A proposed $178 million “aquaculture” project in Muskegon County would use cutting-edge technology to raise salmon on land.

Atlantis Fish Co. is proposing to raise 10,000 salmon per week on 90 acres of property at the county wastewater site that the company intends to purchase.

Details of the project were announced at Tuesday’s meeting of the Michigan Strategic Fund Board, which gave initial approval to assisting with the issuance of $100 million in bonds for the project. 

Atlantis intends to use a French recirculating aquaculture system not applied before in the United States, according to a memo to the board.

The fish are hatched on site and then grown in two large water tanks that are controlled for light, current, feed and temperature, according to the memo. The operation would involve two buildings totaling 100,000 square feet.

“What we are doing is bringing a transformational industry into West Michigan,” Krider told the board on Tuesday.[continues...]

Source: Mlive

Delhaize has decided to withdraw from sale and recall its Lion brand smoked Norwegian Atlantic salmon, due to a packaging problem that does not guarantee its shelf life, the supermarket group said on Tuesday.

Credit: Belga

The product, which has an expiry date of 08/06/2023, was sold from 19/05/2023 to 22/05/2023 inclusive. It carries the GTIN code “5400112212509.”

Delhaize is asking customers not to consume this product but to return it to a point of sale.

Source: The Brussels Times with Belga

Sustainability scorecard reveals slip in Canadian grocery stores' seafood sustainability practices, with only two labeling farmed salmon correctly: Costco and Metro.

Most major grocery chains in Canada fail to label their salmon products as “farmed,” according to a new sustainability report.

The annual scorecard, released Thursday by the sustainable seafood partnership SeaChoice, found major Canadian grocers’ seafood sustainability practices had their national average slip to 68 per cent from 71 per cent a year earlier.[continues...

Author/Source: Stefan Labbé/ Times Colonist

The Official Gazette of Portugal has published the Resolution of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores that declares the defense of the oceans and the blue natural heritage and establishes a moratorium on mining on the seabed, including prospecting activities, until January 1, 2050. In addition, it establishes that five years before the end of the moratorium, the need to extend it will be reassessed.

Source: IndustriasPesqueras | Read the full article here

Aquaculture biotech group Benchmark saw its revenues for the six months to 31 March 2023 go up, year on year, by 25% to £98.9m.

The period, the first half of the group’s current financial year, also saw a 39% increase in adjusted EBITDA to £22.1m (H1 FY22: £15.9m). Benchmark’s financial accounting pre-tax loss was cut to £1.9m (H1 2022: loss of 5.1m. The figures are unaudited.

Source: FishFarmer | read the full article here

Conservation International and xpertSea launch “Climate Smart Shrimp” pilot in Ecuador, Invite buyers to support regenerative farming solution.

This turn-key programme is a streamlined way for seafood buyers to support farmers, reduce carbon, and restore mangroves, driving the industry towards a sustainable and resilient future.

Conservation International and xpertSea, a leading aquaculture technology company, today announced a Climate Smart Shrimp pilot in Ecuador, an innovative solution to champion regenerative farming practices. 

Source: FishFocus | read the full article here

Chinese seafood processor and convenience seafood distributor Xianmeilai Food Co. is once again going for an initial public offering.

This is the third time Xianmeilai Food has filed for an IPO on the stock market listing in Shanghai Stock Exchange, following unsuccessful attempts in 2021 and 2022. The privately owned company is seeking to raise CNY 600 million (USD 96 million, EUR 84 million) to expand its distribution and logistics network as it bets big on growing Chinese demand for convenience meals.

Author: Mark Godfrey / SeafoodSource | read the full article here

The Cantabrian tuna coast has begun. And it did so this morning, at 06:30, with the start of the auction at a record price, 370 euros per kilo for the first tub of specimens caught with a hook (troll) in waters close to the Azores Islands. The first tub, weighing one hundred kilos, has been fished by the Gaztelugatxe Doniene, whose skipper and owner is Iñigo Oronoz.

From the left, Iñigo Oronoz, Armando Prendes, Pablo González, José Manuel Lema and Cristina Luaces, with the first catches after the auction

As is almost tradition, the buyer of the so-called “campanu del mar”, which is how the first tuna along the coast is known, has been the Alimerka supermarket chain. Armando Prendes, head of the Alimerka fishmongers, stressed that his company "continues the tradition of supporting the primary sector and (this year, like last) at a record price." As usual, the chain will donate the first tub to charities in Oviedo, Gijón and Mieres and will sell the rest of the fish in its stores throughout the region: "Tomorrow it will be in all stores at a price yet to be defined We hope to have bonito this week and that all stores have it on their counters”.

Source: The New Spain

Scottish salmon exports are enjoying a boom in popularity in Asia markets where sales have doubled, new HM Revenue and Customs figures show.

Sales to the European Union have held up, while North America has also seen a surge in demand.

North America and Asia accounted for nearly half (47%) of all sales in the first three months of this year, driven by strong demand from China, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea. The value of exports to Asia has soared by £12 million, to £24m.

Trade body Salmon Scotland said the figures show that farm-raised salmon “generates vital income for the country”.

It comes amid a backlash to Scottish Government plans to introduce Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) which the industry warns will threaten jobs and investment.

Salmon farmers are also calling for an overhaul of the cluttered regulatory and planning system, and for more of the revenue from licence fees to be ring-fenced for rural housing.

Farm-raised salmon directly employs 2,500 people in Scotland and a further 10,000 jobs are dependent on the sector.

Source: dailybusiness