BioMar Reports Volume Increase of 12% in Q1 2025

Aquaculture feed company BioMar recently released its first quarter results for 2025, showing record high volumes for the quarter, combined with solid earnings. 

According to the report, BioMar increased its volumes across all segments by 12% year-on-year. Regarding feed volumes, salmon increased by 7%, selected species went up by 13%, and shrimp increased by 24%, mainly driven by its business in Ecuador.

“I am pleased to conclude that every segment experienced growth in both volume and revenue. In 2024, we intensified our efforts on product mix and commercial excellence..."

Sens. Booker and Sullivan Introduce Keep Finfish Free Act Banning Fish Farms in US EEZ

Yesterday, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) introduced the Keep Finfish Free Act, bipartisan legislation that would prohibit federal agencies from issuing any permit or taking any other action to authorize or facilitate commercial finfish aquaculture operations in the U.S. EEZ, unless Congress passes future legislation explicitly authorizing such permits.

If the title sounds familiar, it’s because a near-identically titled House Resolution was introduced in early 2021 by Representative Don Young of Alaska, a Republican. It, too, was bipartisan...

Japan: Alternative Protein Market to Grow by 20% in 2030, Cultured Fish Meat Market Also in Sight

Market research company Fuji Keizai recently investigated the market size of sustainable foods and related equipment. According to its press release and reporting by Minato Shimbun, Fuji Keizai calculated the domestic market size for alternative protein foods—including cultured fish meat and microalgae—as 123.9 billion yen ($871.35 million) for 2024, predicting an increase of 18.9% by 2030, amounting to 147.3 billion yen ($1.035 billion).

Fuji Keizai also estimates that manufacturing equipment and systems, including land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS)... 

Ace Aquatec Appoints New CFO

Ace Aquatec appointed Alan MacLeod as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) on April 4, 2025, replacing the aquaculture company’s previous CFO, Duncan Montgomery, who was appointed back in 2021.

MacLeod has more than 20 years’ experience in various financial leadership roles across technology, construction, energy, and oil and gas settings. His most recent position was a director within the advisory section at investment firm N4 Partners. Before that, MacLeod was CFO and board director at asset management company Allrig.

“Joining Ace Aquatec at such a pivotal time in its growth journey is incredibly exciting..."

Tom Taylor Appointed Executive Director of Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) announced that Tom Taylor has been appointed as its new executive director, effective March 24.

Taylor will take the helm of ACFFA with over two and a half decades of experience in the aquaculture industry. The ACFFA described Taylor as a “highly regarded seafood industry leader who brings extensive expertise in fish farming operations.”

Previously, Taylor has worked with multiple industry boards, including as chair of the board of directors of ACFFA since 2018...

Nordic Halibut Secures Processing Deal with Pure Norwegian Seafood

Nordic Halibut (NOHAL) signed a deal with Pure Norwegian Seafood (PNS) to allow the halibut farmer to use PNS’ processing facilities at Averøy.

The two firms also entered into an agreement that will see PNS’ principal shareholder, Masoval, according to which NOHAL is allowed to purchase 100% of the shares in PNS. The deal's price was not made public and is subject to the agreement between Masoval and other minority shareholders of PNS.

Nordic Halibut said the processing facility is key to scaling up production volumes in the coming years...

BioMar Acquires Full Ownership of Norwegian Research Center to Boost Aquaculture R&D

Aquaculture feed company BioMar has acquired full ownership of LetSea, a fish farming research center in Norway.

BioMar said it has taken over the remaining shares from KapNor and the move “reinforces (its) position as a global leader in research and development for fish feed and strengthens its innovation capacity within aquaculture feed solutions.

After partnering for years, BioMar said it can advance its work on waterborne feeding, developing feed ingredients and its work to improve fish performance, health and welfare...

Grieg Seafood Completes Successful Placement of Perpetual Green Hybrid Bond

On February 27, 2025, British Columbian (B.C.) salmon farmer Grieg Seafood ASA announced the successful placement of a new perpetual green hybrid bond issue of NOK 2 million ($177.6 million) with a first call date after four years.

Bond details

Proceeds for the bond—which has a coupon, or interest rate, of three months at a Norwegian Inter-Bank Offer Rate (NIBOR) of 5.75%—will go towards financing Grieg’s green projects, as further defined by the Green Bond Framework.

Among its financial activities will be the refinancing of existing...

