate
with value
fish stocked at 20-30g size (APA
than tilapia cultured in freshwater. At the Karawang centre, the2024, aim isBook just toofacclimatise fry and
abstracts, was.org).
help farmers start their own hatcheries.

At the centre’s booth during APA 2024, Indra Purwanto said that prices for saline tilapia are
IDR25,000/kg (live) and IDR24,000/kg (fresh chilled) for 300g fish. For larger 300-500g fish,
prices range from IDR26,000 to 27,000 for live fish and IDR26,000 for fresh chilled fish. At over
800g, live fish sells for IDR28,000/kg. In comparison, freshwater tilapia is sold at IDR18,000 to

A display model at BLUPPB’s booth during APA 2024 showing the ponds and facilities for saline tilapia farming in Karawang, West Java.

AJuly/August
display model atCulture
2024 AQUA BLUPPB’s booth during APA 2024 showing the ponds and facilities for saline
Asia Pacific
tilapia farming in Karawang, West Java.
From
strain
to
gain
In aquaculture, the right nutrition makes all
the difference. Aquafeed can account for
up to 70% of total production costs, and
80% of the environmental footprint. Our full
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Learn more at
dsm-firmenich.com/anh

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

42 Industry Review -Tilapia

Full steam ahead with tilapia fry

throughout Vietnam
Selection for fast-growing broodstock is leading development and fry production

B ack in 2013, there was a lot of excitement in Vietnam

to increase tilapia farming. Earlier, the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) had pushed for
a production of 400,000 tonnes of tilapia by 2030. Tilapia
would be the second freshwater fish for export, reducing
the reliance on pangasius exports. It will be small
compared to the leading role of the pangasius, currently
with an annual production of 800,000 tonnes.

In 2016, Sheng Long Bio-Tech International, a leading

aquafeed producer in Vietnam, was quick to respond to
the expected demand for quality fry and fingerlings. It
began to import broodstock genetically selected for fast
growth and high fillet yield from China. The first trait is
to satisfy farmers and the second, importers. In 2018, it
expanded its hatchery in Soc Trang to supply 200 million
fingerlings/year of both black and red tilapia. This is
because the company sees a strong export potential for
Vietnam’s tilapia (AAP, 2021).

Broodstock and fry production

All of this happens in the 8.5ha hatchery and breeding
centre in Soc Trang, located within the 18ha Sheng
Long research centre (AAP, 2024). Here, it is selective
breeding for fast growth and colour with red tilapia
founder broodstocks originally from China. “We have
entered the tilapia fry market with a capacity of 100
million fry per year. In Vietnam, the red tilapia is grown
in cages in tributaries in the Mekong Delta, whereas the
black tilapia, in ponds,” said Chew Uik Sen, Technical
Manager, adding that in 2023, it received a license to
build a new hatchery to double capacity by 2024. In the
works is a Thang Long Smart Tilapia model following that
Chew Uik Sen, Technical Manager at the Sheng Long’s R&D
of the vannamei shrimp.
Centre, Soc Trang.

Broodstock ponds
and hatching trays.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Industry Review -Tilapia 43

“We have been doing breeding of the red tilapia over 2-3 A team of technicians regularly visits customer fish farms
years here in Vietnam. The main breeding trait is the fast and reports back on the performance of fish fry. They will
growth of the red tilapia Oreochromis sp. In the case of also collect data on growth performance in grow-out
the black tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, selectively bred stages, in ponds and cages. “Our red tilapia grows fast. In
broodstocks are imported from the Genetically Improved four to five months, they reach 700g. This is the base size
Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) breeding facility in China and used and the largest, 1.5kg. The fingerlings produced by other
directly for fry production. We started to establish Sheng hatcheries grow slower, at about one month behind,” said
Long broodstocks here in Vietnam,” said Chew. Chew.

“In the case of the red tilapia, we started with 10 broodstock Sheng Long bundles fry and fish feed. “We believe that
from China, and at this centre, we have been working to for high growth performance, the fish should be fed with
bring down the colouration. In China, the red tilapia is very our feed formulated for the best performance. The crude
red, while in Vietnam, the preference is pink to almost protein ranges from 34% for the early stages to 28% for the
white.” grow-out phase. Feed conversion ratios (FCR) reported by
our farmers are 0.82 to 1.03 for grow-out of size 0.25-0.3g
Fry production to 25-30g harvests in ponds, and 1.56 to 1.65 for grow-
Breeding is carried out on a weekly basis, via natural out of size 25-30g to 700g-800g harvests in cage culture
spawning. In 24 hours, eggs are collected from in rivers.”
broodstock. The larvae and fry rearing process are in three
stages. The first stage is from day 1 of post hatching to day Fry market
7. Here, the survival rate is 80 to 85%. The next stage is days Sheng Long distributes its annual production to farms
8-14 when the digestive system begins to develop, and the across the entire Vietnam market. The leading markets are
survival rate reaches 95.5 to 97.5%. In the third phase, from An Giang in the Mekong Delta and Nam Dinh in the north.
day 15 to day 21, the fry is nursed until fully developed with Currently, there is one hatchery in Soc Trang in southern
a survival rate of 98-99.9%. Vietnam and it plans to build another in northern Vietnam.

“The process is in outdoor ponds and we change the nets YEAR 2023
every seven days. We sell 21-day-old fry. Throughout this
21-day process and prior to distribution to the farmers, the Survival rate at
Numbers
Region grow-out to size
team will examine fry under the microscope for pathogens
25-30g
and parasites. Our promise is to deliver streptococcus-free
fry to farmers as well as uniform specification.” Đồng Tháp 10,848,000 73%
An Giang 19,650, 000 82%
In the case of red tilapia, the hatchery sells size 3000/ Vĩnh Long 13,520,000 76%
kg (0.3g) fry and farmers grow-out 25-30g fingerlings Hải Phòng 10,900,000 68%
in nursery ponds for two months. These fingerlings are Nam Định 15,300,000 60%
transported by boat to the customers’ cages for further Đồng Nai 7,450,000 56%
grow-out. On average, the farmer will stock 70-85 fry/m2 Bến Tre 10,450,000 70%
in the nursery ponds. The survival rate in the nursery stage Sóc Trăng 1,440,000 78%
is 70 to 90%.
Table 1. Distribution of fry and reported survival rate to 25-30g in
2023.

The three-stage larvae and fry-rearing occur in outdoor ponds and every seven days, the team changes the nets, identified by the colour
of the nets.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

44 Industry Review -Tilapia

Clockwise, indoor holding tanks, 21-day-old

fry ready for stocking in nursery ponds for 2
months before harvest and stocked into cages
at size 25-30g.

Costs of production the open market. However, when the contract price is lower
“It is critical that our farmers have the best performance than the current farmgate price, the farmer will sell to
tilapia to make the best profit,” said Chew. “We estimate buyers who, in turn, will sell in the fish market. The export
their cost of production at VND24,000/kg (USD0.93/kg) for markets for its frozen tilapia, round whole and fillet are
size 700g harvest.” Europe, Japan and Malaysia.

