WEAREAQUACULTURE issue nr1

First Edition | march - june 2023 

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2 WEAREAQUACULTURE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 1

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WEAREAQUACULTURE MAGAZINE 

WHY WEAREAQUACULTURE 

06 

STRENGTHEN THE SHRIMP INDUSTRY 

08 

AN INSIDE LOOK AT 

AQUACULTURE SUPPLIERS 

14 

COMPETING FOR SUC- 

CESS IN NORWAY’S 

THRIVING AQUACULTURE 

INDUSTRY 

IN SALMON WE TRUST 

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22 

TALENTVIEW: 

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TALENTVIEW: 

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GENDER EQUALITY: 

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WHY THE FUTURE OF 

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CONCERNS ALL OF US 

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FEATURED ARTICLES 

28 

Debra Hellbach, is the Manager at 

Vancouver Island University Centre 

for Seafood Innovation and a 

real seafood advocate. 

36 

Talking to Sylvia Wulf, CEO of 

AquaBounty Technologies, about 

aquaculture is… ‘different’. 

19 

14 

Kontali, an independent world-leading provider 

of data and analyses covering large parts of global 

aquaculture and fisheries, publishes each year the 

Norwegian Aquaculture Supplier Report 

Interview with Ola Kvalheim, CEO of Ode (former 

Gadus Group) about the company situation and an 

outlook into the future. 


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Strengthen the 

Author 

Rocio Álvarez Jiménez 

shrimp industry 

The pending task 

Today is trendy to talk about shrimp. There is not a day that goes 

by without news regarding this incipient sector about which little is 

known and much is wanted to be discovered 

There are even some who dare to 

ensure that after salmon, prawns 

are the main successors in terms 

of great aquaculture products. 

But the salmon business has changed a lot 

in the last 20 years. It has been developed, 

modernized, and customized. Instead, the 

shrimp sector looks like more to the Devil’s 

Triangle. Shrimp farms are small and belong 

in the majority of cases to the family business. 

Then, the final product is sold to a local 

processor. Consequently, the process of 

entering the highly complex global supply 

chain is almost impossible or at least 

challenging. 

Therefore, it seems more than pertinent 

to ask the most relevant experts for their 

opinions and solutions in this regard. 

WeAreAquaculture has had the privilege 

of peeking a little more into this emergent 

world. 

Firstly, the Vice President of Sales 

Aquaculture at RIMFROST AS, reminds 

us that the shrimp industry in the main 

producing countries like Ecuador and India 

is very fragmented. Incuding some large 

producers and many smaller companies. 

“I think consolidation is taking place through 

the commercialization and export of the 

products since many of the smaller producers 

don’t have the infrastructure and contacts to 

do the processing and exports. They do that 

through the processing facilities of the bigger 

companies. The market itself will push for 

consolidation, to channel all the increased 

production to the international markets.” 

Because of this fragmentation, a senior 

analyst at Kontali, Sander Visch remarks that 

the shrimp industry is harder to map in terms 

of data collection. Constant data surveillance 

is key to unlocking and establishing reliable 

data. Data are the building blocks of any 

successful analysis. From which forecast, 

and risk analysis can be established, and 

investments can be made to promote 

modernization in the sector, he highlights. 


To become a consolidated 

and modernized sector 


we can consider shrimp farming sustainable. 

In the sense that it can continue over time 

without significantly affecting the natural environment 

beyond its present state. 

In the same line, Rico Wibisono, Chief Operating 

Officer at FisTx, adds we must reduce 

the lack of knowledge among shrimp farming 

holders by introducing technology with gradual 

steps. Second, we must be open mind for 

tech and data because data is new mining in 

the future. All, can reduce risk and optimize 

What about 

sustainability 

profit. 

Finally, consultant RAS shrimp farming, 

Philip Buike, advises technological advances 

take their time to develop. As we have seen in 

traditional shrimp-producing areas across 

the globe, technological advancement is neither 

linear nor rapid. While standard designs 

and procedures emerge these are the most 

optimum mix of resource use, financial risk, 

and complexity for each particular area be it 

Latam, South East Asia, or India. 

Regarding sustainability certifications, Visch 

notes that some farms have already gained 

them. However, there is also a group of 

agents who are more directly controlling 

farm operations or even their cash (flow), 

and unfortunately do not always have the 

best interest of the farmer at heart. But to 

change the sector, we need to involve them 

as well and provide a place for them in the 

supply chain, which is easier said than done 

as cultural and community structures are 

sometimes difficult to adjust. 

Moreover, he adds it is largely down to the 

farmers, and their commitment to improving 

their business operations. However, usually 

cost is involved which they cannot always 

bear. Therefore, third parties could provide 

assistance in providing sustainable loans 

or another way of financing. However, they 

need to have a good understanding of the 

risks involved, and that is where data analysis 

and information are key again. 

On the other hand, Buike focuses the debate 

on energy use. On the surface, it would 

appear that inland shrimp farming could 

successfully present itself as an ecologically 

responsible enterprise. It is important to note 

that most of the world´s shrimp currently 

come from simple phototrophic systems. The 

sun is the primary energy source to drive the 

system. 

Any move towards intensification requires 

some sort of external energy input. It is the 

relative cost of this energy versus production 

gains that will determine technological advance 

in any particular region, he explains. 

Companies are now more aware of the need 

to make the sector sustainable. Many of them 

are reforesting the mangroves and doing social 

work, López Alvarado recalls. At present 


In addition, the Chief Operating Officer at FisTx asks 

for a farming system with a minimum water exchange. 

A policy for wastewater treatment with mangrove zone 

with communal wastewater treatment. Finally, customer 

awareness of trigger prices is a reward for saving the 

environment. 

Shrimp farming in Europe 

One of the questions that arouse more curiosity today is 

how the old continent must compete against the other 

markets. How Europe can install and competent a consolidate 

shrimp industry. 

For shrimp farming to work in Europe, it must be extremely 

efficient in resource use. Particularly in two key 

areas, water use, and labor demand. In simple terms, 

if labor and real estate costs are high, you have to 

produce a lot in a small space with as few people as 

possible, Buike says. 

Labor use is minimized by automating many repetitive 

tasks traditionally done by relatively unskilled labor, and 

production per unit volume should be at least one order 

of magnitude higher than that achieved in semi-intensive 

open pond systems. 

Thus, the consultant RAS shrimp farming stage the 

challenge in both maximizing return per unit energy 

input and securing renewable means to provide that 

energy. Therefore it is premature to talk about the 

international market penetration of European-farmed 

shrimp. 

However, what is very clear, is the massive potential 

homegrown shrimp has within the domestic market. The 

question here is how could European shrimp compete 

with imports in this extremely lucrative market. The real 

key to the future of shrimp farming in Europe depends 

entirely on the size and robustness of this market, he 

states. 

The logical conclusion of this train of thought is what 

we are seeing at present with the new high-tech RAS 

operations throughout Europe. Theoretically, beyond the 

initial filling of the facility, water use is practically zero. 


Besides, López Alvarado alerts about the 

small size of the European production. 

Production costs are higher. In my opinion, the 

European producers should take advantage of 

being close to a very good market. Also, specialize 

in selling a fresh product, or even live 

product that does not compete with the products 

coming from South America and Asia. 

Alike, Wibisono encourages European farmers 

to take advantage of the market they can 

approach. I think that quality and higher prices 

can be achieved with RAS and biofloc model. 

