tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9860952662330847232024-03-13T20:58:43.181-07:00Sustainable Fish FarmingThis blog chronicles my adventures and experiences in fish farming, as well as explores future directions towards sustainability. Ultimately, aquaculture is a necessary industry, and it is important that we work to establish a field that is both environmentally-friendly and economically-viable for generations to come.Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-61186281746235430342012-08-14T11:35:00.002-07:002012-08-14T11:39:07.121-07:00New Technology Helps Predict Harmful Algal Blooms<br />
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Algal blooms are explosions of algae populations that occur
naturally when the optimal conditions for that species is reached. While some
algae blooms are harmless, others are toxic to fish and humans; these are known
as Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs).
According to NOAA, " every year, harmful algal blooms cause approximately $82 million in damages to commercial fisheries and aquaculture, public health, and the recreation and tourism industries around the country, yet we don't have reliable ways to forecast and predict when they will occur" (<a href="http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture/homepage_stories/08_08_12aquaculture_esp.html">http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture/homepage_stories/08_08_12aquaculture_esp.html</a>)</div>
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However, a new piece of equipment developed by NOAA
scientists may help predict harmful algal blooms before they occur. The Environmental Sample Processor – or ESP
for short – collects daily water samples and uses DNA probe technology to
identify the presence of species that cause harmful algal blooms. By receiving a warning that harmful populations
of algae are increasing, fishermen and farmers are given more lead-time to prepare
their sites or even change their harvest plans to avoid the bloom entirely.<o:p></o:p></div>
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By establishing a network of these ESPs, NOAA will be able
to monitor large areas of water in real-time, communicating this information to
the industry players whose livelihoods depend on the ocean. When combined with
weather forecasts of optimal bloom conditions, this technology has the potential
to save the US seafood industry millions of dollars annually.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The NOAA press release is available here: <a href="http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture/homepage_stories/08_08_12aquaculture_esp.html">http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture/homepage_stories/08_08_12aquaculture_esp.html</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-21303940477378846872012-05-18T17:12:00.000-07:002012-06-18T17:04:54.992-07:00Sustainable Snails- Abalone Aquaculture in California<br />
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Abalone are large marine snails that are prized for their sweet, rich meat and striking mother-of-pearl shells. Older residents of California will remember a time when abalone in the coastal waters were plentiful; overfishing coupled with extremely slow natural growth caused a collapse in the population, resulting in an end to the commercial harvest in the 1990's. There is still a limited and tightly-regulated recreational harvest of abalone in California, but for the most part abalone has transformed from a common coastal dish into a rare, high-priced delicacy.<br />
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Demand for abalone is largest in Asia, where it is regarded culturally as a dish of significance, often served at weddings and special events. Given that it takes up to 5 years for an abalone to reach the traditional market size (~100 grams), supply from wild stocks have not been able to keep up with demand. Therefore, as with many overfished marine species before it, efforts began shifting from wild harvest to farming operations.<br />
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There are currently a handful of abalone farms in California producing a number of native species: these farms use cages, barrels, and/or tanks to spawn and rear abalone for eventual human consumption. Abalone at these facilities are fed kelp that is harvested from the ocean by special kelp-cutting boats; this kelp is the natural food of abalone in the wild and due to its quick growth and tightly-regulated harvest, no negative impacts on kelp have been seen in 100 years of harvest.<br />
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Because the abalone grow so slowly and are fed a natural diet, the water leaving the abalone farms does not accumulate the same levels of nutrients and wastes as other aquaculture operations, making abalone farming a sustainable endeavor. In fact, U.S. farmed abalone has received a green ranking (the highest possible) from the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program.<br />
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While abalone is certainly not a food for the masses, those who are lucky enough to enjoy it will testify to its incredible flavor and texture, its amazing health properties, and the stunning beauty of its shell. Wild populations of these amazing creatures are not expected to recover in California and as such we must remain committed to the development and propagation of this sustainable sector of aquaculture.<br />
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-89860103381244786282012-04-24T10:47:00.002-07:002012-04-24T13:44:02.418-07:00Want Salmon? How About a More Sustainable Choice Instead…<br />
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In BC, the environmental lobbyist’s push is towards on-land,
closed loop, recirculation systems. </div>
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Certain
fish such as Arctic char, a member of the salmonid family, are produced in
these recirc systems, often times domestically.
THIS is a fish you should be eating! It is healthy (contains the same omega-3
compounds as salmon) with a mild flavor.
By purchasing char instead of salmon, you have the opportunity to directly support recirculation systems rather than environmentally-questionable farming
practices OR unsustainable wild fishing quotas.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another example is trout, ANOTHER member of the salmonid
family. Trout are farmed in the US using
flow-through systems: these systems dilute the wastes and minimize the
environmental impact of the farm. Like
all fish, trout is low fat and high protein, and the taste of the meat is
distinct (some people think it is too fishy).