In terms of production costs, feed costs VND18,800/ “We only process black tilapia, while a few other factories
kg in 2023. The cost of red tilapia fry is VND300/fry export frozen red tilapia. Our preference is 1.2kg black
(USD11.73/1000 fry) and for black tilapia, it is VND500/fry tilapia, but with poor uniformity in sizes, we are limited
(USD19.56/1000 fry). Currently, the farmgate prices for the by the, in sizes available, which range from 700g to 1.2kg.
red tilapia are up to VND33,400/kg (USD1.30), while it is Therefore, smaller fish of 500g to 800g are sold as chilled
around VND27,000/kg (USD1.05) for the black tilapia.” fish in the local market. We process over 800g tilapia as
whole frozen. For larger fish of 2kg, we can get 40% yield as
skinless fillet,” said Anny Chau Bac Anh, GM Assistant.
Marketing and buyback tilapia
The red tilapia is sold as chilled fish in local markets, while References
black tilapia is exported as whole frozen or frozen fillets. AAP, 2024. Aquafeed R&D in Soc Trang. Aqua Culture Asia Pacific,
Since 2018, Sheng Long has been involved in a small way May/June 2024. p41-42.
fish processing at its processing plant in Camau. It buys AAP, 2021. Tilapia in Vietnam. Aqua Culture Asia Pacific, July/
back tilapia and other freshwater fish from its farmers and August 2021, p58.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Industry Review -Tilapia 45

A red tilapia cage farming business in

the Mekong Delta
How demand vs supply cycles affect small-scale farmers

V ietnam intends to join the global league of tilapia

producers, China, Egypt, Indonesia and the
Philippines. In 2023, tilapia production was a mere
However, on June 18, red tilapia farmgate price rose to
VND43,000/kg (USD1.69). According to Truong Song,
Sales Manager, Uni President Vietnam (UPVN), this
200,000 tonnes, but the government aims to reach upward trend was due to a reduction in culture area to
400,000 tonnes in 2030 from 40,000ha of ponds and 1.8 30-40% resulting in a lower supply.
million m3 of cages (vietfishmagazine.com).
He added that in distribution channels, fish prices are
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development higher in major cities. For example, from this farmgate
(MARD) planned for 45-50% of the production to be price of VND43,000/kg (USD1.69), in local commune
exported as tilapia fillets and value-added products. markets, it is VND60,000/kg (USD2.36) and in district
There is a relatively large domestic market where the markets, it rises to VND70,000/kg (USD2.75). In Ho
preference is live or chilled fish of 600g to 1kg, the latter Chi Minh City, prices reach VND80,000-90,000/kg
size for hotpot meals (AAP, 2021). (USD3.15-3.54) for top grade tilapia and sizes are over
one kg.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood
Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the country’s exports
of frozen tilapia in 2023 reached more than USD6 million, Tilapia in floating cages
while it was USD 8 million in 2022. The primary market In the Mekong Delta, almost all of red tilapia farming
was the European Union. Vietnamese tilapia in the US are in cages. Song added that in Chau Doc in An Giang
is difficult to compete with Chinese tilapia because Province, which borders Cambodia, there is culture of
Vietnam’s average price is much higher, even though it is black tilapia in cages to sell into the Cambodian market.
on a downward trend. Black tilapia is cultured in ponds in north Vietnam,
stocking at low density (4-5 fish/m2). In the Mekong
Delta, farmers also culture black tilapia in shrimp ponds.
A cyclic demand and supply
Like other freshwater fish, farmgate prices for the tilapia
follow the cyclic demand and supply trend. On March 22, The tributaries in the Mekong Delta are where most of the
during a visit to his cages, farmer Tran Van Sieng said farming of red tilapia in floating cages is located. There are
the farmgate price of tilapia, sadly, was only VND33,000/ 2,000 cages in the Tien River, Binh Thanh Island, Dong Thap
kg (USD1.28), whereas the cost of production was province. Sieng, is also a feed distributor for UPVN and
VND39,000/kg (USD1.52). The lower price for the red distributes feeds to 100-120 of these cages. Sieng himself
tilapia was caused by competition with snakehead fish. has 10 cages. In Vietnam, it is not unusual for a farmer to be
There was also an oversupply of tilapia with new entrants a feed distributor and vice versa.
in the farming business. Existing farmers have also
invested in more intensive farming methods.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

46 Industry Review -Tilapia

When his feed conversion ratio (FCR) is

1.8-1.9 and sometimes goes up to 2, Sieng
says that his production cost is higher than
the farmgate price for his tilapia. However,
Sieng believes that the high FCR has to
do with weather conditions. Hot weather
affects fish appetite. Song explained that
the most favourable weather conditions for
tilapia farming in Dong Thap is from May
to October when the water flow is fast and
dissolved oxygen (DO) levels are higher.
FCR is 1.6-1.7 and with monosex tilapia,
FCR is better at 1.5 and survival rate high at
60-70%. From November to May, the water
flow is low coupled with low DO levels. This
is when FCRs are poor and survival rates
are low at 50-60%.

There are also disease challenges.

Farmers term these as red gill and red gut
disease. The pathogens for gill necrosis
are Flavobacterium columnare; and for skin
haemorrhages, Streptococcus agalactiae
and Aeromonas hydrophila. There are no
laboratories for diagnostic tests in the
area, and farmers resort to pharmaceutical
laboratories to confirm the bacterial
pathogens affecting their fish.

The farming model

The most popular cage size is 5mx11mx3m
deep. Other floating cage sizes are
6mx12m, 5mx10m and 4cmx8cm with 3m
depths. The stocking density will depend
on the size of fingerlings but the range is
80-120 fish/m3.

Feeding tilapia in one of 10 cages belonging Tran Van Sieng In the case of monosex tilapia, farmers
stock 600kg of fingerlings at size 30-40/kg in 5mx11mx3m
cages. This is about 18,000-19,000 fingerlings. Song
Sieng said, “I stock mixed-sex tilapia since I found out that added that for mixed sex tilapia, farmers buy smaller
the growth rate of monosex tilapia reared by another farmer fingerling (size 60-70/kg) and they nurse them in cages
has low survival. The survival in my cages is around 50- for one month to reach size 20/kg before transferring to
60%, but with monosex tilapia, it is very low at 30%.”

Song explained that monosex tilapia grows faster and

has a shorter culture period by a month, which means
that in 5 months fish reach harvest sizes. In contrast,
mixed sex black or red tilapia takes 6-7 months. The
shorter cycle is an advantage when fish prices are high,
and the farmer can harvest quickly. However, when fish
prices are low, farmers tend to keep fish in cages longer
to wait for higher prices.

Red tilapia fry comes from a land-based hatchery in Tien

Giang. A group of independent farmers pool to buy fry
and nurse them over 2-3 months to fingerlings of size 40-
50/kg or 20-25g/fish for stocking. Sieng buys fingerlings
from this group to stock into his cages.

UPVN markets tilapia feeds containing 35% to 27% crude

protein for red and black tilapia, starting for fish sizes
of 5-15g to a harvest size of 600g and more. Feed costs Farmer and feed distributor Tran Van Sieng with Uni-President
VND18,200/kg (USD0.71) for 30% crude protein feed. Vietnam’s Wei Che Wen, Sales and Marketing Manager, Asia
The recommended feeding rate is 3-4 times per day for (left).
the early stages and 2-3 times per day for larger sizes.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Industry Review -Tilapia 47

Truong Song, Sales Manager, Uni President Vietnam at the cage farm located in River Tien, Dong Thap in the Mekong Delta.

larger cages of 5mx11mx3m. The total biomass is 900kg is VND22.4 million (USD881,000). The harvest was 7-8
of about 18,000-19,000 fish. The acceptable survival tonnes per cage at an average body weight of 600-700g.
rate is more than 60% and harvests reach 8-9 tonnes. There is a one-time harvest for each cage. The red tilapia
is sold live through buyers for the live fish markets and
At the time of the visit, Sieng operated only six out of his restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City.
ten cages. This is because in March, fish prices were low.
Song said that is usual for farmers to temporality stop After six months of rearing in the cages, in a mixed-sex
culturing and wait for better prices and continue farming. population, there can be a range of sizes. In 6 months,
In July, Sieng had begun operating all 10 cages. harvest sizes range from 300g to 1.3kg and the average
size is 600g/fish. Due to the unsteady demand and low
For each cycle, the fingerlings cost VND32,000/kg. Since prices, Sieng is putting his expansion plans on hold.
Sieng stocks 700kg of fingerlings per cage, his total cost

The team from Uni-President Vietnam with Tran Van Sieng (third left). From left, the R&D and Sales team, Nguyen Thi Nhat, Le Van Tri, Wei
Che Wen, Truong Song, Vo Thuy To Quyen, Dang Hoang Yen Quyen and Tran Phuoc.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 48 Demand & Supply Equilibrium