Direct order, quality, freshness, taste, and zero 

waste can be good for promotion to European 

customers. 

Seeking for 

professionals 

Just by scratching a little, you can see how the sector is full of specialized 

people with a thorough knowledge of the system. However, Despite this, it 

is striking how the sector still has a long way to go to become professionalized. 

Educating and communicating seems a convulsive task. 

Lastly, Philip Buike shares his concerns about this. The main challenge in 

this area is the fact that often larger start-ups do not have experienced aquaculturists 

at the senior executive level. 

This potentially can be problematic. As the criteria needed to make critical 

decisions often has to come from third parties. Those whose own experience of 

shrimp culture be it intensive or otherwise, is limited. 

This has led to major design flaws remaining undetected until production has 

begun. Invariably leading to expensive refits and in some cases, loss of investor 

confidence. Whilst this is most definitely not unique in the aquaculture world, 

the situation contrasts sharply with Equador for example. Here all the major 

players have grown over many years. The executive teams have an intimate 

knowledge of their business, he underlines. 


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An Inside Look at 

Aquaculture 

Photo 

by Kontali 

Author Ruben Jørgensen 

Suppliers 

Costs, Competition and Concerns: 


About Kontali 

When it comes to 

aquaculture, beyond 

production, there is a 

network of suppliers 

that are also essential for the chain to 

continue functioning. Aware of this, 

Kontali, an independent world-leading 

provider of data and analyses covering 

large parts of global aquaculture and 

fisheries, publishes each year the 

Norwegian Aquaculture Supplier Report. 

We spoke to one of its analysts, Arild 

Stormer about the highlights of the latest 

edition, 2022. 

Kontali is an independent worldleading 

provider of data and 

analyses covering large parts of 

global aquaculture and fisheries. 

Their mission is to acquire a 

comprehensive understanding 

of the realm of aquaculture 

and fisheries, including the 

various species and their 

interconnections. By sharing their 

extensive knowledge of seafood, 

they aim to promote a more 

balanced world, both above and 

below the surface. 

Kontali’s Norwegian Aquaculture 

Suppliers 2022 report includes 

up to 14 different segments of the 

aquaculture supply chain: 

According to Arild, it appears that a trend 

is beginning to emerge. While there are 

variations among companies, a general 

trend towards consolidation within the 

supplier industry is becoming evident. 

Many companies are seeking economies 

of scale and greater access to a broader 

range of services and larger portfolio, 

resulting in a rise in mergers and 

acquisitions. 

This is something that is happening 

especially in the wellboat segment 

and Stormer gives us an example with 

Åkerblå. The leader in knowledgebased 

marine health company has been 

acquiring smaller firms in recent years. 

Stormer explains that, as the trend 

towards more and more mergers 

becomes evident, we see that there is 

also innovation within the industry that 

contributes to increased competition. 

However, this also means that entering 

the market and gaining market share is 

becoming increasingly capital-intensive. 

» Broodstock, breeding and 

genetics 

» Medications, vaccinations, and 

chemicals 

» Fish health services 

» Feed producers 

» Shipyards 

» Site service and support 

» Net and net service providers 

» Sea lice treatment systems 

» Well boat operators 

» Packaging 

» Certification 

» Land-based and closedcontainment 

technology 

suppliers 

» Multidiscipline 

» Other suppliers 

The report is based in various sources, mainly the official 

financial statements available from The Brønnøysund 

Register Center, and, although it does not cover all 

suppliers to the Norwegian aquaculture industry, it does 

analyse a broad sample of 178 suppliers. 

“Generally speaking, the wellboat segment 


An emerging trend 

has extremely good profit margins and has 

had them for several years. Over time, they 

have received more assignments and have 

become a bigger part of daily operations. 

They not only deliver fish, but also have 

a greater role in delousing (thermally 

and mechanically), which accounts for 

approximately NOK 7 billion annually”, he 

says. 

Wellboat, the segment with 

the largest increase 

The fact is that the sales revenue for 

the wellboat segment has significantly 

increased by 3.3 billion NOK from 2020, 

representing a 9% increase in just 

one year. However, there have been 

significant variations in activity levels 

among operators, with five companies 

reporting negative earnings before 

interest and taxes (EBIT). 

The larger companies (Froy, Rostein, 

Solvtrans and Norsk Fisketransport) with 

a strong market position are more likely 

to secure contracts, but as profitability 

increases within the wellboat industry, 

new entrants are seeking to establish 

themselves in the market and share in 

the profits. 

to build them themselves. As Stormer 

explains, a company such as Alsaker 

– one of the leading farming groups 

in Norway when it comes to salmon 

production – may say, “When it is so 

expensive to rent a wellboat, it is better to 

do the job ourselves.” 

The risks facing 

aquaculture’s suppliers 

During his conversation with 

WeAreAquaculture, Arild Stormer 

highlights one more thing, a risk for 

Norwegian aquaculture suppliers: the 

ground rent tax in Norway. We do not 

know the full repercussions of this in 

the long run, he explains. There are 

already investments worth billions that 

have been frozen and projects have been 

halted, precisely due to the tax. Although 

this primarily impacts those with food 

fish licenses, it will also affect other 

collaborating actors in the value chain. 

This may lead to more focus on the cost 

side of operations, further increasing 

pressure and competition among 

suppliers. 

Aquaculture companies have begun 

building their own wellboats to avoid 

relying on a shipping company, choosing 


Moreover, the impact of the salmon 

tax is expected to have significant 

consequences on the direct supply 

industry, with investors in hatcheries, 

and further processing being affected. 

In conclusion, while the long-term 

effects of the rent tax remain uncertain, 

it is clear that the tax is causing concern 

across the entire value chain, with larger 

consequences than initially anticipated. 

It may take a few years before we fully 

understand its impact. 

Photo 

by Arild Stormer 


18 WEAREAQUACULTURE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 1 

Cod farming is gaining momentum, 

how far will it reach?

Author 

Ruben Jørgensen 

Competing for Success 

in Norway’s Thriving 

Aquaculture Industry 

How did the idea of starting with 

cod farming come about? 

The cod farming 

industry has been 

gaining momentum 

as an excellent 

opportunity to provide 

sustainable and healthy 

protein to the world. We had 

the opportunity to talk to Ola 

Kvalheim, CEO of former 

Gadus Group, now Ode, the 

Norwegian-based cod farming 

company, and discussed the 

challenges and opportunities 

in the industry. 

The world needs more healthy and 

sustainable protein, and farming cod is an 

excellent opportunity to solve both the need 

for more protein and the need for more 

sustainable food production. I grew up in a 

small rural community along the Norwegian 

coastline, with a long heritage of exporting 

cod. Before the tremendous success of the 

salmon industry, cod was the most important 

seafood option from Norway. Now we are 

finally able to successfully farm the iconic 

Atlantic cod. 

What is the biggest challenge of 

cod farming compared to salmon 

farming? 

At Ode we have been building a company, 

organisation and structure from the ground 

to almost 100 employees in less than 3 years. 

People often talk about licenses, farms, and 

boats, and seem to somehow forget that we 

are building completely new organisations, 

a new culture and creating solid structures. 

Photos 

Ola Kvalheim, CEO of Ode, 

photo by Ode Kvalheim 


Salmon companies are large and have a long 

history with the existing set-up. We are young 

and innovative with tremendous growth and 

dynamism. 