By purchasing trout instead of salmon, you again directly support a more
eco-friendly farming practice rather than industrial monoculture or unrealistic
wild harvests.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Both char and trout have comparable nutritional values to
salmon. </div>
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I say put your money where your mouth is: if you want
sustainable seafood, rather than farmed Atlantic salmon OR wild Pacific salmon, go out and buy char (my personal favorite) or trout. Expand your diet for the good of the planet! You never know…you might just like it! <o:p></o:p></div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-58438848227805062062012-03-28T16:54:00.000-07:002012-03-28T16:54:15.235-07:00Commodity vs. Niche Markets and the Debate over Salmon in Recirc<div class="MsoNormal">In my opinion, there are two major markets for any food product: a commodity market and a niche market. The overwhelming majority of food is sold on a commodity basis where consumers purchase products based on only one criterion: price. These consumers do not care how the food was produced or where it came from: their only concern is the buying power of their dollar. In contrast, niche markets comprise a much smaller portion of the total marketplace; consumers searching for niche products will concern themselves with factors other than price when selecting a product. These consumers will ask how the food was produced and where it came from, and the decision to purchase will only occur once the consumers’ sense of ethics and quality are satisfied. The important point here is that niche consumers are less concerned with price and would be willing to pay premium prices for what they value as premium products.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Like any other food, we can apply this model to farmed Atlantic salmon, which is very much a commodity product: it is comparable in price to terrestrial meats such as beef and poultry, and many consumers around the world are not concerned as to where the salmon came from or how it was produced. When purchasing farmed Atlantic salmon, most consumers select based on price and move on…<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Growing salmon in on-land recirculation systems has been hotly debated recently, and several projects are currently underway to test the business viability of such a practice. However, by its very nature, recirculation systems are expensive to build and maintain, indicating that the species produced will need to be sold for a higher price. Higher prices can only be achieved in niche markets, and when coupled with the lowered environmental impact of recirculation systems, it would make sense for products grown in recirc systems to be destined for niche markets.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now we have arrived at the challenge: if salmon is a commodity product, how can it be grown in recirculation systems and still be a commodity that is accessible to consumers who only want low prices? Once the salmon is grown in recirc systems, it must transform from a commodity product into a niche product to allow the farmer to recover his capital and operating costs. Therefore, salmon grown in recirc systems is going to be inherently more expensive than salmon grown in net pens: this is fine if the farmer is actively looking to target these niche markets. For example, Irish salmon has done a fantastic job at differentiating on the basis of ‘organic’, and consumers are paying a premium price for this niche product. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Many people mistakenly believe that if we take net-pens out of the ocean and begin farming salmon on-land, the price and availability of farmed salmon will not change. However, this is far from the expected outcome: by moving salmon farms on-land, the dynamics that currently dictate salmon markets will shift and a significant portion of the commodity market will be lost. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Until such time as the capital and operating costs of recirculation systems become more manageable, farmed Atlantic salmon will continue to be a commodity product produced in net pens. Rather than campaigning to remove net pens, we should be working together to tackle the challenges head-on and reform the industry for the benefit of future generations. <o:p></o:p></div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-83193141110606232512012-03-26T20:29:00.000-07:002012-03-26T20:29:38.087-07:00‘Salmon’ Farming vs. ‘Fish’ Farming<div class="MsoNormal">Sometimes it is frustrating to work in the aquaculture industry. There is so much misinformation and public scare-mongering emanating from environmental lobby groups that when I tell people that I work in aquaculture, most people turn up their noses and politely inform me that I shouldn’t spend my time destroying the planet. I want to clear the air on one simple, vet vital, distinction that must be considered when discussing the activity’s environmental effects.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I live in British Columbia, and in BC when people say ‘fish farming’, in most instances they really mean to say ‘open-net salmon farming’. Many “informed consumers” often confuse the two, saying one thing and intending another. I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said ‘Friends Don’t Let Friends Eat Farmed Fish’. I’ve got news for you: over half the seafood consumed globally is farmed, much of it in a more sustainable manner than current commercial salmon production. In fact, salmon represents only 2% of global aquaculture production- in contrast, the majority of global aquaculture focuses on vegetarian finfish such as carps (which have feed-conversion ratios of less than 1) as well as shellfish which require no feed inputs. By using the shortcomings of the salmon industry to vilify aquaculture as a global practice, environmental lobbyists are doing nothing more than openly displaying their ignorance. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have done the research and I will be the first one to stand up and point out the challenges associated with the sustainability (or rather lack thereof) of commercial salmon production. Yet I stand flabbergasted every time someone on the street attempts to tell me that ‘fish farming is bad’ and that I should sign a petition to ‘make Canada a fish farm-free country’. Aquaculture as a global practice has grown and developed to the point at which a huge variety of species are cultured in a range of production systems in almost every country around the world: to generalize the industry into one lump activity is not only plain wrong, it is dangerous.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Going forward I will continue to focus on awareness, open dialogue, and transparency as this industry continues to mature. I hope that in time, consumers may yet better understand the issues associated with where their seafood comes from and make informed decisions about which aquaculture practices to support. </span>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-40855537803642358982012-03-24T14:16:00.008-07:002012-03-26T20:56:38.653-07:00Aquaculture America 2012: Las Vegas<div class="MsoNormal">A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend the Aquaculture America 2012 conference, held this year in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event attracted a wide audience from the US aquaculture industry, as well as many international manufacturers and producers. The trade show featured hundreds of vendors from around the world, highlighting the latest advances and developments in design and research.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpUYq0jc4Ymg0M7Ib2o8-Led4_VWo_wN21-E0mvn-OBTL4UVrKpRb67k5Ag-bY0omCXkzfoMwV4F1VPjDT49ljTbssdPrUFe2wt0f2Widx8N8tP9NTj7WG8opBpeIR1Tjzus3V0-kjRY/s1600/AA2012Logo400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpUYq0jc4Ymg0M7Ib2o8-Led4_VWo_wN21-E0mvn-OBTL4UVrKpRb67k5Ag-bY0omCXkzfoMwV4F1VPjDT49ljTbssdPrUFe2wt0f2Widx8N8tP9NTj7WG8opBpeIR1Tjzus3V0-kjRY/s320/AA2012Logo400.