Responsible aquaculture supply chains

The panel on “Responsible aquaculture supply chains: Addressing evolving transparency requirements from farm to consumer,” hosted
Caption:
by GLOBALG.A.P during Seafood Expo Global in April 2024. From left, Audem Lem, Deputy Director of the Fisheries and Division and
The panel
Secretaryon “Responsible
of the FAO Committee ofaquaculture supply
Fisheries (COFI); Dawn chains:
Purchase, Addressing
Agriculture evolving
Program Manager transparency
at the Marine Conservation Society;
Theresa Fernandez, Senior Sustainability Manager, Hilton Foods; Carlos Tavares Fereria, Sustainability and Quality Manager, Stolt
requirements fromOosterveld,
Seafoods and Remko farm to Aquaculture
consumer,” hosted
Key Account by GLOBALG.A.P
Manager, GLOBALG.A.P. during Seafood Expo Global in
April 2024. From left, Audem Lem, Deputy Director of the Fisheries and Division and Secretary
of the FAO Committee of Fisheries (COFI); Dawn Purchase, Agriculture Program Manager at the
D
Marineuring
Carlos
Conservation
the Seafood Expo Society;
GlobalTheresa Fernandez, guidance
2024, GLOBALG.A.P Senior Sustainability Manager,(GSA)
on sustainable aquaculture
hosted a panel discussion on “Responsible aquaculture released for debate in July prior to adoption by member
supplyTavares
chains:Fereria, Sustainability
Addressing evolving and Quality Manager,
transparency countries. Stolt Seafoods and Remko
Hilton Foods;
which will be

Oosterveld,
requirements Aquaculture Key Account
from farm to consumer”. Manager,
It brought togetherGLOBALG.A.P.
representatives from diverse backgrounds: FAO (COFI), Responsible sourcing
Marine Conservation Society, Hilton Foods, and Stolt Sea Stolt Sea Farms is a producer of high-end flatfish for
Responsible
Farm. aquaculture supply chains niche markets. Its customers are explicit about what
During the Seafood Expo Global 2024, GLOBALG.A.P goeshosted
into theafeed,
panel
thatdiscussion
is GMO-free on and no land-based
The discussion delved into topics such as traceability protein meals. Tavares Fereria added that some of the
“Responsible aquaculture
and legal compliance, supply
shedding light chains: Addressing
on strategies evolving
to ingredients transparency requirements from
used for this species are becoming scarcer,
farm to consumer”. It brought together representatives
enhance responsible practices in production systems. from diverse
not because they arebackgrounds:
not well managed FAObut(COFI),
because
Although each panellist offered unique perspectives, there is more competition for them. A future challenge is
Marine Conservation
they all agreed that meetingSociety, Hiltonchallenges
the growing Foods, and and Stolt Sea Farm.
how to formulate healthy diets for fish that can also bring
demands of fostering responsible aquaculture supply all the healthy characteristics in the final product for
Thechains require collaborative efforts from stakeholders the consumer without disrupting this supply chain. Stolt
discussion delved into topics such as traceability and legal compliance, shedding light on
across different sectors. Discussions were Europe- works with its feed suppliers to make sure that the origins
strategies to enhance responsible
focussed but as aquaculture’s practices
supply chain is in production
truly systems. Although each panellist
of the ingredients are from responsible sources.
oXered unique perspectives, they all agreed that meeting the growing challenges and demands
global, these could be relevant for responsible supply
chains within Asia.
of fostering responsible aquaculture supply chainsLegislations in Europe
require collaborative eXorts from
Relating to more responsible supply chains in the UK and
stakeholders across
Holistic view on diXerent sectors. DiscussionsEurope,
sustainability were Europe-focussed but as aquaculture’s
Fernandez said that there is the implementation
supply chain is truly global, these could be relevantoffor
On recent trends with responsible aquaculture supply responsible
legislation in the supply
UK but chains
there is within Asia.on
a difference
chains, Lem said that the scope of sustainability has what the legislation is asking and what the retailers
changed. Today, it requires a holistic view, in all the have been demanding. UK’s seafood supply chain is
Holistic view on sustainability
three dimensions of sustainability. Years ago, the focus more focussed on transparency. Managing the three-
was on environmental sustainability, whereas now social dimensional requirements - social, environmental, and
Ondimensions,
recent trends with responsible aquaculture supply chains, Lem said that scope of
civil rights, and decent work are important animal welfare - gets complicated with many agents in
sustainability
components ofhas changed.strategy
a sustainability Today,for it requires a holistic
any company. view, in all the three dimensions of
the supply chain. On the UK’s Commercial Organisations
Animal welfare is now fundamental. COFI has developed and Public Authorities Duty bill, Purchase commented

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Demand & Supply Equilibrium 49

that this focusses very much on due diligence, and to Need for a level playing field
prevent both human rights violations, and identify and In Europe, markets are supplied by both domestic
prevent environmental harm. The outcome should be to supplies and imports. The free entry of products
drive further due diligence and further transparency and generates an uncompetitive scenario especially relating
traceability within the supply chain. to quality. A right balance is needed such that the level of
requirements on products applied for Europe’s suppliers
For Oosterveld, the aquaculture supply chain is quite is also required for imported products such as for
complex - it is not just the production of fish, but also the Asian origin feed raw materials. A level playing field is
production of the feed and the feed materials. The task is fundamental to the future of the industry, and it is also a
more difficult, but he added that responsible practices in question of equity and fairness. A strong point raised is
aquaculture have improved over the last decade. getting certification.

Database management Oosterveld emphasised that voluntary certification

Artificial intelligence (AI) and database systems are systems depend on the professional exchange of all
becoming fundamental in improving efficiency in relevant actors in the supply chain: “Only with cross-
the management of any production system which is stakeholder collaboration can we as an organisation
completely different than 15 years ago. Proteins and develop standards that meet the requirements of the
oils come from all over the world, so traceability and whole industry. To achieve increased transparency
data management underpin all of aquaculture’s food and traceability, with increasing requirements, the
production. New forms of data capture and the sharing cooperation with all stakeholders in the supply chain
and utilisation within and outside of Europe are essential is vital. GLOBALG.A.P. ultimately exists to support the
for global benefit. Traceability data are required from whole sector,” he concluded.
producers and are needed to identify environmental
harm and impacts.

GLOBALG.A.P. SUMMIT 2024

Shaping the future of farming together with
aquaculture experts from across the value chain.

Scan to
learn more

10–12 September 2024 Warsaw, Poland

SUMMIT 2024
Shaping the future of farming together

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

50 Marketing

Marketing Asian seafood globally

Vietnam’s Vinh Hoan Corporation had two products selected as finalists at the Seafood Excellence Global Awards - pangasius surimi
wrappers (left) and pangasius surimi noodles.

S eafood Expo Global and Seafood Processing Global

form the world’s largest seafood trade event was
held over 3 days, from April 23-25. Buyers and suppliers
“The industry relies on this event to achieve its annual
business objectives in the global market. Exhibitors and
visitors alike use this platform as a place to meet current
from around the world attended the annual exposition to customers, find new ones, form new relationships and
meet, network and conduct business. There were buyers expand their knowledge of the industry,” said Wynter
representing importers, exporters, and wholesalers; Courmont, Vice President of Seafood at Diversified
restaurant and supermarket owners; hoteliers, and other Communications USA. “It’s been exciting to feel the buzz
retail and food service entrepreneurs. Exhibiting suppliers in the exhibition halls.”
offered the newest seafood products, processing and
packaging equipment, and services available in the seafood This year’s edition saw an increase in the number of
market. companies presenting aquaculture technologies and
equipment, and logistics companies, as well as high-
Organiser, Diversified Communications announced that volume buyers from the retail, restaurant and distribution
this 2024 edition broke records with more than 35,000 sectors. Also included were the latest trends in products,
professionals from the seafood sector and was the largest innovations and technologies to enhance the seafood
edition in the event’s history. It had 51,248 m2 of exhibition sector. Sustainability, aquaculture, labour issues, artificial
space; the 30th edition had a record 2,244 exhibiting intelligence and traceability were some of the most
companies from 87 countries around the world. prominent topics discussed at the conferences over the 3
days of the event.