How do you see the competition 

evolving in the future, with more and 

more players trying their hand at cod 

farming? 

We think the publicly available projections of 

growth of the industry over the next 3-5 years 

is greatly overestimated. Publicly announced 

estimated harvest volumes for 2023-2025 have 

already started coming down and we expect more 

negative revisions to growth outlook through 

2023. In the long run, the industry has fantastic 

potential for growth and value creation, and we 

expect to be the key driver of that growth. It’s the 

typical problem of overestimating short-term 

changes and underestimating long-term changes. 

What are your thoughts on going 

public in the near future, like 

Norcod? 

We are very pleased with our shareholder 

structure and currently do not foresee any 

changes. Our structure provides a stable and 

long-term foundation for developing our 

company. This long-term orientation allows us to 

build organisational structure, improve our value 

chain, develop our operations and scale according 

to the relevant input factors. Put together, that is 

a key differentiating factor for us. 

What measures have been taken 

to prevent unfortunate incidents 

like the escaped cod from the Volda 

location? 

significantly in new and modern equipment. 

The most important strategy is always to have 

competent and experienced people that have the 

right mindset, the right culture and work well 

together. We are very data-driven and have more 

than 100 sensors in each of our farms. Together 

with our underwater cameras, this connects our 

control room and feeding central to our farms 

and ensures we monitor key aspects live. It also 

enables us to gather and analyse data to learn and 

improve faster all the time. We spend significant 

time getting to the bottom of any type of incident 

impacting our company negatively. For the 

incident at Volda we did that, found the cause and 

have now made the necessary changes. 

What are Ode’s overall future plans? 

We are sticking to the ambitious growth-plan we 

set back in 2020. We are very long term oriented 

and aim to be a leading seafood company in the 

future. Initially we had a clear focus on building 

our organisation, our value chain, establishing 

best-in-class operations and positioning our 

product in the market. Based on very strong 

operations and biology coupled with solid 

demand for our products, we are now scaling 

significantly up. 

Have there been no investment 

stoppages in the cod industry? 

Investment is drying up everywhere – salmon, 

other species, land-based. Risk premium for 

investments in Norway has gone materially up 

due to increased political risk. Specialty taxes 

imposed ex-post change behaviour and make 

people think twice about investing in new projects 

and new companies. 

We run our operations according to the same high 

standards as the rest of the aquaculture industry 

in Norway, are certified and have invested 


Interview with Ola Kvalheim, CEO of Ode (former Gadus Group) about 

the company situation and an outlook into the future. 


Unterfex morae,menRitiliu voccivivis 

etilicul husonduc ficae nos, condees 

immortuu 

Author 

Marta Negrete 

In salmon 

we trust 

Price rises, but consumer demand starts to 

fall. Will salmon hold its own at the top in 

times of inflation? Experts think so. 

Early november 2022 the 

Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) 

announced that in October the 

value of salmon exports broke 

records once again. “The most significant 

contribution to the increase in value is the 

increased price”, Paul T. Aandahl, Seafood 

Analyst at the NSC, said in the report. 

However, it also included a wake-up call: 

reports suggest a decline in seafood domestic 

consumption. “We live in demanding and 

troubled times, with high food inflation and a 

fierce battle for proteins worldwide”, said the 

NSC CEO, Christian Chramer. So, the present 

is encouraging, but what does the future look 

like? Will salmon be able to keep prices this 

high if demand falls? 

High prices and good prospects 

Since the pandemic and until this 

announcement, demand for Atlantic salmon 

has only increased in recent years. An 

increase that, as Finn-Arne Egeness, Chief 

Analyst Seafood at Nordea, explains, has been 

driven by market and product development, 


Photo 

Arturo Clément, COB & CEO 

at SalmonChile. 

Photo by SalmonChile. 

as well as by economic development, a 

growing world population, and also by the 

increased attention to health and eating 

habits in various consumer segments. Despite 

this increase, total salmon production 

will decrease in 2022, to 2.862 million tons 

compared to 2.894 million tons in 2021. 

So far, that hasn’t affected prices – quite 

the contrary. “This year, salmon prices have 

been all-time high. This is due to increased 

demand post-pandemic, increased food 

prices, and a negative growth in the global 

salmon supply”, says Egeness. Paul T. Aandahl 

comments the same, although the Seafood 

Analyst at the Norwegian Seafood Council 

adds a nuance: “We see a reduction in 

consumption at home, it’s a global trend”, he 

says, “the prices are going up on the salmon 

products as we see for all other types of 

protein if we compare with the same period 

last year”. 

From Chile, Arturo Clément, COB & CEO 

at SalmonChile, tells WeAreAquaculture 

something very similar. “We have seen a 

recession that has affected the main markets 

where Chilean salmon arrives, but the 

important thing is that despite this there has 

not been a big impact on demand”, he says. 

Although, unlike other markets, they have 

already noticed some changes in prices. 

Nevertheless, they remain optimistic. “While 

it is true that prices have dropped from the 

peak shown a few months ago, the market has 

remained dynamic”, says Clément. 


So, we have a positive present but, what will 

happen next? According to Egeness, forward 

prices for fresh Norwegian salmon are very 

strong for both Q1 and Q2 2023 (FishPool). At 

the same time, all feed prices have increased 

due to higher feed prices following the war 

in Ukraine and rising inflation. “With this in 

mind, it is reasonable to believe that salmon 

prices will remain at a high level in the future”, 

the Nordea analyst states. “With a limited 

supply growth going forward, the price outlook 

is strong”, he adds. 

No substitute in the HORECA 

channel 

In explaining the reasons for the increase 

in demand after the pandemic, Finn-Arne 

Egeness makes special mention of food 

service. “The hotel, restaurant and catering 

(HORECA) segment has been of increasing 

importance for the salmon”, he says. Paul 

T. Aandahl agrees. “Since the volume to the 

market is approximately the same as last year, 

it means that the sale in food service is much 

higher compared last year”, he explains. “We 

can see a shift from at-home consumption 

towards out-of-home consumption, that’s a 

general trend”, the NSC analyst adds, “a little 

bit higher in the EU compared to the US, but 

still a high increase in demand for salmon as a 

raw material or for consumption”, he claims. 

However, the current economic situation 

could change this trend, as Finn-Arne 

Egeness warns. “If increasing energy prices 

and increasing interest rates reduce the number 

of restaurant visits, this will have a negative 

impact on the demand for salmon”, he says. 

Although he assures us that, “this is mainly 

the case in Europe, the US market is not hit by 

the same energy crisis”. But, this is not his only 

clarification. 

raw in the sushi and sashimi segment. “If 

you want to eat sushi, you will eat salmon in 

most markets and market segments”, he thinks. 

The data seem to prove him right, even in 

inflationary times. As Aandahl points out, 

“even though we have the huge price increase, 

people are paying more for electricity, fuel, 

etcetera, there is still a huge demand in food 

service”, he says. Although he qualifies, they 

expect that to change and see a shift back 

to home consumption because people are 

going to have less money to spend on food 

consumption. 

Nevertheless, both agree that this change 

does not necessarily have to be negative 

as far as demand for salmon is concerned. 

“Sushi is also perfect for take away, so if the 

consumption drops in the restaurant, take 

away may increase”, believes Finn-Arne 

Egeness. And Paul T. Aandahl adds a new 

variable. “I expect consumers to go less out 

on restaurants next year, this winter, maybe. 