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Having previously been to neither a large-scale aquaculture conference nor Las Vegas, I was understandably excited for the trip. I arrived the evening before the Conference and had the opportunity to walk along the Strip and take it all in. Yet once the conference started, my focus shifted entirely to my purpose for being there: listening, learning, and networking. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The sessions covered a broad range of topics, from feed and genetics to economics and regulations. The presenters themselves were just as varied, with members of government, education, and private sectors all in attendance. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I had the opportunity to see some familiar faces as well as make many new contacts. Given the breadth of people and industries in attendance, I feel as if I was successful in casting a wide net in terms of the individuals I met and the discussions I shared. I am particularly excited about one or two of the people I met and the projects we discussed, which hopefully will be the basis of future articles for this blog. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Overall I would say that it was time very well spent and I am already looking forward to Aquaculture America 2013 in Nashville next year! <o:p></o:p></div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-5604579908810554692012-03-20T22:35:00.001-07:002012-03-20T22:37:41.966-07:00Returning to this Blog with a Bit More Gusto…<div class="MsoNormal">I write this after more than 5 months without putting pen to paper (so to speak) with this blog…<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A lot has changed in 5 months. After finishing the MSc., I returned to Vancouver where I secured a position with the AquaBioTech Group, an international aquaculture and environmental consulting network based in Malta. The company specializes in the design and construction of recirculation systems, as well as marine surveying, market intelligence, research and development, and specialist audits, including environmental and risk management. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I set up shop in Vancouver and am currently working as an aquaculture consultant and Regional Manager Canada for ABT, occupying my time with a variety of aquaculture-related activities and ventures. While I won’t say too much at this point, what I can say is that there are some really cool things in the works, so check back to this blog often for updates and developments.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As I come back to this blog with a bit more gusto than as of late, I wanted to take an opportunity to thank those of you who have followed the blog over the years. I get the occasional email from someone who has stumbled across an article that interests them, and I always enjoying hearing from readers. As those who have contacted me will attest to, I am happy to share information and point people in the direction of further resources, so do not hesitate to be in contact.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I also wanted to share with you my plans for the future development of this blog. While I will continue to write articles about my experiences in the industry, I also intend to write more opinion pieces, discussing important (and often misunderstood!) aspects of sustainability as it relates to fish farming around the world. Perhaps more importantly, I will work to provide context and a ‘big picture’ perspective to these issues, hopefully enough so that you are inspired to do more research and form your own opinions. I encourage people to post comments and foster constructive dialogue that focuses on solutions, not problems.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I am already looking forward to the next piece I am going to write, and I am not even sure what the topic is yet… <o:p></o:p></div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-80465970221885805602011-11-09T12:51:00.000-08:002011-11-09T12:51:35.558-08:00'No ISA in BC' Says Canadian Government<div><span class="Apple-style-span" >On November 8, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), and the Province of British Columbia held a press conference to report that they had conducted a full investigation, reviewing both the samples and the initial reports, and that they found no consistent positive result indicating the presence of Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) in wild pacific salmon. </span></div><div><br /></div><div>The best article I could have written wouldn't compare half as well to this article by John Fiorillo at Intrafish.com...</div><div><br /></div><div>Enjoy!</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.intrafish.com/global/news/article1260746.ece?lots=comnews&mobile=#.TrrmrXFojds.blogger">ISA in Pacific salmon: Just kidding - First in Seafood News - Intrafish.com</a>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-13055619827311954362011-11-03T12:52:00.000-07:002011-11-06T22:49:42.384-08:00No Conclusive Evidence in ISA ScareToday, IntraFish Media reported that there was no conclusive evidence to support the results of a previous test that found the Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) virus in wild BC salmon. An ISA expert at the University of Bergen in Norway apparently retested the samples and was unable to reproduce the results of the original testing. <br />
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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CIFA) is the lead agency on this situation and has been developing their own tests and conclusions to verify or reject the presence of this virus. I firmly believe it is important that people in the general public do not jump to conclusions and allow all the facts in this case to surface before taking any action.Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-47137361051450379612011-10-27T12:43:00.000-07:002011-11-03T12:44:29.830-07:00Virus Reported in Wild BC Salmon- Fact or Fiction?A potentially lethal virus known as 'Infectious Salmon Amenia' (or 'ISA' for short) has been reported to be found in wild Pacific salmon on the northern coast of British Columbia, Canada. Up until now, ISA has only been found in Atlantic salmon, which is a different species than any of the 5 species of fish that make up the group 'Pacific' salmon. Therefore, if found to be accurate, this test would represent the first time this virus has been found in a new species of fish.<br />
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There are several factors to this scenario that demand pause and closer inspection before we run through the streets touting the end of salmon as we in BC know it. First off, the test used to identify the virus is extremely sensitive and prone to results of false-positives. Next, only 2 samples in 48 tested positive, which warrants further testing even in the best of circumstances. However, the lab claims that the samples were all used up in the testing, and that repeating the testing is now not possible. Any run-of-the-mill scientist will tell you that in order to preserve scientific accuracy, you never use all the sample for testing because the results of any test must be able to be reproduced- that is one of the fundamental principles of the Scientific Method! And it is a requirement of all experiments in case EXACTLY this situation arises!<br />
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Next, this ISA virus has been linked to fish farms in other countries, yet not one case has been detected in the hundreds of salmon farms in BC. The lab who found the virus is saying that they have identified it as the 'European strain': this implies that the virus came from Europe in farmed salmon eggs (which are rigorously tested by both the shipping and receiving nations), was incubated in a population of farmed salmon in BC (which are also tested under stringent Canadian federal regulations), was transferred to a completely new species, and then detected in that species. Personally, that sounds like too many leaps of faith to accept before I join the growing masses heralding an "ISA-Salmon Doomsday".<br />