This Seafood Expo Global

2024 was the second year for
the US Grains Council team,
from Asia, Europe and Africa.
USGC promotes the use of
sustainable products from
corn and corn co- products.
From left, Mohamed Salah
Bouthour, Deputy Regional
Director, USGC– Africa;
Mustapha L Youssoufi,
Consultant, Morrocco; Ibrahim
Sir Tioglu, Consultant, Turkey;
Caleb Wurth, USGC Regional
SEA and Oceana; Loyola
Toran, Consultant, Spain;
Novel Sharma, Seafood
Analyst, Rabobank, The
Netherlands and Ronnie Tan,
Aquaculture Consultant,
Malaysia.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Marketing 51

At Xyrex, the team (from right) Gerry

Mcguire, Tom Nolan and Daniel Gilaranz,
promoted a sulphite-free liquid
technology solution Prawn Fresh Ultimate
that enhances the quality and extends
the shelf life of seafood. The product is
a specially designed treatment for the
conservation and inhibition of melanosis in
all types of crustaceans, and extends shelf
life (xyrex.com).

Seafood Excellence Global Awards such producer to receive BAP 4-Star. It works closely
There were 40 finalists, representing 15 countries selected with fish farmers to promote and ensure aquaculture
from the 85 products submitted for this year’s competition, practices are compatible with international standards for
with 8 products for the HORECA sector and 32 for retail. product quality and safety (source: vinhhoan.com).
From Asia, finalists included the Fully Cooked Lemon
Sourdough Crumbed Cod Goujon by Golden Fresh Sdn Bhd Golden Fresh is a leading seafood processor and was
(Malaysia); Wellington Salmon by Dalian Rich Enterprise the first seafood processor in Malaysia to be awarded
Group Co., Ltd (China); Lucky Bag and Protein Pho Fusion the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Chain of Custody
by Vinh Hoan Corporation (Vietnam). in 2015. It had three entries for the Seafood Excellence
Global Awards and was a finalist for the fully cooked
The Lucky Bag comprises pangasius surimi wrappers. lemon sourdough crumbed fish goujon. The other two
Vinh Hoan Corporation, Vietnam is the world’s largest entries were organic crumbed fish fillet and chili mango
producer and processor of the pangasius. It was the first prawns.

Rosy Ng and Lay Eng

Tan, Pacific West,
showed the fully cooked
lemon sourdough
crumbed fish goujon
finalist product.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

52 Marketing

Leading the marketing of India’s seafood, Lahiri Archiman, Deputy Director (left) and Dr S Kandan at MPEDA’s booth.

At the India Pavilion

Leading the exhibitors from India, were MPEDA’s Lahiri
Archiman, Deputy Director and Dr S Kandan, Assistant
Director. The Marine Products Export Development
Authority (MPEDA) is a statutory body established in
1972 under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry to
promote and market marine seafood exports. It carries
out inspections of marine products and raw materials, as
well as regulate standards and specifications. It is also
responsible for sustained, quality seafood exports from
the country.

“There are 39 Indian exporters in this year’s show which

is the highest to date. The focus is now on the markets
in Europe and processors are moving to value-added
products,” said S Kandan. The large display of products
included large black tiger shrimp and squid.

Gujarat - based Mindhola Foods LLC exports 4,000

tonnes of only black tiger shrimp annually. Some 50% of
production is brine frozen and goes to China as HOSO.
China’s preference is for small size shrimp (40-50 and
50-60/kg). The rest are exported to the EU, Japan and
10% goes to the US. “We also produce vannamei shrimp
on contract of sizes 40-50/kg; 30-40/kg and 20-30/kg,”
said Hetal S Patel, Partner. Some 2,500 tonnes come from
its farms in Gujarat where they practice partial harvesting.
The offer for large size shrimp 26-30/kg is USD8.1/kg,
which Patel said is good for the farmers and for exporters
like Mindhola.

“At this event, the demand is for smaller black tigers of

sizes 30-40/kg to 40-50/kg. Our farming model is low
density at 15 PL/m2; therefore, our biomass is low. The
post larvae is from Moana broodstock, which in our opinion
gives good growth in 33 ppt salinity.”

With regards to India’s country-wide production of black Mindhola Food LLP, Hetal S Patel said that their farming model is
low density at 15 PL/m2. Post larvae from Moana broodstock has
tiger, Patel estimated a production of 35,000 to 40,000
shown good growth in a salinity of 33ppt.
tonnes annually. Gujarat alone produced 10-15,000

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Marketing 53

Ramakanth V. Akula, CEO with visitors, Ragnar Nystøyl, Chief Analyst, and Ida Seljevoll Skancke, Analyst, Shrimp, Kontali.

tonnes. Some 60% of this production goes to China. OceanPick is Sri Lanka’s first oceanic fish farm for Asian
Domestic sales are still insignificant, although several seabass or barramundi. Started in 2012, it has created a
leading industry players are branding and marketing their sustainable culinary delight. Irfan Thassim, CEO, provided
black tiger to their own restaurants or local HORECA. samples of the barramundi farmed in pristine waters off
Trincomalee. The BAP certified barramundi are processed
The Waterbase Limited (TWL) is one of India’s with HACCP certified processing facilities to meet global
pioneering aquaculture integrators with aquafeed standards. In 2023, Oceanpick entered the European
milling, farming and processing. According to Ramakanth market for the first time through a partnership with Danish
V. Akula, CEO, it is time to focus on its products coming seafood supplier and exporter Kangamiut Seafood, which
out of its processing plant, such as crab meat. When is part of Denmark’s Kangamiut Group.
discussing local consumption, Akula singled out the
3As- Awareness, Affordability and Availability. The foci OceanPick sells around 10 to 15% of its 1,000 tonnes
for local markets are those in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, of annual production domestically and exports the
Hyderabad and Kolkata. “But a challenge is the transport remainder. Thassim said that the company plans to ramp
costs for small volumes. Therefore, together we need to up to 1,500 tonnes in 2024 and increase to 3,000 tonnes
develop better cold chains.” in 2025 (oceanpick.com).

Abad Fisheries has a JV with Pescanova and Jorge

Sanabria, Abad Overseas, India Operation, works with
the team in India to ensure the export quality standard
of shrimp from Abad Fisheries. From three processing
plants in Visakhapatnam, Nellore and Nizampatanam,
Abad exports vannamei shrimp products as HOSO to
China and Europe. There are various certifications for
Abad, among them is Vietnam’s NAVIFAD, which allows
Abad to export to Vietnam for reprocessing except that
with high prices, China is a more suitable option.

“We are not targeting the US market but may do so in the

future when we have value-added products. In India,
the ponds are small and not lined and stocking density
is around 18 PL/m2. We can increase the stocking density
once ponds are lined and more aeration is provided,” said
Sanabria.
Irfan Thassim, CEO, promoting his barramundi in hall 1.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

54 Marketing

Chefs preparing sashimi

from yellowtail and red
seabream at the Japan
Pavilion.

Japanese farmers produce fish by paying attention to taste

Promotion of Buri and Tai and texture. Together with processors, they use a unique
This was at the Japan Pavilion. Buri is yellowtail Seriola killing technique called “shinkei-jime” so as not to stress
quinqueradiata, rich in protein and in DHA and EPA. In the fish and keep them fresh and tasty. Many yellowtail
Japan, the yellowtail changes its name as it grows – and seabream farmers use different fish farming pens,
hamachi (35-60cm) and warasa/mejiro (60-80cm). It depending on the growth stages. Farms use AI automatic
is often called buri when it is 80cm or longer. Tai is red feeders, and EP feed which does not easily dissolve in
seabream Pagrus major, a low fat and high protein fish water; hence reducing the environmental impact of feed.
with high levels of glycine which give its sweet taste. It
also has high levels of inosinic acid and taurine. Inosinic The next edition of Seafood Expo Global/Seafood
acid provides an umami taste. Processing Global will take place in Barcelona from May
6 to 8, 2025.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Marketing 55

A digital platform to market seafood at

speed 24/7

Klarys at Seafood Expo Global 2024, held from April 23-25 in Barcelona, Spain, from left, Renaud Enjalbert, CEO; Anita Renault, Sales;
Arnaud Gauthier and Lucas Demange