But it doesn’t necessarily have to be very 

negative for the salmon because salmon is 

easy to prepare at home, we saw that during 

the pandemic”, the NSC analyst tells us. 

What the pandemic left behind 

That variable, household consumption, was 

strengthened after the pandemic. “During the 

pandemic, people learnt how to cook salmon at 

home, so they have this knowledge now, and so 

I think it’s very easy for them to go back and 

prepare salmon at home”, Aandahl remarks. To 

which Finn-Arne Egeness adds, “during the 

pandemic, there was a massive development of 

high-end products in retail, this is an advantage 

of the economic development reduces the 

number of restaurant visits”. 

The Chief Analyst Seafood at Nordea also 

stresses that a big advantage of salmon is the 

“lack of substitute”, especially when consumed 


Photo 

Finn-Arne Egeness, Chief Analyst Seafood, 

Nordea. Photo: Marius Fiskum. 

So, when it comes to indulging, indoors or out, 

salmon will continue to be an option. As Egeness 

mentioned earlier, Aandahl also believes that raw 

salmon is the key. “I think, raw consumption will 

still be in a positive trend”, he states. “It means that, 

even though you have less money to spend, you will 

kind of prioritize this, the raw salmon because you 

expect to buy very high-quality fish, and you buy it 

because you want to treat yourself with something 

while kind of extra if you want to celebrate 

something or whatever”. 

But salmon is not just a premium option. The 

reality is that it has become a must in the basic 

shopping basket for many families, even in 

countries where it is an imported fish. “That’s why 

I think the consumption will be quite robust, even 

though people are getting less money to spend, 

they will still continue to buy salmon. They might buy 

some, well, kind of cheaper salmon products, could be an 

effect, but they will still buy salmon”, says NSC’s Seafood 

Analyst. 

Finn-Arne Egeness agrees. “In the fresh fish counter 

in retail, consumers hit by prices inflation and higher 

energy costs might choose cheaper alternatives than 

salmon”, he tells us, “if possible, some consumers might 

choose frozen salmon ahead of fresh salmon, if frozen 

salmon is more economically affordable”. 

Salmon, a sure asset 

With all this in mind, to talk about the future, analysts 

review the past. Thus, while they are aware that 

difficult times lie ahead, both Finn-Arne Egeness 

(Nordea) and Paul T. Aandahl (NSC), recall what 

happened in previous financial crises. “Regarding the 

salmon, what we’ve seen historically is that the negative 

market trends have a really very small effect on salmon 

sales”, Aandahl says, “our assumption is that the salmon 


Photo 

Paul T. Aandahl, Seafood Analyst at the Norwegian Seafood Council. 

Photo: Marius Fiskum / Norges sjømatråd. 


demand is quite robust regarding these negative macro trends we 

expect to see in near future”. 

“Following the international financial crisis in 2008, salmon prices 

increased both in 2009 and 2010. However, this was due to a negative 

supply growth, following ILA challenges in Chile”, Egeness recalls. 

Therefore, he thinks that “with a limited supply growth going 

forward, the price outlook is strong” and, according to his data, 

Kontali expects growth of 4%, to a total production of 2.977 million 

tons. 

“Next year we expect maybe 3-4 % global growth, and you can see that, 

every year, after the spikes in price we can see a reduction”, supports 

Aandahl, “that’s the historical trend”. According to the analyst at the 

Norwegian Seafood Council, next year, they expect a slightly lower 

global increase in production than we have seen, for example, in 

2017 to 2018-20119, so, maybe a reduction in price. “We don’t know 

the price, of course, but historically it has fallen after these spikes in 

price”, he says, adding that for next year, because of the contracts 

in the salmon end market and the level of consumption, he expects 

“to see a higher price on the raw material to some of the markets and 

then that would affect the consumer price at the end”. And, even if it 

takes a while, that ends up affecting the volume of demand. 

As we said at the beginning, we are living in demanding and 

troubled times, and difficult times are ahead. Of course, no one 

can be one hundred percent sure, but everything indicates that, 

although with some ups and downs, salmon -and its price- will 

be maintained. So yes, after talking to the experts, we can say ‘in 

salmon we trust’. 


Talking to Sylvia Wulf, CEO of 

AquaBounty Technologies, 

about aquaculture is… 

‘different’. Hers is not the 

story of someone always interested in the 

sea or fish; she came to the industry after 

her previous job required her to select 

suppliers that ensured the sustainability 

of their seafood products. This led her 

to understand not only the business of 

aquaculture but also why it is so essential 

for the planet’s future. “I became 

familiar with aquaculture, and I think it’s 

fascinating”, she explains. 

The Oxford English Dictionary defines 

fascination as “a powerful attraction that 

makes something very interesting”. Seen 

in this light, some might think Sylvia is a 

convert, but she is a believer. She believes 

“in the promise of aquaculture” and its 

critical role as we move forward. She 

is convinced that her company can do 

much to feed the world by transforming 


Author 

Marta Negrete 

TalentView: 

Sylvia Wulf 

aquaculture with technology. She wants to 

achieve this by attracting the right talent, creating 

a career for people and ensuring animal welfare. 

Sylvia Wulf is not a preacher, nor does she even 

try to be. Her conviction and commitment 

are such that, inevitably, they are contagious. 

Listening to her is inspiring and makes us want to 

join her to fulfill the promise of aquaculture. 

Your previous work has been related 

to the seafood industry, but not 

aquaculture itself. Why now? What 

attracted you to aquaculture? What can 

you bring to the table from your previous 

positions and experience? 

I believe that aquaculture will play a critical role 

in meeting protein demand globally as we move 

forward. In my previous position at U.S. Foods, 

I was responsible for seafood procurement. We 

were conducting vendor selection and pursuing 

BAP [Best Aquaculture Practices] approvals for all 

of our vendors. We wanted them to be four-star 

BAP approved because we thought that matters 

regarding sustainability. So that was my first 

experience in aquaculture: understanding what 

it took, why it was necessary, and why it needed 

to be foundational to selecting our supplier 

partners. 

What I saw with AquaBounty is another method of 

farming that can play a critical role in providing a 

sustainable, nutritious protein to consumers. As 

we think about taking pressure off the oceans and 

some of the challenges that net-pen contributors 

have, including climate change, microplastics, all 

of that, we need another method of farming on 

land. We think that the combination of net-pen 

farming, ocean net-pen farming, and land-based 

farming will be able to meet the increasing 

demand, in our case, for salmon. 


At AquaBounty 

Technologies, you have 

two business lines. 

You provide nongenetically 

engineered 

and genetically 

engineered eggs, and 

you have Recirculating 

Aquaculture Systems 

(RAS) production 

farms. What are your 

prospects now that 

your first large-scale 

farm is already under 

construction? Will you 

maintain both lines? 

We will maintain both lines 

since these two components 

are synergistic and create 

a competitive point of 

difference for us. We operate 

farms because we manage 

recirculating aquaculture 

systems well. The water 

quality, the biology of the fish 

and biofiltration are what 

make our farms successful. 

Our deep understanding of 

biotechnology and information 

digital technology are 

fundamental to everything 

we do. It isn’t just genetic 

engineering. We look at gene 

editing and selective breeding 

using advanced genetic tools 

to improve our non-transgenic 

and transgenic stock. 

What makes your salmon 

different from others? 

