VOLUME 9 ISSUE 4
JULY/AUGUST 2018
ALABAMA’S SHRIMP INDUSTRY
RAS
American dream within reach for Atlantic Sapphire A ‘Product of the United States’ label on its land-based-farmed salmon will help the Norwegian company capture 10 percent of the US market, believes its CEO
A story of tenacity and the quest for survival Passionate farmers and technical experts are undaunted by challenges in their quest to buoy Alabama’s fledgling shrimp industry
BY MATT JONES
tlantic Sapphire is well into the construction of the Miami version of their Bluehouse – an all-in-one aquaculture production facility that houses every stage, from hatching broodstock to processing of the harvest. As CEO Johan Andreassen watches his vision for an American Bluehouse take shape with each passing day, he keeps his eyes on a larger prize – a giant US market that imports the vast majority of its consumed salmon. “I think the consumption of salmon here can double over the next 10 years, if done properly,” says Andreassen.
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Construction of phase 1 of Atlantic Sapphire’s land-based farm in Miami, seen here, is due to be completed by the end of 2018. Initial harvest is planned for Q2 2020
AQUACULTURE CANADA 2018
‘We are in a messaging war’ ublic perception of aquaculture was a trending topic at Aquaculture Canada 2018 held in Quebec City in May. The message that everyone in the industry has a role to play in today’s so-called “messaging war” was a common theme in a number of presentations. Other hot button topics discussed were developments in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), and improving farming practices and sustainability through new technology. Organized by the Aquaculture Association of Canada, the four-day conference was held under the theme “Aquaculture Innovation for Sustainable Future.” Liza Mayer recaps the highlights beginning on page 10.
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Alabama is a distant third behind Texas and Florida in farmed shrimp production. Early production issues included proper amendment rates, nutritional research, acclimation procedures and post-larvae stocking. Some of these issues are still being researched as survival problems have resurfaced BY LIZA MAYER
alk about turning lemons into lemonade. What does one do with abundant underground saltwater that’s too salty for human consumption? Ask Gregory N. Whitis, an aquaculturist at the Alabama Fish Farming Center. In 1998, Whitis and others thought the water could potentially be used to farm saltwater shrimp so they began the journey to build Alabama’s shrimp industry. With him from the start were Bart Green and David TeichertCoddington, who both had extensive experience in international shrimp culture. “We have salinities in west Alabama as high as 9.8 so they saw some potential with Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei),” says Whitis.
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