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So let's all sit back, take a breath, and let the facts unfold before we make any rash decisions...Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-73820540549167243172011-09-13T12:09:00.000-07:002011-09-14T12:44:16.584-07:00Salmon Farming Companies Invest in Natural Solution to Sea LiceTwo of the largest salmon farming companies in Scotland are currently in negotiations to invest massive amounts on research into a natural way to combat sea lice infections at salmon farms. Each company is planning to invest £450,000 ($710,000 USD) over the next three years to develop and research wrasse, a group of fish that naturally eat the external parasites off other fish in the ocean. Wrasse represent a completely organic method of removing sea lice from salmon, without the use of chemicals or medicinal feed additives. Of course there are certain challenges associated with culturing another species in the same growing environment as the salmon, but by mimicking the natural ecosystem and creating food-web structures within the confines of the farm, these companies are taking steps towards the increased sustainability of the industry.<br />
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For more information on wrasse see my article "Cleaner Wrasse: Biological Pesticides to Combat Sea Lice" below (dated November 2010).Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-36815424880208821682011-08-25T09:59:00.000-07:002011-08-25T09:59:56.776-07:00Completion of Aquaculture MSc. Program at the University of StirlingAs of today, I have officially completed the MSc. program in Sustainable Aquaculture Business Management at the Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling. My dissertation manuscript on aquaculture stock mortality insurance was submitted several weeks ago, and just this week I gave a presentation and had my oral defense. Everything went very smoothly, and now the program is officially over!<br />
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I have returned to Vancouver, British Columbia where I am currently seeking employment in the aquaculture sector. As my adventures continue, and as new and interesting aquaculture technologies and developments come to light, I will update this blog accordingly. Also, please feel free to comment on the articles and use this blog as a forum for the sharing of ideas and constructive discussion- only through increased communication, education, and awareness can we propagate changes towards sustainability in the global aquaculture industry.Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-81561469138102030752011-07-29T06:56:00.001-07:002011-07-29T06:56:40.409-07:00Danish Company Launches Commercial Recirc Salmon Farm<div class="MsoNormal">Danish company '<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">Langsand Laks'</span> has begun production at what they call the “world’s first commercial landbased Atlantic salmon farm”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Growing Atlantic salmon in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) is known to be a veritable ‘Holy Grail’ within the aquaculture industry: salmon is a high value product, and it grows exceedingly well in marine net cages, but the environmental impact is significant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>RAS has been identified as a more sustainable production system, utilizing treatment and recycling of the water instead of discharging it into the environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Restrictions have arisen based on the economics of RAS systems: they are extremely expensive to build and operate, plus a great deal of knowledge and expertise is required in the areas of engineering, hydrodynamics, fish health and biology, and waste management.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With an initial production of 1,000 tonnes per year, this Danish facility will be vital pilot study into the economic feasibility of on-land, recirculation salmon production.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-79578873386772194352011-05-15T03:52:00.000-07:002011-05-15T03:52:10.214-07:00The Debate over Land-Based Salmon Farms<div class="MsoNormal">Currently, there is a very strong debate in British Columbia regarding land-based salmon farms: if this technology exists, why isn’t the industry adopting it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On-land recirculation systems separate farmed salmon from the natural environment, thus removing any potentially harmful environmental effects that may stem from open net-cages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wastes from the farmed fish can be collected and treated rather than being released into the marine ecosystem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally, any diseases or parasites can be screened for and monitored much more closely, thus protecting both the farmed stock as well as the wild fauna.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">However, there are several key points that must be addressed in this debate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first is that land-based systems are extremely expensive, both to build and to operate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By their very nature, a land-based recirculation system is much more capital-intensive to set up than a net-pen operation: tanks, pipes, pumps, filters, the land itself, a building if necessary...these are all costs that net-pen operations do not have to cope with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add into the equation the cost of electricity and the overall carbon footprint of the facility, and suddenly land-based systems are not looking as attractive.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There is a fantastic report by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (2010) that states that while land-based recirculation systems may be economically viable, their high operating costs make them extremely sensitive to fluctuations in market conditions (the price of salmon, the price of electricity/water, etc.): the margins are so small that a tiny shift in the market may be all that is necessary for the system to lose its profitability.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That report is available here: <a href="http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/aquaculture/lib-bib/nasapi-inpasa/BC-aquaculture-CB-eng.htm#7">http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/aquaculture/lib-bib/nasapi-inpasa/BC-aquaculture-CB-eng.htm#7</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">While it may not be possible for the salmon industry in BC to adopt these systems immediately, there is hope on the horizon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I write this, researchers and engineers are working hard to continue developing these technologies with the sole purpose of increasing efficiency and decreasing operating costs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally, by implementing other sustainable farming methods (aquaponics, solar/wind power, etc.) the operating costs can be reduced even further.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is my opinion that these systems are inherently better than the current practices, but unfortunately we are simply not yet prepared to adopt them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-60204533641587280202011-05-12T12:31:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:32:38.749-07:00Aquaponics Makes a Splash at TED Talks<div class="MsoNormal">A few weeks ago, a staff member from the Institute of Aquaculture gave a fantastic presentation on aquaponics at an independently-organized ‘TED’ event in England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you may know, TED events consist of short 20-minute seminars given by experts in a number of fields, but presented in a way so as to be accessible and understandable to everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Businesspeople, scientists, artists, you name it...every speaker has an innovative topic and the presentations are always interesting!