The genetic engineering on 

our salmon took place 30 years 

ago. Scientists were trying 

to find a way to protect the 

salmon from extreme climatic 

conditions. One Chinook gene 

was inserted into the Atlantic 

salmon’s genetic structure. 

That gene enables the salmon 

to eat consistently so it 

grows faster during its early, 

vulnerable stages. It doesn’t 

grow larger, it grows faster. 

Our salmon are also highly 

efficient in the way that they 

turn their feed into biomass. 

They consume less feed to get 

to the same weight, and they 

reach that weight faster. We 

are creating a healthy protein 

using fewer resources. Our 

fish are designed to thrive in a 

RAS farming environment. 


Photos 

By AquaBounty Technologies 

And if we talk about consumers, how is 

this new product being sold to them? 

Do they trust that it is a safe product, 

or does the fact that it is genetically 

modified make them wary? 

Pioneer (Ohio) will serve as a model for 

the aquaculture industry and for your 

continued expansion. Why are these 

two points so important? And what 

made you choose to locate in Pioneer 

in particular? 

We’ve done extensive consumer research, and 

once we share our story with consumers, they 

are fine with our product. They want to know if 

it’s affordable, accessible and whether it tastes 

good, which we can confirm on all fronts. 

Consumers are becoming more aware and 

accepting of genetic modification. They 

understand that genetic engineering is being 

used to solve a lot of our global hunger issues, 

including the need for more crop production, 

drought, resistance to pests to produce more 

food with less land and less water. We do know 

that there’s a very vocal minority out there that 

is anti-GMO, but they don’t understand the 

facts and use misinformation. Consumers are 

getting wise to their tactics and recognize that 

biotechnology does address a lot of the hunger 

issues that we’re seeing around the world. 

We went through an extensive site selection 

process with several criteria critical to the 

success of that facility. Water quality and 

quantity are two important requirements 

along with affordable power and receptivity 

to renewable energy. We also need access 

to quality labor, which means building 

relationships with universities and high 

schools. Lastly, we look at logistics for the 

site. Feed and oxygen need to be delivered 

in a timely manner, and, we need to serve 

our markets quickly. We narrowed it down to 

five sites and found Pioneer was an optimal 

location. 

Concerning the design, we selected RAS 

technology firm Innovasea to modify the design 

of the Ohio farm. 

In previous statements, you have 

commented that when planning a new 

RAS farm, the most important thing 

is to choose the right site, and then 

the design of the facility. You have 

also said that your new RAS farm in 


We’ve been operating two farms for 

quite a while, and we know what 

works, what doesn’t, and we wanted to 

modify the Ohio farm design for more 

efficiency. We wanted to design a farm 

where the biofiltration, fish movement 

and management are optimal because 

we want to protect the fish. Innovasea 

has been very collaborative in the 

design of the facility, taking all of the 

know-how that we have from Canada 

and Indiana and incorporating that 

into the design of the Ohio farm. 

It is commonly accepted that 

aquaculture has advantages 

over other industries when it 

comes to sustainability, but, 

if we are talking about RAS 

systems, what advantages do 

they have over farms in the 

sea? 

There are a couple of advantages. 

The first is a biosecure environment 

to protect the fish. We want to have 

a positive environmental impact and 

the biosecurity also protects the 

environment because we have a stateof-the-art 

water and wastewater 

treatment facility attached to the farm 

and we recirculate 99 percent of the 

water. This guarantees that the water 

entering the facility is optimal for 

the fish, and the water that exits is 

as good or better than the water we 

pulled out of the ground. 

We also look at turning the solid waste 

into fertilizer or potentially using it as 

renewable energy. The farm is located 

close to consumers resulting in a 

lower carbon footprint than a product 

that must be flown in or shipped from 

outside the U.S. We’re developing 

baselines on our greenhouse gases 

to manage and reduce them. As you 

can see, we’re very environmentally 

conscious in the design and operation 

of the farm. 

At AquaBounty you recently 

announced the appointment 

of Dr. Chris Beattie as chief 

scientific officer, of whom 

you said: “He will bring 

tremendous insight into the 

design and construction of 

our farm in Pioneer, Ohio”. So, 

we understand that attracting 

the talent needed to continue 

to build it and make it bigger 

is a priority at the company. 

As CEO, how important is the 

human factor in the company? 

Aquaculture will continue to change 

and will become more technical. 

We need to attract the right kind 

of talent to address environmental 

challenges and ensure that we provide 

a safe, secure environment for the 

fish. We are developing training and 

development programs that make this 

a promising career for people. 

We love our Indiana and Canadian 

farms, because we work closely with 

educational and academic institutions, 

and we think the same thing will occur 

in Ohio. Nobody graduates with an 

aquaculture degree that applies to RAS 

farming. It involves biology and 



chemistry and training to be able to recognize 

the behavior of the fish to ensure that the 

salmon are healthy and thriving. 

What challenges do you think 

AquaBounty will face in the coming 

years? 

There are two challenges. The first is a high 

capital cost to build these farms. We are always 

looking at different materials as well as various 

operational methods to continue to bring 

the cost down while continuing to be more 

competitive in terms of fostering the salmon. 

The second challenge is attracting the right 

talent. We will do this by sharing our purpose to 

feed the world by transforming aquaculture with 

technology. We believe that’s the future and we 

think that will attract individuals who share our 

commitment. 

And for yourself personally? What are 

your challenges? 

think it will be a critical component 

of feeding the world. We must continue 

to look for ways to make our industry more 

environmentally responsible. That’s why I want 

to be part of the industry, and why I want to be 

part of AquaBounty. 

Before we end our talk, Sylvia Wulf’s final 

words, by way of summary, are: 

“I believe in aquaculture, and I think that 

AquaBounty is going to be a critical part of the 

aquaculture community moving forward. As an 

industry, we need to be receptive to new methods, 

new technologies, and new tools. I think we’re a 

pioneer and can positively affect the industry”. 

We said it at the beginning, the CEO of 

AquaBounty Technologies is a believer 

and, as such hopes for a better future. At 

WeAreAquaculture, we also look forward to 

seeing that promise fulfilled. 

Every day is an opportunity to do what I just 

described. I love working with our team, I 

believe in the promise of aquaculture and I 


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With nearly 40 years 

of experience in the 

food industry, Debra 

Hellbach, Manager at 

Vancouver Island University’s Centre 

for Seafood Innovation, has won several 

awards for her work. An advocate for 

food in general, and food conservation in 

particular, this educator is, above all, a 

born communicator who has always held 

the seafood industry “near and dear” to 

her heart. 

She defines herself as “a food evangelist” 

and is convinced that the best way to 

educate is through entertainment. 

If instead of Debra’s TalentView this 

were Debra’s Show, we bet we’d have a 

couple of episodes titled ‘Food & Fun’ or 

‘Seafood & Education’. The woman who 

claims that “seafood is healthy, fast food” 

and her “very different way of thinking 

about innovation” are here to spread the 

word. This time, she’s set her sights not 


Author 

Marta Negrete 

TalentView: 

Photo 

Debra Hellbach, Manager at 

Vancouver Island University’s 

Centre for Seafood Innovation. 

Photo: Gloria Bell Island 

Expressions Photography. 

Debra Hellbach 

only on the public but, more importantly, on 

students and the industry itself, and she is having 

fun doing it! 