K larys, based in Rennes, France, was present within

the large French Pavilion in Hall 2 at the Seafood
Expo Global 2024, held from April 23-25 in Barcelona,
and tomorrow. “The industry needs to address several
challenges we want to help them to overcome such
as margin optimization, data accuracy, traceability,
Spain. The team presented its digital solution on seafood regulations, food waste, etc. . But note that we are here
procurement. The company is not a newco, in 2023, not to remove human intervention but improve efficiency
Procsea, the first eProcurement platform to meet the and cut down admin costs of buying and selling. Industry
specific needs of the fresh food industry, announced is changing and we offer digitalisation of seafood
a name and brand identity change to Klarys. The new industry for the new generation of players.” added Lucas
name is synonymous with clarity, technology, and human Demange, Head of Marketing and Growth.
support.
Klarys now has 1,500 suppliers from 40 countries on
Founded in 2016, the company has developed a its platform which is actually a private ecosystem of
comprehensive eProcurement platform to support the producers who have made an ecatalog of their products
specific issues faced by players in the fresh food industry, and uses the platform to push their products to their
seafood included. In simple terms it offers a 24/7 digital customers. “The advantage for the supplier is that we
platform to optimize the purchasing and selling processes connect them to their ecosystem in seafood, buying and
and connect the industry (producers, wholesalers, selling. Several years ago, we saw this as an opportunity
retailers, etc.) to make it more efficient, transparent and to create efficiency on transactions. They can reduce their
sustainable. administration tasks, orders, and logistics documentation
via our integrated ERP order management system. We ask
At their booth, Arnaud Gauthier, CRO said, “We want to that products meet sanitary and traceability requirements
optimize the seafood supply chain which is to optimize as required by international trade standards,” said
the purchasing and selling processes, both for buyers Gauthier.
and suppliers. On our eplatform, buyers can have real
time 24/7 visibility on prices and availability and digitize The platform charges are subscription based whereby cost
all their transactions from order to invoice..” is related to size and revenue of the company. However,
participation requires a personal invitation. Klarys counts
The mission is to equip players in the seafood industry Le Maison Reynaud , a distributor of premium seafood as
with effective tools to meet the challenges of today a early adopter of its platform. klarys.io

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

56 Company News

A major acquisition in the shrimp

genetic market

The Syqua team and visitors at the

recent Asian Pacific Aquaculture
2024 in Surabaya, held from
July 2-5. Seated from right, Dan
Fegan, Chief Impact Officer; Dr
Craig Browdy, Chief Technology
Officer (CTO) and visitor, Cristian
Chen, BiomiXin, Taiwan. Standing,
from right, Anushia Shanmugaraj,
Group Manager, Marketing. Dr
Natthinee Munkongwongsiri, Field
Research Manager and Dr. Lumpan
Poolsawat , Nutritionist

T
The
he SyAqua Group has announced a significant leap that will bring to its customers enhanced performance
forward in its mission to enhance and diversify the even in the most challenging production environments.
Syquaresources
genetic team and visitors at the recent
and market reach.Asian Pacific
This Aquaculture
strategic 2024anticipates
SyAqua in Surabaya, held from increase in supply of its
a significant
July 2-5. Seated from right, Dan Fegan, Chief Impact
acquisition will not only bolster its existing portfolio OVicer; Dr Craig
US Browdy,
broodstockChief Technology
production capacity by the end of 2024,
OVicer
but also(CTO) andthe
pave visitor,
wayCristian
for newChen, BioMixin,
market targeting
Taiwan. Standing,
opportunities, potential
from right, Anushiaproduction of more than 230,000
Shanmugaraj, Group Manager,
and most importantly, its strain security with broodstock/year. This acquisition will enhance the ability
Marketing.
to protect
another genetic nucleus and broodstock multiplication to meet the growing demand in major shrimp-producing
facility in the USA. markets.

Strategic acquisition and market Innovative infrastructure enhancements

SyAqua Americas continues to refine its biofloc based
expansion raceway production technologies, known for efficiency
This latest acquisition of the assets of Primo Broodstock and superior broodstock. This expansion, coupled with
USA LLC (“Primo”), a company that has been known new state of the art packing lines, will ensure stringent
for its pioneering work in the development of specific environmental control and top-notch product quality. These
pathogen free (SPF) and disease tolerant genetic advancements highlight the dedication to sustainability and
lines, marks a pivotal moment for SyAqua. Primo has operational excellence.
an impressive legacy, having been the first to leverage
SPF populations out of Ecuador to address disease
challenges in major markets like Mexico and China. Commitment to genetic excellence and
This acquisition allows SyAqua to tap into robust and sustainability
well-established genetic resources while significantly The long-term commitment to balanced genetic selection
expanding its US genetic nucleus and broodstock programs remains unwavering. It has consistently delivered
multiplication facilities. some of the highest-performing broodstocks globally. The
acquisition of Primo enriches SyAqua’s genetic resources,
Unlocking new market segments aligning with the vision of business sustainability and a
With Primo’s integration, SyAqua now has the potential to commitment to managing environmental impact of the blue
tap new genetic stocks developed over years of selective economy, particularly in Asian shrimp farming industry.
breeding for disease tolerance. This strategic move opens Furthermore, the alliance with Ocean 14 Capital Fund
the potential for more innovative selection strategies strengthens this dedication to sustainable practices and
innovative solutions in aquaculture. syaqua.com

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

THE 13TH AQUACULTURE ROUNDTABLE SERIES (TARS®) IS BACK!
AUGUST 14-15, 2024 • BANGKOK, THAILAND
Networking & Engagement Don’t miss Asia’s leading
Opportunities! aquaculture event! Save the Date!

FINFISH AQUACULTURE: STEERING AN INDUSTRY INTO FOCUS

While there are large and successful integrated operations making waves globally, most stakeholders in Asia are still
seeking focus and directions for growth. Production in Asia is still associated with lower value fish such as the tilapia and
pangasius, and there is no significant marine fish species. Asia has lagged its temperate species peers in the past decade.
Why is that and what is holding it back?

TARS 2024 offers expert analysis, business models, technology, innovations and state-of-the-art biotechnology, and a deep
dive into challenges along the entire supply chain – from genetics to production to marketing.

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• State of Industry and Challenges
• A Good Start with Genetics, Hatchery and Nursery
• Disease Mitigation: Management and Innovation
• Precision Nutrition, Health Interventions and Feed Efficiency
• Future Proofing Asia’s Finfish Aquaculture

INDUSTRY DIALOGUE
Industry challenges = startup opportunities = venture capital investments
Industry Panels,
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ABOUT TARS For more information,

Now in its 13th year, The Aquaculture Roundtable Series® (TARS) is a stakeholder-driven Email: [email protected]
effort to facilitate the sharing and exchange of information and experiences for a common www.tarsaquaculture.com
goal, to equip the industry with the next phase of growth. Follow us on