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Charlie Price is one of the founding members of Aquaponics UK, a social enterprise that works as a consulting firm for aquaponics projects around the globe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before deciding to do my MSc dissertation on aquaculture insurance, I was in talks with Charlie to join his team for my dissertation work!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Charlie’s TED Talk covers the basics of aquaponics and explains how a well-designed system operates exactly like a natural ecosystem, with the wastes being recycled and used by other organisms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then walks through a facility that his company designed and built in London- fish, chickens, plants, and even flies are all cultivated together in a harmonious environment that people can actually visit and learn more about!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Aquaponics is a reliable and versatile way to significantly reduce the impacts that aquaculture has on the environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as Charlie describes, as you include more species in the system, it becomes cleaner, more productive, more efficient, and ultimately more profitable!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Charlie’s TED Talk can be viewed here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nIL9hWW3-Q">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nIL9hWW3-Q</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">For more information about TED Conferences, or to watch TED Talks, please visit: <a href="http://www.ted.com/">http://www.ted.com/</a></div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-55287466007267898292011-05-12T10:47:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:32:38.673-07:00Aquaculture Insurance MSc DissertationMy MSc dissertation focuses on aquaculture stock mortality insurance in the United Kingdom and Ireland, working to identify the attitudes and perceptions that fish farmers have regarding this specialized product. This study will <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">provide a bridge between fish farmers and insurance companies </span></span>to identify the accessibility and appropriateness of currently available stock mortality insurance policies. It is expected that the conclusions of this study will help increase the suitability and value of future stock mortality products.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">There is a short on-line questionnaire to be completed by fish farmers: it will take less than 15 minutes to fill out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The questionnaire is available at the following website:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/stirling/aquacultureinsurance">http://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/stirling/aquacultureinsurance</a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"> </span> Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-31904425795215518852011-04-23T10:35:00.000-07:002011-04-23T11:29:21.961-07:00Barcelona Fish Market<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WG_fZ1h6L7OOv6xHMBa7Z5tehCZnV8f1qSxOF1PmzIJ80eI0HTsFQzk6ZFfv4goSJIpAgLHIfUbm8RLdtz_57-INu4afi9x5WIDZVi5b-A-egaIWZRhOSuhsfNr8pXKc3iKcWw61iPU/s1600/IMG_6345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WG_fZ1h6L7OOv6xHMBa7Z5tehCZnV8f1qSxOF1PmzIJ80eI0HTsFQzk6ZFfv4goSJIpAgLHIfUbm8RLdtz_57-INu4afi9x5WIDZVi5b-A-egaIWZRhOSuhsfNr8pXKc3iKcWw61iPU/s320/IMG_6345.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A vendor stands next to 10-kilo bags of rope-farmed mussels</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">While on holiday in Barcelona last week, I had the opportunity to go to the Barcelona Fish Market (Merca-Barna), a massive warehouse where fish is sold wholesale to distributors and retailers. The market can move over 90 tonnes of fish per day, constantly working to satisfy the voracious demand for fish in this Mediterranean city.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Fishermen sell their catches to wholesalers, who then bring the fish into the market to sell to shop owners, restaurants, and local fish markets. The variety of fish available was absolutely incredible: from mussels to tuna, shrimp to salmon, sea bream to monkfish...every type of fish you could possibly want!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The friend I was staying with in Barcelona use to work at the market as a health control officer, so he was friends with several of the vendors, allowing us to speak with them about the fish they were selling. Some fish was wild-caught (the yellowfin tuna, for example), but much of it was farmed (mussels, salmon, sea bream, etc.).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the end, we made a few purchases ourselves: 1 kilo of red shrimp (or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gambas roja</i> in Spanish), a 2-kilo salmon, 5 kilos of sea bream, 3 kilos of razor clams, a 5-kilo bag of mussels, and a gorgeous 3-kilo yellowfin tuna loin.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Overall, it was an amazing experience to see fish exchange on such a massive scale, especially given my interest in the economics of farmed seafood!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYndyZotoAar8rsoyLA5eSQzddlalNyIANPaoA_QXtRLndRDwgt0R9yLZ-txOULqxZCXFh6rSkTgAvZVrbJbQMR-r_Q_RgLeo1ndDMTordz4D_cGx1l-Ca92ggHwA_uUiIehQCrvP0z2Q/s1600/IMG_6344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYndyZotoAar8rsoyLA5eSQzddlalNyIANPaoA_QXtRLndRDwgt0R9yLZ-txOULqxZCXFh6rSkTgAvZVrbJbQMR-r_Q_RgLeo1ndDMTordz4D_cGx1l-Ca92ggHwA_uUiIehQCrvP0z2Q/s320/IMG_6344.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Merca-Barna in full swing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHKh5t69iMfUfNL89uwsN30y_HUjMOh70zva5eRi1LF2Gxd0Ipn1X1i0lZYqq3TJw0C5UH9hzPXu1xC-vo_BPBYHLTkfP6XZkgRzQPM4NjWNmjl2TkvlM-qoiiYZ-1pZKGkLHCdWrYrA/s1600/IMG_6339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHKh5t69iMfUfNL89uwsN30y_HUjMOh70zva5eRi1LF2Gxd0Ipn1X1i0lZYqq3TJw0C5UH9hzPXu1xC-vo_BPBYHLTkfP6XZkgRzQPM4NjWNmjl2TkvlM-qoiiYZ-1pZKGkLHCdWrYrA/s320/IMG_6339.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellowfin tuna loins for sale</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wwnKdbq-wv4j5Zgr805ZcWZQG-pexYUoKjKHDSSm8vCZmGMExoQiB3Q74-V_MfvJH9AAxVaY7g7f2VtsE1W10ChUvux10_WFYuAS4ypDuUDbLI6Z7fvJgfYDRsEE2XNIYsO1fayg61M/s1600/IMG_6350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wwnKdbq-wv4j5Zgr805ZcWZQG-pexYUoKjKHDSSm8vCZmGMExoQiB3Q74-V_MfvJH9AAxVaY7g7f2VtsE1W10ChUvux10_WFYuAS4ypDuUDbLI6Z7fvJgfYDRsEE2XNIYsO1fayg61M/s320/IMG_6350.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red shrimp</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99dgHFWdXF1agJDp3vffKYjNtHeG_FAR0ldDKsi7YHs8ayAS8kxlN2-sf8_kxL9y2ZQgEq7HXcpewSIDeaEPgkecn5ewOMILN_AEV68plbsnyTn_0Ns-smNBCyuBhqjMNG7Am3-6iG4A/s1600/IMG_6358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99dgHFWdXF1agJDp3vffKYjNtHeG_FAR0ldDKsi7YHs8ayAS8kxlN2-sf8_kxL9y2ZQgEq7HXcpewSIDeaEPgkecn5ewOMILN_AEV68plbsnyTn_0Ns-smNBCyuBhqjMNG7Am3-6iG4A/s320/IMG_6358.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squid</td></tr>