Trying to make a difference in the 

industry 

“When you put it in print, it’s very hard to believe 

that I’ve been in the industry for that long”. So 

begins our talk with Debra. Our questions have 

made her look back and realize that “it’s really 

quite funny because I can remember some of my first 

adventures in the industry, and they were seafood 

related”. When she did her Food Science Degree, 

her first destination was BC Packers, a nowshuttered 

company that, as far as she remembers, 

was the largest seafood manufacturer in British 

Columbia. “That goes back to the 80s“, long before 

some of our readers were born as she says, “but I 

was involved in the seafood industry, and it’s always 

been near and dear to my heart”. It has been there 

her entire life. “If you are involved in food, you’ll 

always have a job”, she claims, “that’s why I went 

into food science”. 

As food scientist with a master’s degree in 

Communication, the first thing Debra says about 

herself on her LinkedIn profile is that she loves 

“helping people make and market good food by 

connecting them with expertise and resources”. 

Right after that, she says that her “secret powers” 

are “broad experience, amazing connections, 

and focusing on what matters”. Throughout her 

nearly four decades of experience, she has used 

her powers to help many ‘foodpreneurs’ – she 

considers herself their “life-long promoter” – 

and so when this job came up, she saw it as a 

chance to continue that promotional work. For 

her, working with academia and students is very 

important, not only to help them understand the 

value of the food system but also to enrich applied 

research projects with their fresh perspectives. 


“I saw an opportunity to make 

a difference. And that it’s 

focused on seafood is absolutely 

fantastic”, she tells us. As 

Debra recalls, Canada has one 

of the largest coastlines in 

the world, “we used to be a top 

exporter of seafood and that’s 

declined, I think we’re #8 now, 

and that just doesn’t make any 

sense to me”, she explains. “We 

should be doing much better in 

the seafood arena. Obviously, 

aquaculture is a prime way to 

proceed, we need to focus on 

aquaculture, and I think the 

way to do that is through the 

young people and our up-andcoming 

leaders. And so that is 

why I took this position. I saw it 

as a real opportunity”. 

An opportunity she’s also 

having fun with. “I’m at the tail 

end of my career so, this is fun, 

right? I mean, it is really fun 

for me to work with students 

and to be part of the solution. 

And I think after this long 

career where I’ve been helping 

on a very small basis, working 

mainly with small companies 

and trying to help them move 

forward, I think I’ve landed on 

a potential formula where I can 

make a difference and so that 

in itself is extremely rewarding 

for me”. 

Educating students 

through innovation 

The British Columbia 

government established a 

network of Food Hubs that 

aims to support local food 

industry. The Centre for 

Seafood Innovation (CSI) at 

Vancouver Island University 

(VIU) was born under that 

umbrella, to work hand 

in hand with the seafood 

industry. At the time of the 

center’s establishment, the 

Department of Fisheries 

and Oceans’ Blue Economy 

Strategy and the Canadian 

Aquaculture Industry Alliance 

had identified research, public 

relations, and marketing 

activities as the areas the 

industry needed to focus on, 

and so a project got off the 

ground in which Debra was a 

perfect fit. As she explains, 

she is a “generalist” who has 


Photo 

‘Let’s Talk Seafood and Eat it Too’ 

event about sturgeon at the VIU’s 

Centre for Seafood Innovation. 



made many connections over the past 40 years. 

“I have this communications portfolio that I 

can draw on to help the industry. And so that’s 

where we’re looking at applied research, public 

education, and commercialization”. 

To understand how VIU’s Centre for Seafood 

Innovation works, Debra Hellbach explains 

that, first, it is important to understand that 

“innovation means so many things to so many 

different people”. They have decided to focus on 

two definitions of innovation. The first of these 

definitions, the simplest, is “a match between a 

need and a solution that results in added value”. 

The second, a bit more elaborate, consists 

of “extracting value from knowledge”. To put 

it more graphically, CSI is more knowledgebased 

than physical. “We are not an innovation 

centre where you come with something, and we are 

going to transform it into something else using 

equipment and innovation. We are going to do it 

through knowledge-based work with experts, with 

existing resources to try to help the industry move 

forward, and then we will grow as we go along”, 

she explains, and, as a good educator and 

communicator, she gives us an example. 

big. “We saw this and I thought well, this was an 

opportunity to do some product differentiation“, 

she explains, “working with culinary students, 

can we create a culinary at new products from 

these oysters and then demonstrate to industry 

that this is an opportunity?”. They could, but 

along the way, they learned even more. “We ran 

into the labor issue, and we couldn’t get shucked 

oysters”, CSI’s Manager tells us. The solution 

came through innovation, using high-pressure 

processing to pop the oysters open. They 

enlisted the help of HPP Canada, which made 

their job easier and taught the students how 

to use high-pressure processing technology. 

The field trip that took them from Nanaimo to 

Vancouver also allowed the students to visit 

other processing facilities during the time they 

were there. So, while they were getting this 

hands-on experience with seafood research, 

they were also learning about food technology 

and processing, and learning more about their 

career options. 

‘Exposing students to the food system’ was the 

official name of a project that they eventually 

ended up calling ‘The Oyster Challenge’. It 

was still the time of the pandemic and due 

to food service closures, there were a lot of 

unharvested oysters that were therefore too 


Back at CSI with all that information, 

the students participated in three 

labs in which their only instructions 

were “to create cooked products that 

could be used in an institution”. In 

British Columbia, the government has 

the Feed BC program where they are 

trying to increase the number of local 

foods used in institutions, but seafood 

is very under-represented. Debra 

and her team saw a new opportunity 

there and asked students to make 

oyster dishes that could be sold in 

a university cafeteria. Those dishes 

were presented to the industry at 

a large event where expert judges 

scored them. The prize included the 

winning dish being served in the 

university cafeteria. A very rewarding 

project that could be carried out 

without any facilities other than 

those already available at the 

university. When they need specialized 

equipment, they went where they 

already exist, fostering collaboration 

between companies and institutions 

within the industry. “That’s the kind of 

project that we can do at the university 

and it’s innovative in its design and 

delivery”, summarizes Debra. 

Educating the public through 

communication 

This original approach to innovation 

has a second part that goes beyond 

academia. “It is a very different way 

of thinking about innovation and it’s 

looking at communication and public 

education”, Debra Hellbach tells 

WeAreAquaculture. VIU’s Centre for 

Seafood not only contributes with 

ideas for value-added products like 

the one in the example just explained- 

something Debra herself acknowledges 

that, in normal times, is not in the 

industry’s best interest because “they 

can sell everything they have without 

investing further into that value-added 

processing -“. The CSI also provides a 

space where students, industry, and 

the general public can “break bread 

together”, a space to talk to people 

while they eat and stimulate some 

discussion. 

Let’s go back to the oyster example. 

At the lunch dedicated to them, they 

had an oyster farmer talking about 

the challenges he faces in the industry 

while lunch attendees – “residents 

that are a little bit negative about the 

industry because of some of the garbage 

that they see” – listened. “At the end 

of the day, there was more mutual 

understanding between the two and 

that’s how you get support for both 

ways”, Debra explains, and adds, “the 

industry has to understand what the 

residents are concerned about and vice 

versa”. They’ve talked about – and 

tasted – oysters, seaweed, sturgeon… 

any seafood product has a place in 

this project. It’s all about sharing 

together. “The idea was to improve 

relations between the local residents, 

shellfish, aquaculture companies, 

and the university itself. And we also 

wanted to provide experiential learning 

opportunities for the students. We 

had 100% participation every time”. 

