Stay updated with the latest developments and discoveries in the world of plants and horticulture with our News Articles category. Here, you’ll find timely updates on conservation efforts, botanical breakthroughs, gardening trends, and industry news. Whether it’s a new species discovery, tips for sustainable gardening, or global botanical initiatives, this section keeps you informed and connected to the ever-evolving plant world. Perfect for enthusiasts, researchers, and nature lovers looking to stay in the know.
November 22, 2024 – AquaManager has announced a strategic partnership with Ocean 14 Capital to enhance sustainability and efficiency in the global aquaculture industry. This collaboration aims to leverage technology, data and automation to support aquaculture producers in adopting more sustainable practices.
Kostas Seferis, Founder of AquaManager, emphasised that the partnership goes beyond financial investment, aligning both companies’ values and vision to reshape the aquaculture sector. “By combining their commitment to the blue economy with our technology, we’re creating solutions that will leave a lasting impact,” Seferis stated.
Aquaculture plays a critical role in meeting the global demand for high-quality protein. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) predicts that aquaculture will contribute 106 million metric tonnes of fish by 2030, a 32% increase from 2020 levels. As the population rises and the demand for ‘blue foods’ grows, aquaculture is poised to become even more vital in providing sustainable food sources.
The global aquaculture market, valued at $263 billion in 2021, is expected to grow to $401 billion by 2030. Advanced technologies, including IoT, AI and automated systems, are becoming essential for improving farm efficiency, reducing costs and ensuring sustainability.
This partnership with Ocean 14 Capital represents more than just investment. It combines AquaManager’s expertise in technology with Ocean 14 Capital’s focus on impact-driven investment to drive growth in the sector. The collaboration will help producers optimise operations from hatchery to harvest, supporting the global aquaculture industry’s transformation.
“We are investing in the future of the blue economy,” said Francisco Saraiva Gomes, CIO at Ocean 14 Capital, highlighting the transformative potential of AquaManager’s technology.
At this grower-focused meeting, ag industry experts will discuss pest control in vegetables, weed management strategies and best practices, seed germination, an introduction to foliar nutrient uptake in vegetables, and grouping flowers by growth needs. Plus we’ll hear from a grower panel from Kutztown…
During the 15th edition of the Fruit Growing Fair and Vegetable Industry (TSW), one of the most important events in the horticultural industry in Central and Eastern Europe, the Machinery Conference will be held, dedicated to modern technologies in horticulture. The event, scheduled for the second day of…
Oishii has announced their Series B financing has officially closed at $150MM. Climate tech fund Resilience Reserve, co-founded by the Head of TED Chris Anderson and entrepreneur Rob Reid, and Japanese venture firm Miyako Capital joined the round right before closing, alongside existing investors NTT,…
November 21, 2024 – Aquaculture professional and well-known consultant to the fish farming industry, Øystein Michael Falch, recently adopted a contractor role with the land-based AI technology and software company ReelData. Focussing on Sales and Business Development within his home country, Norway, Øystein brings to ReelData more than 20 years of aquaculture experience, and a strong background in business development and finance.
Øystein Michael Falch
Effective from 1st October 2024, Øystein will be working with the ReelData team to attract new customers and commercialise opportunities for the ReelData suite of tools including AI camera-based feeding efficiency, biomass estimation and fish counting. Gareth Butterfield, Commercial Director for ReelData had this to say about the appointment, “We’re thrilled to have Øystein join the team as a contractor for the Norwegian market. We’ve had some fantastic success in multiple geographies in the past several months but a missing link for us has been a physical representation in Norway and someone with strong sales, networking and leadership skills. Øystein fills that role perfectly.” With a history of working internationally for both cold and warm water fin-fish producers, Øystein is no stranger to working across continents in order to create an impact. And, with a skillset spanning financial analysis, planning and modelling, and development of strategies and business plans in addition to core sales competencies, Øystein is an obvious choice for the role. “The team here at ReelData are looking forward to working with Øystein and building upon an already growing client base by expanding into Norway. We’ve had significant communication with Norwegian producers and there’s a lot of excitement about our technology. By bringing Øystein on board, Norwegian customers of ReelData have a reputed and respected local resource on which they can rely.” continued Gareth.
Øystein commented on the new role, “What motivates me the most in any role is working for a greater purpose, something beyond personal gain. I strongly believe that technology has the power to drive meaningful improvements, and ReelData’s solutions offer real benefits for the aquaculture industry, including reducing environmental impact and lowering production costs. These are both essential to the sustainable growth of global aquaculture as we strive to feed a growing world population. That mission is what gets me excited every day! On top of that, I’ve been impressed by the talented team at ReelData, and I’m looking forward to being part of a group so dedicated to delivering exceptional products. I’m eager to join the journey and contribute to the company’s success.”