NWAA Sues Washington DNR Over Commercial Net Pen Ban, Citing Flawed Rulemaking

The Northwest Aquaculture Alliance (NWAA) filed a lawsuit against Washington State’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for its ban of commercial finfish net pen aquaculture in state waters.

NWAA President, Jim Parsons, said DNR, led by its former Lands Commissioner, “Conducted a predetermined and inadequate rulemaking process that ignored the best-available science and ignored the intent of the State Legislature when it set forth a new law allowing for the production of native species in commercial net pens...

Dunleavy Proposes New Legislation to Allow Finfish Farming in Alaska

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy introduced legislation that, if passed, would allow finfish farming in inland, closed-system bodies of water. The move would end, at least in part, the state's 35-year ban on fish farming.

The bill, HB 111, doesn’t allow salmon farming and prohibits the cultivation of pink, chum, sockeye, coho, chinook, and Atlantic salmon. It also requires that all finfish be sterilized so they wouldn’t be able to reproduce if an escape occurred.

Furthermore, the legislation requires any potential farm to be enclosed within a natural...

Ecuadorian Shrimp Companies Unite Under “Ecuador First Class Shrimp” Brand to Expand Global Reach

Ecuadorian shrimp companies have adopted the “Ecuador First Class Shrimp” brand as they look to promote the 60-year industry at trade shows and beyond.

The new brand, created with the help of Ecuador’s National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA), aims to tell the industry's story. It focuses on characteristics like sustainability, quality, and innovation.

The Ecuador First Class Shrimp brand will be on display at the upcoming Seafood Expo North America show and was on display at some trade shows...

Mowi Fish Farm Loses 27,000 Salmon in Storm-Related Incident

The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries (Fiskeridirektoratet) said 27,000 farmed salmon escaped from a Mowi site in Storvika Vest in Troms this past weekend.

Mowi Seawater Norway AS reported an escape incident on the night of February 9, where a cage was damaged during a storm. The directorate was on site to carry out inspections to begin the week and supervise according to typical procedures.

The fish in the cage in question have been moved and counted, and the company estimates that approximately...

2025 Awards Announced for Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation

The Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation (KGASF) recently announced its 2025 aquaculture scholarships, with awards going to four Indigenous students, all of whom represent federally recognized Tribes.

The KGASF was established in honor of Kurt Grinnell, a Native American leader from the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe in Washington State. Grinnell viewed aquaculture as a solution to Tribal food security, and Indigenous reconciliation and wellbeing.

Through the annual scholarship program, the Foundation provides financial assistance to Tribal and First Nations students who wish to pursue careers in aquaculture and natural resources...

Shrimp Farmers in India Cite Struggles as Vannamei Seed Prices Rise

Vannamei shrimp seed prices have risen of late, causing headwinds for shrimp farmers in India, according to media reports.

The New Indian Express reported that shrimp seed prices in the Nellore region have been driven up by increased demand for high-quality seed and broodstock. Nellore is in Andhra Pradesh, the main hub for Vannamei shrimp production in India.

The publication noted that farmers have become uncertain about the profitability of shrimp farming as seed prices rise daily. As a result, the farmers...

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Lands First Trout Salmon Harvest, Aims for Future Sales of JPY 10 Billion

According to a recent press release from Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI), the company has developed a sustainable aquaculture system that aims to contribute to food security, promoting the system as part of the "MINATOMAE" project.

As a step toward commercializing this project, KHI conducted the test landing of a trout salmon cultivation in the waters of Kobe Port on April 24. The landing was successful, and approximately 850 fish were cultivated (with an average size of two kilograms per fish)...

Onda Receives Ignition Fund Grant for Aquaculture Project to Develop Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits

According to a press release published on April 15 by Canadian research organization Onda, the company was recently awarded grant funding from the Ignition Fund to support the development of rapid diagnostic test kits designed to improve disease detection and management in aquacultural operations.

Onda specializes in aquaculture health, nutrition, and innovation and will utilize the funding to advance its work in creating user-friendly, field-deployable diagnostic kits. The rapid detection of harmful pathogens will enable aquaculture producers to detect diseases early on, proactively address biomass...

Cooke Aquaculture Chile Challenges Court-Ordered Production Suspension

Cooke Aquaculture Chile, the Chilean salmon farming arm of Canadian seafood company Cooke, was ordered to suspend operations at nine of its farming sites for one production cycle, per various local media reports.

The company rejected the fine and said that the roughly $37,000 penalty was “disproportionate” as it stemmed from an alleged delay of providing statistical information by one or two days, according to the publication Salmonexpert.