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</div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-61215308954787815522011-04-09T06:41:00.000-07:002011-06-06T19:17:57.919-07:00Fish Farm Tour of Ireland- April 2011<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">After the Aquaculture Insurance Conference in Kinsale, Ireland, I spent several days touring fish farms in the south-west region of the country. My father had flown out from Los Angeles to attend the Conference, so I joined him and several other delegates on these tours. The entire trip was organized by Geoff Robinson, an Aquaculture Development Coordinator for the Irish Sea Fisheries Board (Board Ischa Maera).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We began at a sea urchin recirculation facility in Bantry Bay, where the farmers are growing urchins to sell their roe in French and Asian markets. The roe, called '<i>uni</i>' in sushi restaurants, is a highly-prized delicacy in certain countries, and the farmer was kind enough to allow us a small taste of urchins fresh from his tanks. After that, we traveled by boat to a longline site, where a farmer was growing urchins and scallops: on this short visit we spoke about the life cycles and different production systems of these species.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqD7bPNeI7a9VQn2GE6jJZTaIbDarLlEFIazlhcfHtwANr2bIJuU1C4dTORBdfCB-DwMTvN_li83xbxhITaA0Iy0Uq1p0rTCaU1x5i3mh9jWr02V5fZ0GLW_Zo-QYYZsYphZlrUCsbA5o/s1600/IMG_6108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqD7bPNeI7a9VQn2GE6jJZTaIbDarLlEFIazlhcfHtwANr2bIJuU1C4dTORBdfCB-DwMTvN_li83xbxhITaA0Iy0Uq1p0rTCaU1x5i3mh9jWr02V5fZ0GLW_Zo-QYYZsYphZlrUCsbA5o/s320/IMG_6108.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></span></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Juvenile urchins</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5d7eFwP4QkIqS1XkYxHFYTc3C9dI6TIrjWApBNKMJCi3Psgx4-G3x3QeztFzmOL_NURVwYfkHVEvKjHdTrlrCEgjjRRlp61mqq7ALCECV4UVRq61WCMS-AMHb5-yHW3g4wG9Ktdgn_M/s1600/IMG_6122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5d7eFwP4QkIqS1XkYxHFYTc3C9dI6TIrjWApBNKMJCi3Psgx4-G3x3QeztFzmOL_NURVwYfkHVEvKjHdTrlrCEgjjRRlp61mqq7ALCECV4UVRq61WCMS-AMHb5-yHW3g4wG9Ktdgn_M/s320/IMG_6122.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></span></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The orange masses are the roe, sold as '<i>uni</i>' in sushi restaurants</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8onqYEQNRxXuJqbdWGNUHKEe0IwDEXphba7wtexem-Utja5f9nALGU8Kt1ixwQG197RFCTSE8NWS2XnreoWs-j8MF8S1ttaemKc5QmXV2Kf-Q3Btj443eSLC2n9ne2MolOZCIec8SQxk/s1600/IMG_6180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8onqYEQNRxXuJqbdWGNUHKEe0IwDEXphba7wtexem-Utja5f9nALGU8Kt1ixwQG197RFCTSE8NWS2XnreoWs-j8MF8S1ttaemKc5QmXV2Kf-Q3Btj443eSLC2n9ne2MolOZCIec8SQxk/s320/IMG_6180.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">A scallop farmer checks on his stock </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The next day we visited a recirculation system for abalone, a very valuable gastropod that resembles a large snail. These animals can sell for up to 100 dollars per kilo, making their farming a potentially very profitable business. The farmer had carefully planned the operation, from its design to its management, and overall the facility was very impressive. After that, we drove to a salmon cage site (Murphy`s Irish Seafood), and while we did not have a chance to take the boat out to the cages, we spoke to the manager about the operation. He informed us that the majority of salmon production in Ireland was organic and was marketed as such, allowing Irish salmon to be differentiated as a premium product in the marketplace.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The third day found us traveling from Bantry, where we had been staying for the past three nights, to Dublin, where we ended our tour. Along the way, we stopped at a flow-through trout farm (Goatsbridge Premium Irish Trout), where rainbow trout were grown in earthen ponds. This was a family-owned and -operated farm, with a hatchery, grow-out, and processing facilities on-site. They had begun marketing hot-smoked trout fillets, which we tasted and found to be absolutely delicious. They have experienced success with this product in the market, and plan to ramp up production to meet growing demand.</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFjuKu_HrW2shvmE7nGwvpkwaEW-jwy4BXcDDyx6xa7Es2sx7TlbDNQs1qwToS5Fz8doAGp-z1YaP1ExHKXrBYWnob4I8LnzNGTx0Ft2A4Hzv63U8WNe2pE7nhSAYtFhwlOv3oJw-gY8/s1600/IMG_6240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFjuKu_HrW2shvmE7nGwvpkwaEW-jwy4BXcDDyx6xa7Es2sx7TlbDNQs1qwToS5Fz8doAGp-z1YaP1ExHKXrBYWnob4I8LnzNGTx0Ft2A4Hzv63U8WNe2pE7nhSAYtFhwlOv3oJw-gY8/s320/IMG_6240.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Goatsbridge Premium Irish Trout Farm- Thomastown, Ireland</span></div><div style="font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">All in all, the tour was a resounding success, as we had the opportunity to meet and speak with many different farmers operating many different production systems. Additionally, these farmers will be the first ones that I contact with respect to my upcoming Master`s thesis project. </span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSd2MLe8yjEna9rUrKbx5_YlIFxYQbZOhqFz2KGg_DVYyLqK641qKGMdcq28JtSDd0t3BzsXCVWRRQgClc_V0nxrf0701b9JvhNd7iUqHmvRXH08tHnwpnoBqGX3X5xZBifYgTHT2SLuQ/s1600/IMG_6141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSd2MLe8yjEna9rUrKbx5_YlIFxYQbZOhqFz2KGg_DVYyLqK641qKGMdcq28JtSDd0t3BzsXCVWRRQgClc_V0nxrf0701b9JvhNd7iUqHmvRXH08tHnwpnoBqGX3X5xZBifYgTHT2SLuQ/s320/IMG_6141.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Longlines used to grow urchins and scallops</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_s15gYIBw3ydHgt1vRxv33gRx0F328_52y_1PAMAdnA7dDKd2K4Wa-FBP5QFG4d-QiX6yMl1HJPRMTeOASMn5VFp6KX0gZcuPghbdpCaTiSqkJpiVL_cMK_Ra_QGpm-qbM-08wlPVkvc/s1600/IMG_6262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_s15gYIBw3ydHgt1vRxv33gRx0F328_52y_1PAMAdnA7dDKd2K4Wa-FBP5QFG4d-QiX6yMl1HJPRMTeOASMn5VFp6KX0gZcuPghbdpCaTiSqkJpiVL_cMK_Ra_QGpm-qbM-08wlPVkvc/s320/IMG_6262.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The smoked trout was delicious!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-83432289682077356162011-04-09T06:28:00.000-07:002011-04-09T06:28:16.236-07:0012th Aquaculture Insurance and Risk Management Conference- Kinsale, Ireland<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2K7c5omJLVO0uAc02Yhvo3tTJpHG2uk2WMDD2mrR3oyU6bTRvCQfGSDvDJDccl1xfUBDxOeCb6HTKRKNFU256EB7Wmi0Ayj4Zrot-ACp-Ajw_TkqF37HoAQJ-MENCZgRZ_9NDlOUaPYc/s1600/IMG_6237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2K7c5omJLVO0uAc02Yhvo3tTJpHG2uk2WMDD2mrR3oyU6bTRvCQfGSDvDJDccl1xfUBDxOeCb6HTKRKNFU256EB7Wmi0Ayj4Zrot-ACp-Ajw_TkqF37HoAQJ-MENCZgRZ_9NDlOUaPYc/s320/IMG_6237.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinsale, Ireland</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">Last week I had the incredible opportunity to attend the 12<sup>th</sup> Aquaculture Insurance and Risk Management Conference which took place on March 31 & April 1, 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was held in Kinsale, Ireland, a small town near Cork in the south-west region of the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With just under 100 people in attendance from 19 different countries, this Conference was the largest gathering of aquaculture insurance specialists anywhere in the world.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Over the 2-day event, a variety of presentations were given on different subjects relating to the field of aquaculture insurance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These topics included sustainability in aquaculture, national overviews of the aquaculture industry of several countries, a review of aquatic diseases and their impacts, biosecurity, legal issues, and the future of the aquaculture insurance market.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As my upcoming Master’s thesis project deals directly with aquaculture insurance, I attended the Conference to learn about the industry, in addition to making contacts that may contribute their expertise to my study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel as if I succeeded with both of these goals, as I learned a great deal and my project proposal was received with interest from many people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Conference was organized by Paddy Secretan, who has been involved in aquaculture insurance for many years and is arguably the premier authority when it comes to this specialist field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paddy has been, and will continue to be, an invaluable resource for my thesis project, and he introduced me to many key people at the Conference. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Overall it was an incredible experience to meet and speak with so many experts in this field, and I am very excited to get many of them involved in my study when the work begins in a few short weeks. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-67885621408079294672011-04-09T06:22:00.000-07:002011-04-09T06:48:49.303-07:00Advanced Module 6- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFM2JZpSEaVAXjNapgTXaFUyNMcMTgs3Mh8IgVja2iIFYf1uKaM8QVE-Dk09OQR7CxS1rc1JU2j4v3-FGb9gKdHv6q_-rJjpaP6NA7qEYRoDQN3609TIigwYjOqtEj9D-TBd8lg9tGtM/s1600/Final+Ghana+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFM2JZpSEaVAXjNapgTXaFUyNMcMTgs3Mh8IgVja2iIFYf1uKaM8QVE-Dk09OQR7CxS1rc1JU2j4v3-FGb9gKdHv6q_-rJjpaP6NA7qEYRoDQN3609TIigwYjOqtEj9D-TBd8lg9tGtM/s320/Final+Ghana+Map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The sixth and final Advanced Module in the Stirling MSc program was titled Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing and was taught by Lindsay Ross. This course covered the basics of GIS modeling, and had small groups working on analysis projects utilizing these techniques.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The first two days consisted of lectures, with topics including GIS and remote sensing software, databases, and applications, as well as a history of the development of these techniques. On the third day, we received tutorials of the software we would be using to complete our assessments: my group of three students was assigned a study of the suitability of sites for pond construction in the African nation of Ghana. We adopted the perspective of National Environmental Regulators and, utilizing GIS, we analyzed the entire country for pond aquaculture suitability according to a variety of factors, including soil composition, livestock production, population density, water availability, etc.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">By mapping these factors and deciding their relative importance to aquaculture, different maps could be overlaid on top of one another to give a comprehensive overview of the suitability of a given region. We used recommendations from the FAO to determine the suitability of detailed factors such as soil type and relative distance from water bodies.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In the end, we produced a map that accurately displayed the suitability of sites for pond construction in Ghana. These findings were then used to identify the best regions for pond aquaculture, as well as calculate potential production figures from these regions. This study would be useful for potential developers and other aquaculture stakeholders, and it taught us the value of such a project as an integral part of the planning and design stage of an aquaculture operation. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6nqy9WVuC5NbQYnFbhD3WgLzoPxe4pm3wYovR9IvL5fCHn2JvY0Wcx1luWr54U0JFfllY19q1tAagLVgS_Xt2wupP2fNc4AvaCRtmNk3bPQGBiGGQg3SfG-Ia0CN7fdYhsCb-BcWfOk/s1600/Soil+Types+in+Ghana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6nqy9WVuC5NbQYnFbhD3WgLzoPxe4pm3wYovR9IvL5fCHn2JvY0Wcx1luWr54U0JFfllY19q1tAagLVgS_Xt2wupP2fNc4AvaCRtmNk3bPQGBiGGQg3SfG-Ia0CN7fdYhsCb-BcWfOk/s320/Soil+Types+in+Ghana.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soil variation in Ghana- each colour represents a different soil type</td></tr>
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</span></span>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-76173518619125570262011-03-19T05:28:00.000-07:002011-03-19T05:29:50.417-07:00Upcoming Master’s Thesis Project- Aquaculture Insurance<div class="Default">In the third week of April, I will begin working on my Msc Thesis project, which will focus on aquaculture insurance in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The objective of the study is to conduct a detailed survey into farmer attitudes towards aquaculture stock insurance as well as the various factors and market conditions affecting demand. Additionally, I will be giving a description of the suitability and availability of present policies to meet farmers’ needs.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="Default"><br />
</div><div class="Default">The study will focus on three distinct production sectors within aquaculture:<br />
<br />
a) A sector where insurance is available and coverage is <b>prevalent </b>(Salmon)<br />
b) A sector where insurance is available but coverage is <b>not often purchased </b>(Trout)<br />
c) A sector which is currently <b>rarely </b>covered by insurance (Shellfish)</div><div class="Default"><br />
</div><div class="Default">Characteristics and industry features of the different sectors will be determined to draw correlations between farmers’ operations and perceptions of the risks to which they are exposed, as well as the insurance industry’s perception of the risks and the coverage currently offered by insurers.</div><div class="Default"><br />
</div><div class="Default">For this study, I have partnered with several leading aquaculture insurance brokers and underwriters, who will serve as invaluable ‘industry partners’, providing insight and information into this specialist insurance sector. Additionally, I have partnered with the respective producer associations to solicit their assistance in contacting producers to conduct interviews.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="Default"><br />
</div><div class="Default">It is expected that the conclusions of this study should prove valuable to insurance companies, as I will be working to identify discrete factors which affect farmers' uptake of coverage. The results should also prove beneficial to producers, as the completed study may help insurance companies gain a clearer understanding of the perceptions of risk that farmers maintain. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="Default"><br />
</div><div class="Default">I am very receptive to external inputs into this study, so please feel free to comment below. Additionally, if you would like to be involved in the study, please do not hesitate to contact me! </div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-5107912383702839682011-03-19T05:07:00.000-07:002011-03-19T05:07:21.850-07:00MSc Advanced Module 5- Epidemiology and Health Control<div class="MsoNormal">The fifth module in the MSc course was titled ‘Epidemiology and Health Control’ and was taught principally by Jimmy Turnbull and Darren Green, with supplementary lectures from Randolph Richards, Andy Shinn, Sandra Adams, and Kim Thompson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a veterinary class which focused on the spread of aquatic diseases and parasites and how outbreaks of disease may be controlled.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The majority of this course was lectures and seminars: main topics included fish welfare, biosecurity, risk management, pharmacology and treatment, and statistical analysis. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several labs were also conducted, on such topics as immunochemistry, histopathology, virology, and parasitology. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Statistics were heavily emphasized: the assessment for the course was a report on the statistical analysis of a disease outbreak at a series of shrimp farms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This assessment took real data gathered at shrimp farms and had us using statistical software to analyse a variety of factors, such as source of feed, use of antibiotics, source of water, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through a variety of statistical tests, it was our job to determine which, if any, factors were significantly associated with the disease, and if so, propose recommendations as to how to control the outbreak.