Gradually, the success of these events 

has spread, and the industry has 



spread, and the industry has shown 

increasing interest. Debra boasts, 

energetic team members like Olivia 

Alexander, a marine scientist with a 

passion for public education, are her 

secrets to this success. 

At one point in our talk, Debra 

Hellbach tells us, “I’m sure everybody 

knows the way to someone’s heart is 

through their stomach. Well, I think 

the way to people’s brains is through 

their stomachs as well”. We said 

it at the beginning, she is a born 

communicator, “a food evangelist”, 

who is always thinking of ways to 

spread the word about seafood. “We 

need to educate people about how 

important food is and how aquaculture 

provides sustainable solutions. But we 

have to do it through entertainment 

education because people don’t listen 

to facts and figures”, she says. Debra 

believes that to really reach the 

public you have to entertain. These 

“Let’s Talk Seafood” events are both 

entertaining and highly educational. 

“People need food. And linking them 

to where their food comes from is 

really important for the industry”, she 

claims. “I think the industry is not very 

good at communicating and that’s why 

I went into communications because I 

didn’t understand why people don’t get 

it. From a facts and figures standpoint, 

it makes so much sense to shift to 

aquaculture. But people don’t get that. 

So, how do we communicate 

better?”. 

So, how do we communicate better?”. 

Putting a face to the industry 

When she talks about communication 

and education, Debra is passionate. 

She knows that her work matters, 

that something as seemingly simple 

as changing an MBA case study and 

putting a food company at the center 

of the project can change the future. 

“If a few more people like me would 

work with universities in any country, 

and just get them to change their case 

studies, we can influence thousands of 

people about the importance of the food 

industry”, she states. So, when we talk 

about the future, she recognizes that 

the challenge for the CSI is as basic 

as surviving. They have funding for 

the first three years and can cover 

the overhead, but how do they cover 

the cost of labor and develop their 

capacity to address problems without 

narrowing the focus? To be selfsufficient, 

that is their challenge. 

As for the seafood industry in 

general, if you focus on the 

projections about seafood 


Photo 

Culinary students at Vancouver 

Island University’s Centre for 

Seafood Innovation. 



consumption increasing globally, 

according to Debra, there are lots 

of opportunities but also lots of 

challenges. Climate change, labor, 

regulatory complexities – primarily 

in British Columbia, where “the 

regulatory issues are mind-boggling 

and hinder the future of aquaculture” 

right now -, and the negative public 

perception are all huge issues that 

the industry has to work on. While 

admitting that she may be wrong 

about the public’s perception 

among the sector’s main challenges, 

the Manager at Vancouver Island 

University Centre for Seafood 

Innovation insists on its importance. 

“We’re not going to get support if we 

don’t have public support. And so that 

is an area where I’m concentrating 

a lot. Any applied research that we 

do, we will attach communications 

components to that, so people 

understand that that’s what we’re 

doing”, she claims. 

“Putting a face to the industry is really 

important”, she continues, and not 

just from, shall we say, an external 

point of view. We were talking about 

labor as one of the main challenges. Debra 

is convinced that the industry’s problems 

in attracting labor are also related to 

its public perception. In her opinion, 

reducing it just to wages is a mistake, it 

would be good to do some research on 

the labor side and find out what can be 

done. “You have to make it interesting and 

make people proud to work in this area”, 

she says. “There are plenty of examples 

of other industries that have taken boring 

jobs and turned them into good jobs. And 

why don’t we look into that? Why don’t 

we look at other industries and figure out 

how we can do it better?”, she wonders. 

And she answers herself: “Because just 

like other people, the industry frames 

things in a certain way. They have these 

preconceived pictures in their mind that 

this is how things are going to go and it’s 

very hard for them to see outside of that 

and that’s the only way we’re gonna solve 

these situations, we have to go outside of 

the box to figure out how to solve some of 

these problems”. 


Author 

Marta Negrete 

Gender 

equality: 

why is 

important 

“The responsibility falls on the companies. 

Employing directly into the sector and in 

early education,” Ashleigh Currie, Business 

Development Manager and Fish Health 

R&D at FiiZK. 

Photo 

Ashleigh Currie Business 

Development Manager and 

Fish Health R&D at FiiZK 

by FiiZK 

As in any other sector, 

we can all agree that 

gender equality only 

brings wealth and 

prosperity to all agents. It has been a 

long journey and it is still necessary. 

Although prudently we can say that 

the world mentality has begun to 

change. 

It is beginning to be an almost 

popular belief that the prosperity 

of humanity is only possible if we 

have the presence of women in all 

aspects of professional life. Also 

in aquaculture, more women are 

graduating and specializing in this 

sector. Women are starting to get 

more qualified jobs. Besides, we can 

almost glimpse full parity at the end 

of the tunnel. 

Even so, women in aquaculture 

still find it difficult to participate in 

large-scale aquaculture production, 

post-harvest industrial, and valueaddition 

processes. Positions of 

owners, managers, and executives in 

larger enterprises should have more 

women presence. 


programs and internships/apprenticeships 

to detail the range of positions available 

within this sector.” 

Moreover, Julie Elise Trovaag, who enjoys 

a position as a trainee at BioMar, thinks is 

good the improvement of the gender gap. 

“However, is still far from the equality that 

we should aim to reach,” she states. 

Improving little by little 

We should remember that, according 

to The State of World Fisheries and 

Aquaculture published in 2016 by 

FAO, “in the period 2005–2014, the 

quality and frequency of reporting 

on engagement by gender improved 

slowly. It is estimated that, overall, 

women accounted for more than 19% 

of all people directly engaged in the 

fisheries and aquaculture primary 

sector in 2014”. 

For all these reasons, we have asked 

two women who are leading the way 

in this regard, for their opinion on 

the actual scenario and how they look 

up to the near future. 

“The statistics are disappointing, 

but not surprising. I hope that the 

period from 2014 to date shows a 

more positive outlook for women 

joining this sector,” Ashleigh Currie, 

Business Development Manager 

and Fish Health R&D at FiiZK, says. 

“The responsibility falls on the 

companies. Employing directly into 

the sector and in early education. 

Also, implementing careers advisory 

About the reason why women’s 

participation in aquaculture and fisheries 

is often not so visible, Currie notes: “I 

believe that there may have been a culture 

that pertains to the fact that women 

cannot do manual, cage-side work. Also, 

there isn’t flexibility when it comes to 

raising a family. Unfortunately, this is still 

very much perceived as a woman’s job”. 

“However, I know lots of women working 

in the sector. But possibly not in as many 

senior roles. “That’s where attention is 

required to investigate how we encourage 

women to go for the top jobs,” she advises. 


Common 

challenges 

It is always worth knowing which has been 

the biggest challenge women usually face in 

this sector. Thereby, we can learn and act 

accordingly in future situations. Regarding 

this, Currie mentions that sometimes older 

men who had been working in the industry 

for a long time do not take into account the 

visibility of young women. 

primary school. I spoke to the children about 

my career as a marine biologist in the fish 

farming industry. These types of activities 

are vital to encourage all individuals. Regardless 

of gender, ethnicity, age or social 

background, sexual orientation or education 

consider this sector as a career choice.” 

In the same line, Julie encourages young 

women like her to benefit from an industry 

that gives “exciting job opportunities and 

experiences”. 