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 58 Company News

Strategic additions in Southeast Asia and

Latin America to strengthen “Meeting at
Appointments
the Farm Gate” commitment

C algary, Alberta, Canada based CBS Bio Platforms has

announced the addition of two industry veterans to
their sales team, furthering their commitment to growth and
in animal health and nutrition aligns perfectly with CBS Bio
Platforms’ mission to enhance animal performance through
innovative feed solutions.
excellence in the global animal nutrition and feed industry.
Strategic additions in Southeast Asia and Latin America to strengthen “Meeting at the Farm
Krisjan Jones, President of CBS Bio Platforms, said “We
Gate”CBS
commitment
Bio Platforms’ philosophy is centered around meeting are pleased to welcome Fuci Guo and Francisco Portela
customers – at the farm gate. This hands-on approach to our team, expanding our presence in Latin America and
ensures they understand the unique challenges and Southeast Asia.
Calgary, Alberta,faced
opportunities Canada based
by their CBS
clients, Bio Platforms
allowing them to has announced the addition of two industry
provide tailored solutions that enhance animal health and “Their combined expertise and experience will be
veterans to their sales team, furthering their commitment
productivity. As CBS Bio Platforms continues to grow, they
to growth and excellence in the global
instrumental in our ongoing efforts to expand our global
animal nutrition
remain andto feed
dedicated industry.by expanding their reach and enhance our product offerings. We are confident
this philosophy
sales team to better serve customers in key international that they will be tremendous assets to our team and to our
markets. clients.”
CBS Bio Platforms’ philosophy is centered around meeting customers – at the farm gate. This
Dr Fuci Guo (left) joins CBS Bio Platforms as Global Sales CBS Bio Platforms is on a strong growth trajectory, fuelled
hands-on approach
& Marketing – Aqua ensures they
and Pet. Fuci’s understand
expertise the unique
is critical as challenges
by strategic expansions and and theopportunities
addition of talentedfaced
team by
their clients, allowing them to provide tailored solutions that enhance animal health and
CBS Bio Platforms grows its footprint in Asia, Indonesia, members. The establishment of their new facility in Volga,
and Thailand. His background in sales and business South Dakota, which now serves as their US headquarters,
productivity.
developmentAs CBS
within Bio
the Platforms continues
aquaculture sector to grow,
will drive theytheir
enhances remain dedicated
distribution to thiscapabilities.
and manufacturing philosophy
by expanding their sales team to better serve customers in key international markets.Southeast
significant growth and establish a strong market presence This, along with the growth of their sales team, in
in these regions. Asia and Latin America, positions CBS Bio Platforms
to better meet the needs of their diverse and growing
Dr Fuci Guo joins
Francisco CBS
Portela Biojoins
(right) Platforms
as a Salesas Global
SpecialistSales & Marketing
customer – Aqua
base worldwide. andstrategic
These Pet. Fuci’s
expansions
focusing on poultry. Francisco’s role is pivotal in expanding ensure they remain at the forefront of the animal nutrition
expertise
CBS isBiocritical aspresence
Platforms’ CBS Bioin Platforms
some South,grows Central itsindustry,
footprint in Asia,
providing Indonesia,
innovative andand
solutions Thailand.
fostering His
background
Americaninandsales andmarkets.
Caribbean business development
His extensive experience within the aquaculture
strong partnerships globally. sector will drive

significant growth and establish a strong market presence in these regions.

Francisco Portela joins as a Sales Specialist focusing on poultry. Francisco’s role is pivotal in
expanding CBS Bio Platforms’ presence in some South, Central American and Caribbean
markets. His extensive experience in animal health and nutrition aligns perfectly with CBS Bio
Platforms’ mission to enhance 2024
September/October animal performance through innovative feed2024
November/December solutions.
Issue focus: Aquaculture Innovations Issue focus: Health and Disease Management

Krisjan Jones, President of CBS Bio Platforms, said “We are pleased to welcome Fuci Guo and
Industry Review: Marine Shrimp Industry Review: Catfish and Freshwater Fish
Feed Enzymes
Larval & Nursery Feeds/Feed management
Francisco Portela to our team, expanding our presence in Latin America and Southeast Asia.
Deadlines:Articles/Adverts – July 17 Deadlines: Articles/Adverts – September 18
“Their combined expertise and experience will be instrumental in our ongoing eRorts to expand
our global reach and enhance our product oRerings. We are confident that they will be
Email: [email protected]/[email protected]

tremendous assets to our team and to our clients.”

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific
 Company News 59

Copenhagen is the
place to be end August!

T he AQUA events are co-organised by the European

Aquaculture Society (EAS) and the World Aquaculture
Society (WAS). They are held every six years. Past events
The overarching theme of AQUA 2024 is Blue Food,
Green Solutions and the scientific conference will
include more than 60 sessions covering all aspects
were held in Nice (2000), Florence (2006), Prague (2012) of aquaculture research. AQUA 2024 is organised
AQUA 2024and Montpellier
– Copenhagen (2018).
is the place to be end August! with the support of local partners, the Danish Export
The AQUA events are co-organised by the European Aquaculture Society (EAS) and the
Association Fish Tech, ICES, DTU AQUA, the University
AQUA
World Aquaculture 2024
Society will
(WAS). take
They place
are held every sixfrom August
years. Past 26-30
events were held in at the Bella of Copenhagen, EUROFISH and
Nice (2000), Florence (2006), Prague (2012) and Montpellier (2018).
Arena in the Danish capital Copenhagen. It will comprise the Copenhagen Convention Bureau.
AQUA 2024a willscientific
take place fromconference,
August 26-30 at thetrade
Bella Arenaexhibition, industry forums,
in the Danish capital
Copenhagen. It will comprise a scientific conference, trade exhibition, industry forums,
workshops, student events and receptions. The event will
workshops, student events and receptions. The event will highlight the latest aquaculture
Organisers are extremely grateful for the support of event
research and highlight
innovation tothe latest
underpin aquaculture
continued research
growth of this exciting and innovation
food production sector. to sponsors, with Gold Sponsor BioMar, Silver Sponsors
It will be a showcase for Denmark, and its innovation leadership in several key technologies
underpin continued growth of this exciting food
crucial for future aquaculture, but also a meeting and exchange platform for experts from
production Biorigin, US Soy, University of Stavanger and the Blue
around the sector.
world. Planet Academy and with Session Sponsors AquaSoja.
The overarching theme of AQUA 2024 is Blue Food, Green Solutions and the scientific
conferenceItwill will
includebe
more athanshowcase forallDenmark,
60 sessions covering and its innovation
aspects of aquaculture AQUA 2024 is expected to be attended by 2500 (1400
research. AQUA 2024 is organised with the support of local partners, the Danish Export
leadership in several key technologies crucial for future
Association Fish Tech, ICES, DTU AQUA, the University of Copenhagen, EUROFISH and
conference participants and 1200 tradeshow visitors) from
aquaculture, but also a meeting and exchange platform for 90 countries. There will be 60 conference sessions and
experts from around the world. 12 special sessions, industry forums and workshops. The
trade show will have 240 booths.

EDITORIAL CALENDAR 2025

Look out for AAP’s annual report on trends in Asia’s production of marine shrimp and aquafeeds

Volume 20 Number 1 2 3 4 5 6
September/ November/
January/February March/April May/June July/August
October December
Deadlines -Technical articles November 15, 2024 January 17 March 13 May 15 July 17 September 18

Deadlines - Advert Bookings November 22, 2024 January 24 March 20 May 22 July 24 September 25
Experiences and opinions covering role models; clear and present needs of industry; innovations and digitalisation in
Innovations/ Startups
aquaculture
Interviews with industry leaders Focus in 2023 will be leaders pushing for sustainable aquaculture

Issue focus Nursery & Hatchery Health & Disease Sustainable & Demand & Supply Aquaculture Health & Disease
Emerging trends and challenges Management Responsible Equilibrium Innovations Management
Aquaculture

Industry Review Aquafeed Catfish &

Marine Shrimp Marine Fish Tilapia Marine Shrimp
Production Freshwater Fish
Functional Feeds/ Fish meal/oil Sustainable Alternative Larval & Nursery Feed Enzymes
Feeds & Processing Technology Additives/ Controlled Industrialisation Ingredients Ingredients Feeds/ Feed
Systems Hatchery management
Technology
Marketing and certifications Market and product developments, post harvest processing, generic marketing, certifications, branding, food safety etc

Company/Product News News on activities at international, regional and local conferences and trade shows

Events VIV Asia 2025, World TARS 2025 International

March 12-14 Aquaculture Shrimp Aquaculture &
Bangkok, Thailand 2025 China Aquaculture Fisheries Expo
Qingdao, August (TBA) Taiwan
VietShrimp April 24 – 27 Taipei (TBA)
International Global Shrimp
March 26-28 Seafood Expo Forum 2025,
Global September (TBA)
May 6-8 Utrecht, The
Barcelona, Spain Netherlands

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July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