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This course was a requirement for the students taking Aquatic Veterinary and Pathobiology studies, and as such it was taught at a seemingly advanced medical level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the material was incredibly interesting, and I feel as if I have a much firmer grasp of diseases, disease transmission, and maybe more importantly, mitigation.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The next and final module of the MSc course is Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which is a subject that I have never had the opportunity to take but have been looking forward to for several years!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-50077156347255314692011-03-05T10:54:00.000-08:002011-03-19T05:11:50.557-07:00MSc Advanced Module 4- Livelihoods and Aquatic Resource Management<div class="MsoNormal">The fourth Advanced module in the MSc program at Stirling was titled ‘Livelihoods and Aquatic Resource Management’ and was taught primarily by Dave Little, with supplementary lectures from Francis Murray. This course focused on small-scale rural communities and how aquaculture fits into the complex social and economic environment surrounding these communities.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Three days of lectures centered on such topics as livelihoods analysis at both community and household levels, aquatic resource management, and stakeholder interactions. After these lectures, we were broken into two groups of three for our assessed projects: our group was assigned an in-depth analysis of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pangasius </i>farming in Vietnam, and how this industry impacts the region on a social level. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Pangasius</i> farming has absolutely exploded in Vietnam over the past ten years: many would argue production has grown so fast that regulation and legislation has not been able to keep pace, resulting in an extremely complex, and often messy, situation. Many small producers are beginning to be outcompeted by larger, more industrialized outfits, and our assessment was to make recommendations as to how the livelihoods of these smaller farmers may be protected.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMofEaSr7Lq8vg4DvZhLDLnN2zexrt8sJTI9vBzWjjR2qVea71Uaf06jkIOAWtOLnF5bNyAEMZro6Ow4-nkoEpr9-qTn13_jOLnYGYqfWPiWaEI-QaGhFbgnoNorFDykZy8llXocOKz0/s1600/blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMofEaSr7Lq8vg4DvZhLDLnN2zexrt8sJTI9vBzWjjR2qVea71Uaf06jkIOAWtOLnF5bNyAEMZro6Ow4-nkoEpr9-qTn13_jOLnYGYqfWPiWaEI-QaGhFbgnoNorFDykZy8llXocOKz0/s320/blog1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A <i>Pangasius</i> farm in the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">We came to the conclusion that cooperatives, where many small farmers band together to create one larger entity, may be a potential for smaller producers. In this way, they begin to gain more bargaining and buying power and can start to take advantage of the economies of scale that the larger producers utilize. Additionally, education and training programs may be key to helping farmers improve their practices and ultimately optimizing their production. Both of these methods can help farmers achieve market certification through organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund, whose <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pangasius</i> standards are gaining global recognition.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Overall, this module was thoroughly enjoyable and I feel as if I learned a great deal about the complex interactions that must be identified and considered when evaluating an aquaculture operation in context. The next module is Epidemiology, the only veterinary course that I will be taking during this program. </div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-33932482370418802722011-02-19T19:48:00.000-08:002011-02-22T13:14:44.380-08:00MSc Advanced Module 3- Policy and Planning<div class="MsoNormal">We just completed the third Advanced module for the MSc program, titled ‘Policy and Planning’. This course was taught entirely by Krishen Rana and focused on the development process for national and regional aquaculture policies. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Similar to the previous Advanced modules, this class entailed three days of lectures, with the remainder of the two weeks open for individual and group work on the assessments. We were also fortunate to have a guest lecture from Paul Haddon, the Head of the Aquaculture and Fish Health Policy Unit for the Scottish government, who spoke on the status of Scottish aquaculture, as well as the steps taken to build the current national policies. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The assessments consisted of several deliverables and presentations, both individual and group-based. The first was an in-depth situation analysis of the aquaculture industry and market in our home countries (I did mine on Canada), complemented with a 20-minute individual presentation. Then, we were placed in groups of four and tasked with creating a virtual country (either ‘developed’ or ‘developing’, based on our home countries- I was in the ‘developed country’ group) and developing a national aquaculture policy for it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It was up to us to determine policy principles, objectives and strategies that would be appropriate for our new country, as well as design action plans and real-world initiatives that could be implemented to achieve these objectives. Using as examples the strategic frameworks from different countries all over the world, we built a complete national aquaculture policy from the ground up!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Overall, this course was well-taught and presented me with quite a bit of valuable experience! The next module is ‘Livelihoods and Sustainable Development’, which I am also looking forward to!! </div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986095266233084723.post-47524224653483109072011-02-14T22:02:00.000-08:002011-02-22T13:42:30.073-08:00United States Drafts National Aquaculture Policy<div class="MsoNormal">Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in partnership with the US Department of Commerce, published a draft for a National Aquaculture Policy, which works towards further developing the aquaculture industry of the United States.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">According to the National Aquaculture Act of 1980, “it is in the national interest, and it is the national policy, to encourage the development of aquaculture in the United States”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has now been recognized that the US is lagging behind many other countries in terms of aquaculture development: 84% of seafood consumed in the US is imported, and domestic aquaculture only provides 5% of the national demand. The global demand for seafood is expected to continue growing, and all estimates suggest that wild fish stocks will not be able to meet this demand, even with conservation and rebuilding efforts. Therefore, future increases in demand will be supplied from either foreign aquaculture or increased domestic aquaculture production: this policy aims to develop the latter option. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The policy draft emphasizes four main priorities: 1) science and research; 2) regulation; 3) innovation, partnerships, and outreach; and 4) international cooperation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ecosystem compatibility, social and economic benefits, best management practices, and industry accountability are all covered in this draft, which is open for public comment until April 11, 2011. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The policy, as well as information about commenting, can be found here: <a href="http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture/policy2/">http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture/policy2/</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Brian Albaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18167217617727393048noreply@blogger.com0