A Nova Scotia seafood company, Premium Seafoods Group, is ceasing its aquaculture operations due to the provincial government’s delay with matters concerning the industry. According to a report from the CBC, the company said it is frustrated after no progress has been made with three new oyster aquaculture lease applications they submitted in 2019. The lease applications have not been withdrawn but further investment has been paused. “This week our company informed the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Nova Scotia outlining our dismay at the state of aquaculture in N.S. and the numerous ..read more

The Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation (KGASF) has appointed Jaiden Grinnell Bosick as its new president.   The KGASF is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that was formed in 2022 to carry out the legacy of the late Kurt Grinnell, a leader and council member of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe in Washington State, who passed away in 2021. Bosick, Kurt Grinnell’s daughter, will lead the 12-person board and continue to direct the KGASF’s scholarship selection committee, a role she has filled since the organization was founded. “We are pleased that Jaiden has accepted this vital ..read more

Farm-raised salmon production in Canada dropped from 148,000 tonnes in 2016 to 90,000 tonnes in 2023, the lowest number since the year 2000 and the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) is saying the main reason for the reduction is because of government-mandated farm closures in British Columbia. CAIA said that this means a loss of about 390 million Canadian-produced salmon meals, with a replacement by salmon flown in from other countries. “Canadians have said again and again that they want access to more Canadian-produced food. In the case of Canadian-raised salmon, they’re being den ..read more

BioMar Group said it has achieved a record first quarter of more than DKK 310 million (US$ 44 million) in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), including revenues from all its feed companies managed and joint ventures.  The aquaculture feed company said in a company statement that its Q1 record was driven by higher margins due to changes in the product portfolio mix and more “commercial excellence” efforts.  “After a strong 2023, we have managed to keep momentum and deliver a very strong Q1. All divisions have contributed with results above the exp ..read more

Cermaq Canada is conducting a nutritional innovation trial using Cargill’s salmon feed supplemented with Veramaris algal oil across its British Columbia farms. Veramaris, an algal oil supplier based in Delft, Netherlands, has completed a three-year process with Canadian regulators and got its first market authorization in March 2024. Veramaris’ ASC-MSC-certified algal oil is said to be rich in Omega-3 EPA & DHA, essential nutrients for the health of farm-raised salmon and consumers of the resulting seafood. “Testing Veramaris algal oil in our salmon feed is a significant step towards suppo ..read more

Atlantic salmon producer, Cooke Aquaculture USA, organized beach clean-ups in Washington County, Maine, to commemorate Earth Day 2024. About 10 volunteers took five truckloads of debris that had washed up on the shore in Machiasport, while other volunteers gathered debris from the shore in nearby Jonesport.  Steven Hedlund, director of public affairs for Cooke Aquaculture USA, said Cooke’s fish health specialists, Jessica Lindsay and Susana DeFrank, led the crews in Machiasport and Jonesport respectively. “Back-to-back storms on Jan. 10 and Jan. 13 brought significant flooding and damage ..read more

What do you want to be when you grow up? This question is on the minds of aquaculture leaders, researchers, and educators in the northeastern United States as they create promising pathways to aquaculture careers, seeding awareness early and cultivating it as kids develop. With more dollars going toward pre-college programs, there’s also a new focus to keep talent on home surf to reap a return on investment. This surge in innovative programming comes at a time when the U.S. is rethinking its national aquaculture development. In February, the White House National Science and Technology Cou ..read more

Farm Aid, a mental health initiative that aims to help farmers with stress, financial issues, and legal and business-related questions, is asking farmers to call the Farmer Hotline at 1-800-FARM-AID (1-800-327-6243). Its hotline operators are familiar with agriculture and resources for farmers nationwide and work with callers to find the best resources for their situation.  Farm Aid’s mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centred agricultural system in America. Its board members include artists like, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Margo Price, who host ..read more

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) has developed an alternative treatment for Streptococcus iniae in hybrid striped bass. That pathogen is recognized as a significant cause of mortalities in various farmed fish species. Dr. Michael Deshotel, a research microbiologist with USDA-ARS, says the treatment was developed with an eye on reducing the overuse of antibiotics. “Anytime antibiotics are used, whether in humans or livestock, it’s always associated with the risk of development of resistance,” says Deshotel. “In the United States, antibiotic ..read more

Nova Scotia premier Tim Houston sparked controversy recently when he offered his opinion on Cooke Aquaculture’s proposed expansion in the Liverpool Bay, which will be the subject of an upcoming hearing by Nova Scotia’s independent Aquaculture Review Board (ARB). “There’s certainly a lot of people in Liverpool that are concerned about this,” Houston told media during a February scrum. “I respect their concerns and have heard their concerns… While I think there’s incredible opportunities for aquaculture in this province, it’s my personal opinion that Liverpool Bay is not an appropriate place for ..read more