60 Company News

Programme highlights Industry and Innovation Forums

The programme grid, showing sessions and days is These are regular features of EAS events. The Industry
now online at https://was.org/meeting/pdf/AQUA24_ Forum will be held all day on Tuesday, August 27 and will
ProgrammeGrid.pdf. It shows the parallel abstract-based address the main event theme, with key questions on the
scientific sessions, as well as the forums and special status and future of the sector with regards, to adaptation
sessions that will take place and specifically targeted to climate change, mitigation of its effects, circular
towards operators and producers. approaches, and other externalities. It will be divided into
several panel discussions, overseen by event master of
Plenary speakers ceremony for the day, Lise Walbom, CEO, Food Nation
Two exciting plenary sessions and speakers have been Denmark.
announced. On Tuesday, August 27, Dag Sletmo, Senior
Vice President Seafood Division, DNB will give an opening The AQUA 2024 Innovation Forum is being co-organised
plenary “Analysing the Future.” FAO says we need to by EAS, EATiP (European Aquaculture Technology and
increase sustainable aquaculture production by at least Innovation Platform) and the European Commission. It
75% by 2040 if we are going to limit global warming to 1.5°C. will be held all day on Wednesday, August 28. It will look
at “Exploring Inter-Regional Collaboration & Innovation
Dag will share his top-down financial perspective on what Transfer Vehicles for Aquaculture,” through the lens of EU
it will take to grow aquaculture production significantly. The policy and initiatives, and at the global level. It comprises
demand drivers are in place, the challenge is increasing four sessions with a list of presentation and interactive
supply and at the same time reduce then environmental discussion to address key questions. The detailed
footprint. That will require new technology, better farming programmes for both forums are currently being finalised
practises, and better regulations. As an industry depending and will be online at the events website. https://www.
very much on government regulations, it also needs a aquaeas.org/
strong social license to achieve these goals. Where will the
money to finance this come from? DNB Bank’s aquaculture Special sessions
activities is focused on salmon, but Dag will also address There are also have several special sessions at AQUA 2024,
aquaculture more generally. bridging the gap between science
and industry:
• Quantitative Atlantic Salmon Health Assessment
• EUROshrimp Forum
Dag Sletmo is Senior Vice • Aquaculture Stewardship Council workshop on “Future
President Seafood Division, aquafeed supply chains in a transitioning industry and a
DNB, Norway’s leading bank in changing climate.”
Norway and the largest bank • Host Resistance to Sea Lice
globally in salmon farming • Light and Fish – And Light and other organisms
with clients in Norway, Faroe • IMTA and low-trophic aquaculture.
Islands, Iceland, Scotland,
Canada, Chile, and Australia.
Exhibition and tours
The AQUA 2024 exhibition is about to be sold out, with more
than 240 booths from suppliers and operators covering all
aspects of aquaculture production at the global level. All
At the end of the conference, on Friday, August 30, Signe coffee breaks and happy hours will be held in the exhibition
Riemer-Sørensen Research Manager Analytics and AI, hall to maximise interaction.
SINTEF will give her views on “AI with Knowledge.” Large On the Monday preceding the event, there will be four
language models have democratised AI. Co-pilots and options for tours.
chat-bots are changing most office jobs, but despite • Tour high-tech facilities at the Danish Technical
their impact, they will not revolutionise aquaculture. For University (DTU) National Food Institute – side streams
that completely different types of AI are needed. Through and research into new ingredients from marine raw
examples from aquaculture and beyond, Signe will explain materials.
the challenges, provide intuitive insights into AI, and • Visit OxyGuard International Danish Headquarters.
introduce the latest developments on industrial AI and their • Visit MAREL Progress Point global Demo Center, to see
potential in aquaculture. cutting-edge solutions and software for fish processing.
• A behind the scenes tour of the Danish National Aquarium
(Den Blå Planet) - Northern Europe’s largest aquarium.

Signe Riemer-Sørensen Factsheets on all tours are available on the “Travel”

is Senior Researcher and top menu of https://www.aquaeas.org/ and registrants
Research Manager for can sign up for them during the registration process.
Analytics and AI at SINTEF. Early Bird registration for AQUA 2024 is at https://www.
Her research evolves around aquaeas.org/Registration/Submit/AQUA24E
overcoming challenges for
implementing machine
learning and artificial
intelligence in a broad range of
industrial settings.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

With quality as a priority, raw materials are sourced exclusively from human-grade
Company News 61
processing units and trusted suppliers. Every element undergoes meticulous analysis in their
laboratory to meet the highest quality standards, supported by HACCP and GMP
Promoting sustainable marine bio-
certifications.
extracts in SEA

S ingapore-based Aquaproducts is leading the charge “I thank our investors, for believing in our vision providing
in up-cycling seafood industry by-products through the financial backing necessary to bring this project to life.
Marking a significant milestone, there was the official opening of the Marine Biotech
innovative technology and sustainable practices. With I also thank the financial institutions that have supported
Vietnam factory on June 11, 2024, with a target output capacity of 10,000 tonnes/year from
a commitment to establishing a robust and eco-friendly us to ensure the smooth progress of our construction and
supply chain for marine functional protein, Aquaproducts operational plans.” Dupuis added, “On a personal note,
50,000
aims totonnes
become aofkeyseafood waste/year.
regional hub In his welcome
in Southeast Asia. speech,
I am proud François
to be part Dupuis, General
of this extraordinary journey. The
teamwork, innovation, and dedication I have seen over the
Manager
Founded inextended hisengineers
2014 by French gratitude to community,
Thomas partners,
Levallois and past stakeholders
few months and industry
have been incredible.”
François Dupuis, Aquaproducts has a decade of expertise
in marine bio-extracts. The company has forged strong This state-of-the-art facility is equipped with the
partnerships with industry leaders - Scanbio SAS Norway latest technology and designed with sustainability
and Maqpro Biotech Indonesia, reinforcing its position in in mind. From automated production lines to green
the sector. energy solutions, the company has incorporated
cutting-edge innovations to ensure efficiency and
In 2022, Aquaproducts expanded its reach by collaborating environmental responsibility. The site of 2,500 m2 of
with the Althelia Sustainable Ocean Fund to establish space was selected with future scalability in mind and
Marine Biotech Vietnam (MBV). This hydrolysate factory strategically located in Long Anh province in proximity
focuses on producing dry hydrolysate protein powder for of raw materials sourcing, clients and close to the main
the Asian feed and pet food markets. The company is also exportation ports.
pursuing collaborations with European biotech firms to
develop biopolymers from shrimp shells. Thomas Levallois, partner and co-founder said, “The
need for quality, sustainable and locally produced
The company’s innovative approach centres on the ingredients has always pushed us in this adventure.
enzymatic hydrolysis of marine by-products to extract Marine protein coming from seafood by-products and
proteins and other valuable compounds such as oils, chitin, especially shrimp heads have so much potential as feed
and chitosan. This method not only ensures sustainable supplements for the animal feed industry. Our extraction
innovation but also valorizes these by-products, process uses natural enzymes that will cut down the
transforming them into top-quality marine functional protein molecular size into small peptides and free amino
proteins for animal feed and pet food markets. acids.

With quality as a priority, raw materials are sourced “We then obtain what we call ‘marine functional protein’
exclusively from human-grade processing units and trusted that have many benefits for health like, anti-stress,
suppliers. Every element undergoes meticulous analysis antioxidant, anti-microbial, immunity enhancer while
in their laboratory to meet the highest quality standards, being extremely palatable and digestible. These new
supported by HACCP and GMP certifications. ingredients will bring new solutions to help the transition
towards antibiotic replacement, productivity improvement
Marking a significant milestone, was the official opening of and sustainability”.
the Marine Biotech Vietnam factory on June 11, 2024, with
a target output capacity of 10,000 tonnes/year from 50,000 Lastly, Levallois said, “Our model of using local
tonnes of seafood waste/year. In his welcome speech, undervalued by-products and transforming it here using
François Dupuis, General Manager extended his gratitude soft process with low energy consumption enable us
to community, partners, stakeholders and industry to offer these natural functional ingredients at a very
colleagues as well as to local officials and the management competitive cost for the SEA region.”
and team of the industrial park (VL IZ) for their support.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

environmental concerns and ensure the long-term viability of the aquaculture industry. By
sharing knowledge and fostering collaboration, the event aimed to catalyse the global
adoption of circular
62 Company Newspractices.

International Summer Course on

Presentations during the event were also interpreted/translated to Vietnamese for the
benefits of local participants. The event concluded with final remarks by Professor Vu Ngoc
Circular Aquaculture
Ut, Rector of College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University.