Photo 

Julie at BioMar’s feed plant at 

Myre, Norway 

by Frode Gabrielsen 

“Fortunately, in my experience, it didn’t happen 

often. But when it did, it highlighted how 

much more women need to fight to be treated 

as an equal. On a positive note, many more 

males pushed for me to succeed. So, I must 

highlight that in my case the prejudice that I 

experienced was minor”, she recognizes. 

Further, Trovaag adds: “So far, I have had 

a warm welcome as a woman in the seafood 

industry. However, I have heard about 

situations where women have experienced 

prejudices related to physical work. So, there 

is still a way to go.” 

Currie thinks the best way is by talking about 

their experiences and being part of mentoring 

programs. “Such as the one run by WiSA, 

which I was involved in as a mentor in 2020 

and educational visits”. She continues: “A 

couple of years ago, I visited my nephew’s 



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Why the 

future of “blue 

revolution” 

concerns all of 

us 


Photo 

Wesley Malcorps – 

University of Stirling 

Author 

Rocio Álvarez Jiménez 

WeAreAquaculture talks with promising researchers 

and young professionals who are putting efforts 

into not only making the blue revolution a 

reality but keeping us proud of it. 

Probably, sometimes we forget the 

importance of water not only for 

human beings but for any living 

species. Apart from all its basic 

functions, our food grows thanks to water. It 

carries our waste away and supports almost 

all of our productive activities. 

According to World Water Development 

Report (WWDR), around 14% of the water 

is only used for domestic tasks (drinking, 

cooking, washing, etc.). On the other hand, 

70% is used for growing food and fiber. The 

remaining 16% is used for industrial and 

energy purposes. 

From here comes into play the important 

work of aquaculture that is rapidly overtaking 

traditional fishing. Through this blue 

revolution, we can adapt production to reach 

food safety, sustainability, and environmental 

awareness. 

Moreover, consumer mentality is also 

changing. A 2018 GlobeScan study of 25,810 

consumers in 22 countries said 70% of 

respondents are increasingly demanding 

independent, third-party verification of 

sustainability in supermarkets from seafood 

products. 

So, how can we assure that this 

process is going in the right direction? 

WeAreAquaculture has contacted some of 

the most promising researchers and young 


professionals who are putting all their desire 

and efforts into not only making the blue 

revolution a reality but keeping us proud of it. 

is still active in other work related to the 

utilization of aquaculture processing byproducts. 

The Green Aquaculture Intensification in 

Europe 

Wesley Malcorps, an expert in aquaculture, 

sustainability, and circular economy 

and Ph.D. researcher at the Institute of 

Aquaculture, University of Stirling, has shared 

with us the details of the Green Aquaculture 

Intensification in Europe (GAIN). 

That is the reason why he advises focusing 

more on a re-evaluation of the potential. 

So, the supply of marine ingredients from 

under-utilized by-product resources can 

be increased. “It is crucial to accelerate the 

circular economy in the aquaculture industry 

in Europe and beyond”, Malcorps concludes. 

Blue Food Assessment 

GAIN is designed to support the sustainable 

growth of European (EU+EEA) aquaculture. 

Malcorps’s main focus is the strategic 

utilization of fish by-products, life cycle 

assessment (LCA), and value chain analysis 

(VCA). 

He has found that a large proportion of 

commonly farmed species were being 

routinely wasted in industrial and household 

processing. As examples, are Atlantic salmon, 

European sea bass, gilthead sea bream, 

common carp, and turbot. 

“Although fish by-products don’t sound 

appetizing, they are full of goodness and can 

be used for many purposes. Including in food 

supply and diet supplements,” he explains. 

It makes sense that if we achieve a “blue 

revolution” it will be more possible to access 

the also desired “blue food”. What we know 

as “blue foods” derive from aquatic animals, 

plants, or algae. To better manage the blue 

food sector, we need to collect more detailed 

data on production, consumption, and trade. 

For this reason, the Blue Food Assessment 

initiative was born. Through periodic 

research and reports, it aims to fulfill the 

understanding of the role blue foods play in 

global food systems. For later, inform and 

drive change in the policies and practices. 

According to the international joint initiative, 

the demand for “blue food” is expected to 

roughly double by 2050. 

Therefore, he adds: “The results show a 

substantially higher total flesh yield (64–77%) 

can be achieved if fish are fully processed. 

Compared with fillet only (30–56%), as is often 

the case.” 

Despite the GAIN project being finished, he 


Furthermore, without a shadow of a 

doubt places aquaculture expansion is the 

main supplier of this fact. Thus, supports 

sustainable aquaculture operations that 

“actively mitigate environmental risks and 

optimize for sustainable feeds”. 

The Blue Food Assessment brings together 

more than 100 leading researchers from 

more than 25 institutions around the world. 

Stanford University’s Center for Ocean 

Solutions and Center on Food Security 

and the Environment and the Stockholm 

Resilience Centre at Stockholm University are 

lead science partners. 

“The global food system is failing billions of 

people,” says assessment co-chair Rosamond 

Naylor, the William Wrigley Professor of Earth 

System Science at Stanford. “Blue foods can 

play a critical role in improving nutrition, 

livelihoods, and ecosystems,” he insists. 

The role of the companies 

Just as important, companies must realize 

that they are not only places to work but also 

continuous learning centers. There, both 

employers and employees can continue to 

develop and make the change possible. 

A good example is Biomar which organizes, 

along with NCE Seafood Innovation Cluster, 

trainee gatherings. The gatherings provide 

an insight into the seafood industry’s value 

chain, research and innovation, circular 

economy, and new value chains. 

Also, Benchmark Genetics gives in these 

meetings an overview of what is happening 

within breeding and genetics. Besides, how 

important this is for further fish health, 

welfare, and production. A total of 24 trainees 

with backgrounds in economics, technology, 

and biology attended the gatherings. 

In this regard, we asked Julie Elise Trovaag, 

a BioFarm Specialist at Biomar now, who 

enjoyed a traineeship in the same company. 

Nonetheless, she entered the industry when 

she was 16 years old with no experience she 

confirms she felt “very welcome”. 


“My combined practical and academic background helped me 

in professional terms when I got my first full-time job after my 

studies. Also, my practical background is helpful in my job in 

terms of understanding the customers (farmers) better,” she 

explains. 

Finally, she highlights the importance of these initiatives: “I think 

companies with a high focus on both integrity and sustainability 

will be attractive to young people. Additionally, trainee programs 

are attractive to young people – especially those that are made 

specifically for the industry.” 

Age doesn’t matter 

It is more than obvious that the new generations are 

indispensable agents in this matter. Although we should not 

leave aside the people that are already part of the industry. This 

is the reason why companies like Mowi offer specific courses in 

aquaculture to their staff. 

The Modern Apprenticeship in Aquaculture has been designed 

to cover all aspects of aquaculture. Namely, that staff can tailor it 

to make it as relevant to their role as possible. It comes following 

a successful pilot of a 16-week NQ (National Qualification) in 

Maritime and Aquaculture skills, also offered by West Highland 

College UHI. 

In short, Donald Waring, Learning and Development Manager, 

commented: “This new program is a significant part of the 

training we are looking to enhance at Mowi. The beauty of a 

Modern Apprenticeship is that it is vocational, on-the-job training. 

Everything is carried out in the workplace with no requirement to 

go into college.” 


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