November 21, 2024 – Hybrid flow-through systems have the potential to transform the aquaculture industry and salmon farming in particular. According to a recent study by RaboResearch, the technology promises to enhance sustainability, boost salmon supply and improve biosecurity, addressing some of the industry’s most pressing challenges.
Hybrid flow-through systems technology improves biosecurity in aquaculture
Hybrid-flow-through systems (HFS) technology is emerging as a viable solution to help salmon farmers meet fast rising demand. It significantly reduces exposure to pathogens and environmental impacts, offering notable improvements in biosecurity and sustainability.
“The limitation of the current, marine cage-based industry is the inability to sufficiently grow supply. Despite being highly technically advances, Norwegian salmon farming experienced increasing levels of mortality in both 2023 and 2024,”notes Gorjan Nikolik, Senior Analyst – Seafood for RaboResearch. The cause was a combination of lice treatments, which have the side effect of reducing the protective layer on a salmon’s scales, and exposure to bacterial infections and jellyfish stings resulting from that eroded protective layer. HFS aquaculture is one of the alternatives that can change this situation materially. By moving farming into contained basins on the shore, it is possible to exclude most pathogens, such as lice, bacteria, algae and jellyfish. This minimises the need for medication, resulting in faster growth rates and better feed-conversion ratios. “Early data shows feed-conversion ratios of 1.1 on HFS farms compared to an industry average of 1.3. These results, combined with a survival rate of 97% compared to 83% for the net pen industry, suggesting that biological performance on HFS farms is superior,” explains Nikolik.
The economic benefits of hybrid flow-through systems are significant
The higher biosecurity of HFS leads to a higher percentage of superior-grade fish compared to traditional farming methods, resulting in higher prices. Additionally, HFS farms have a lower environmental footprint, as they do not release pathogens into the surrounding waters and have minimal risk of fish escapes. “Nitrogen levels will be greatly reduced with HFS technology, as the key sources of nitrogen from traditional farms are collected at the bottom of the tank and not released with the water exiting the farm,” notes Nikolik.
While HFS represent an improvement in biosecurity and sustainability due to their limited impact on the aquatic environment, they do come with an increase in energy consumption. Between one and eight kWh of energy is needed to produce one kilogram of HFS salmon, depending on the systems used. In contrast, the marine stage of traditional salmon farming has negligible energy use. “The bottom line is that the good price and the lower biological cost of production outweigh the higher energy cost and should lead to improved profitability,” states Nikolik. However, to make a real improvement in sustainability performance, HFS farms will need to be powered by sustainable sources of energy. “Fortunately, all the current projects we are aware of (if construction or planned) have renewable energy as a source.”
Capital and legislation are essential ingredients for success
Nevertheless, substantial capital investment and supportive legislation are crucial for the widespread adoption of HFS technology. Current projects in Norway and Iceland are leading the way, but expansion into other regions like Chile, the US and Canada will require significant financial backing and regulatory support.
“Our estimates are that the projects currently operating and under construction will need between €2 billion and €3 billion of capital between 2024 and 2030 for their existing plans,” notes Nikolik. A much higher amount will be needed if the large number of conceptual and permitted projects are to become reality. HFS technology has the potential to transform the salmon farming industry, provided that the necessary capital and legislative frameworks are in place.
High prices emerge as global salmon supply growth turns negative
For more information, contact Gorjan Nikolik, Senior Analyst – Seafood, RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness, Email gorjan.nikolik@rabobank.com
Climate crisis, habitat loss and poaching have reduced its numbers – but will Trump put the kibosh on protections?
They are the tallest animal to roam the Earth and have become an icon of children’s books, toys and awed wildlife documentaries. But giraffes are in decline, which has prompted the US government to list them as endangered for the first time.
Giraffes will be listed under the US Endangered Species Act, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed in a move that will cover five subspecies of the animal. The agency hopes the listing will crack down on the poaching of giraffes, as the US is a leading destination of rugs, pillowcases, boots, furniture and even Bible covers made from giraffe body parts.
Authors Rebecca Oester, Florian Altermatt and Andreas Bruder take a cold dip into Riparian forests and how they influence trophic interactions. In this blog post, lead author Rebecca, a PhD student at the University of Zurich, EAWAG and SUPSI Switzerland, shares insight behind their paper: “Riparian forests shape trophic interactions in detrital stream food webs”. She explains just how fascinating (and important!) freshwater and terrestrial …
USDA announced a new Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops initiative that will provide $2 billion to assist specialty crop growers in maintaining a strong domestic supply and expanding market opportunities for their crops. This program will expand markets by helping specialty crop growers who…