Participants at the International

Summer Course on Circular
Aquaculture held on June 26-28
in Can Tho City, Vietnam.

T his was held in Can Tho City, Vietnam from June 26-
Participants at thetogether
28. It brought International
national Summer
and international
With over 70 participants in attendance, the course
Courseprovided
on Circular Aquaculture
ample networking held onforJune
opportunities 26- to
attendees
28 in Can Tho City, Vietnam.
experts, researchers, and practitioners to discuss and connect with international peers, fostering collaboration
advance sustainable practices in aquaculture. Organized and knowledge exchange. Sessions were dedicated to
by CIRAD (French Agricultural Research Centre for building partnerships for future projects and research
International Development), hosted by Can Tho University, initiatives.
and sponsored by the French Embassy in Vietnam, the
course aimed to promote circular aquaculture systems.
Case studies and success stories
These highlighted successful implementations of circular
Emphasis was placed on efficient resource use and
waste minimisation to foster environmentally friendly and aquaculture systems from various countries, including case
economically viable aquaculture practices. The event studies from Vietnamese scientists and industry. A notable
commenced with an opening speech by Associate Professor case study was presented by Dr Nguyen Nhut on “Circular
Tran Minh Phu, Vice Rector of College of Aquaculture intensive shrimp aquaculture with zero discharges, leading
and Fisheries, Can Tho University. Partners from private to reduced inputs and impacts.”
companies and research bodies also attended.
Additionally, online presentations by scientists from CIRAD,
France, covered topics such as feed management under
Lectures and presentations pond culture systems by Dr Kazi Kabir, novel approaches
Experts shared insights on advancements in circular
for assessing nutrient flow dynamics in ponds using stable
aquaculture, discussing innovative techniques for waste
isotope techniques by Dr Mortillaro, and rearing of novel
reduction, resource recycling, and sustainable feed
species such as mullets by Dr Philippe Cacot.
production. Noteworthy presentations included:
• Professor Sachi Kaushik from INRAe, France, on
The course underscored the importance of transitioning to
“Sustainable/circular feedstuffs for Aquaculture”
circular aquaculture to address environmental concerns and
• Prof. Johan Verreth from Wageningen University, The
ensure the long-term viability of the aquaculture industry.
Netherlands, on “Yield gaps in aquaculture: a tool for
By sharing knowledge and fostering collaboration, the
development?”
event aimed to catalyse the global adoption of circular
• Dr Joel Aubin from INRAe, France, on “Carbon footprint
practices.
of aquaculture,” focusing on life cycle analysis and its
application in tropical aquaculture
Presentations during the event were also interpreted/
• Dr Michael Phillips from Futurefish, Thailand, on the
translated to Vietnamese for the benefits of local
potential of aquaculture research through public-private
participants. The event concluded with final remarks by
collaborations.
Professor Vu Ngoc Ut, Rector of College of Aquaculture and
Fisheries, Can Tho University.

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 10th INT’L AQUACULTURE &
FISHERIES EXPO TAIWAN
��-��SEP ���� TaiNEX � TAIPEI TAIWAN
Explore Tomorrow's Aquaculture:
Unveiling Innovations at Asia's Premier B2B Expo

Sustainability Market Advance Resilience Technology

ORGANIZED BY
(+���)-�-��������

MY EXHIBITION CO., LTD. [email protected] OFFICIAL WEBSITE

 The SPACE Expo, which will take place from September 17 to 19, 2024 in
The SPACE Expo, which will take place fromhave 1,200 exhibitors from over 120 countries to the Rennes Exhibition C
September 17 to 19, 2024 in Rennes, France, will
presented by exhibitors, the numerous conferences and debates, the ev
have 1,200 exhibitors from over 120 countries to Espace
the Rennes
for theExhibition Centre.practical
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64 Company News at the
presented by exhibitors, the numerous conferences and
societal and
Future will provide
debates, the
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issues.
at the Espace for the Future will provide practical solutions to important economic, climatic,
societal and environmental issues. For several years, SPACE has been
offering a programme dedicated
to aquaculture. With the growing
participation of companies from the
sector, the Expo is becoming a key
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becoming a key event for French and international aquaculture businesses. Moreover, this
expanding sector is drawing an increasing number of French and international attendees. Of the
Netherlands, Italy, etc.)
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aquaculture (visitors from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Canada, the
Netherlands, Italy, etc.)

At SPACE 2024, a dedicated program for aquaculture to meet visitor dem

exhibitors from this sector internationally. Conferences will be held thro
Tuesday 17 September (registration required). Some of the presentation
At SPACE 2024, a dedicated program for aquaculture to meet visitor demand and showcase others in English. The speakers will include exhibitors, technical institut
exhibitors from this sector internationally. Conferences will be held throughout the day on
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featured along the route. www.space.fr

2024
September 3-5 September 24-27
Global Shrimp Forum 2024 Latin American & & Caribbean
Utrecht, The Netherlands Aquaculture 2024
shrimp-forum.com Medellin, Colombia
was.org
August 14-15 September 9-12
TARS 2024: Finfish Aquaculture
larvi 2024 November 20-23
Ostend, Belgium AFRAQ24
Bangkok, Thailand
aquaculture.UGent.be/ Hammamet, Tunisia
tarsaquaculture.com
was.org
September 11-13
2024

August 21-23 10th Aquaculture and Fisheries Expo November 29-30

VIETFISH 2024
Taiwan (IAFET) 2024 Conacua 2024
Ho Chi Minh City
Taipei Los Mocchis, Mexico
vietfish.com.vn/en
taiwanagriweek.com/en/ conacua.com
August 26-30 September 17-19
AQUA24
SPACE
Copenhagen, Denmark
Rennes, France
was.org
space.fr

2025
March 26-28 August (TBA)
VietShrimp International TARS 2025
Can Tho, Vietnam Shrimp Aquaculture
vietshrimp.net tarsaquaculture.com

April 24 - 27 August (TBA)

March 6-10 World Vietfish 2025
Aquaculture 2025 Aquaculture 2025 China Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
New Orleans, USA Qingdao vietfish.com.vn
was.org was.org

March 12-14 May 6-8

VIV Asia 2025, Seafood Expo Global
Bangkok, Thailand Barcelona, Spain
vivasia.nl seafoodexpo.com

July/August 2024 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific

 Aquaculture 202
2025

March 6-10, 2025

New Orleans Marriott
New Orleans, Lousiana

HOSTED BY

CO-SPONSORS

ASSOCIATE SPONSORS
Aquaculture Engineering Society • Aquaculture Association of Canada

AQUACULTURE AFRICA 2024

Catfish Farmers of America • Global Seafood Alliance
International Association of Aquaculture • Economics and Management
Latin America & Caribbean Chapter WA • US Trout Farmers Association

Hammamet Tunsia, Nov 19-22

Zebrafish Husbandry Association

www.was.org www.shellfish.org www.fishculture.fisheries.org www.nationalaquaculture.org

Aquaculture Transformation:
Actions Towards High Quality and Food Security

World Aquaculture 2025 China

April 24-27, 2025
Qingdao, China
The Annual International Conference and Exposition

Hosted by
World Aquaculture Society (WAS)
and
WORLD AQUACULTURE SAFARI 2025
China Society of Fisheries (CSF)
Co-hosted by
June 24-27, 2025
National Fisheries Technology Extension Center (NFTEC) International Conference and Exposition of
Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS)
State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding World Aquaculture Society and African Chapter, WAS
and Sustainable Goods (BRESG)
(AFRAQ2025)
Organized by
Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute (YSFRI) CAFS
and World Aquaculture Society Speke Resort, Munyonyo, Entebbe, Uganda
WAS Premier Sponsors Conference Sponsors
To Be Announced
For details: www.was.org

For More Information:

Event Information: www.was.org
Conference & Registration: [email protected]
Tradeshow: [email protected]

HI 4 show HI.indd 1 7/6/24 12:27

• No.16-18-20, DT743 Road, Song Than II Industrial Zone,
Di An Ward, Di An City, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam
• Tel: +84-274-3790811 (Ext: 1711)
• Fax: +84-274-3790819
• Email: [email protected]