Cooke clarified that the authority's requirement that the data be submitted weekly was fulfilled, as established by current regulations...

Ecuador’s SSP Celebrates Seven Years of Shrimp Sustainability

The Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP) is celebrating its seventh anniversary as a global benchmark entity for responsible shrimp production.

SSP is comprised of leading shrimp producers in Ecuador’s booming shrimp farming sector, which currently dominates the global shrimp market.

“Leading by example has not only been a strategic foundation but also our greatest source of learning,” said SSP Director Pamela Nath, commemorating another year since the organization’s 2018 founding.

The Partnership’s certification program plays a vital role in how the SSP moves the needle on shrimp farming. At its core, SSP certification...

Chile’s Salmon Council Signs 50-Year Plan to Promote the Salmon Farming Development Board

The signing took place within the framework of the first session of the 50-year Salmon Plan.  

The Salmon Council participated in the formation and signing of the commitment of the "Table for the Development of Salmon Farming".  

The author of the initiative is the mayor of Puerto Montt, Rodrigo Wainraihgt. His plan, with many others in the area as well as public agencies, private companies, and NGOs, is to establish a strategy for the sustainable development of salmon farming in the future...

Senator Cassidy Urges Treasury to Block Funding for Foreign Shrimp Farms

The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA), an organization representing the domestic shrimp industry, commended a recent letter from US Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who called on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to block taxpayer dollars from financing foreign shrimp aquaculture projects.

Cassidy, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, urged the Treasury Department to “take all necessary actions to prevent any future funding of shrimp aquaculture development, which would exacerbate the financial crisis facing U.S. shrimpers.”

According to the letter, Ecuadorian shrimp producers and exporters...

Oregon Considers Following in Washington’s Footsteps with Aquaculture Legislation

The Oregon Legislature is considering a bill that would ban open water finfish aquaculture, a move some say is a preemptive strike based on Washington’s ban last year. 

House Bill 2965 sets requirements for raising fish as food for humans and creates a related fund for managing those efforts.  

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Mark Gamba, a Democrat from the Portland metropolitan area and co-sponsored by other Democrats. The first hearing on the bill was held on Wednesday this week, in the Committee on Agriculture, Land Use...

Alaska House Leaders Oppose Governor’s Plan to Allow Fish Farms, Dunleavy Responds in Video

The debate over whether to lift a 35-year ban on fish farms in Alaska continued yesterday. On Friday, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy proposed HB111, which would keep the ban on salmon farming but allow Alaskans to raise other finfish, in closed water systems, potentially for sale. 

Yesterday, Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, and House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, issued a written statement after reading the bill.

“Alaska’s commercial fishing industry, our coastal communities, and fishing families across the state are suffering through historically...

Okamura Foods to Triple Trout Farming by 2030 with JPY 19 Billion Investment

According to the Minato Shimbun report, Okamura Foods of Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture, has announced a plan to invest 19 billion yen ($12.52 million) in capital investments, mainly aquaculture, over the next six years, from this fiscal year to the fiscal year ending June 2030, when the company will have increased domestic trout farming production by 3.4 times the current fiscal year’s forecast, amounting to a total of 12,000 tons. This is according to the company’s medium-term management goals, which Okamura Foods announced on February...

Salmon Evolution Achieves Record Harvest and Strong Financial Results in Q4 2024

Salmon Evolution said it generated NOK 149.5 million ($13.3 million) in revenues for the final quarter of 2024, translating into a group EBITDA of NOK 9.2 million and a Farming EBITDA of NOK 15.3 million.

“We are very pleased by ending 2024 with a new harvest record and strong KPIs, highlighting the significant milestones we have achieved the last 12 months”, CEO of Salmon Evolution, Trond Håkon Schaug-Pettersen said. “2024 have further strengthened our position as the leading land-based salmon farmer globally...

Cermaq Norway’s Top Executive Knut Ellekjær Steps Down After Eight Years

The top executive of Cermaq’s Norwegian operations decided to leave the company after eight years at the helm. 

Salmon farmer Cermaq announced that Knut Ellekjær would step down as head of Cermaq Norway’s operations, with Kristin Hurum set to take over. 

"After 8 years, it is the right time to pass the baton on. It has been fantastic years in a strong, committed and competent organization, with major investments, and doubling of volume and turnover with a clearer responsible profile. We have designed and are now launching a new...

Innovasea Introduces New Seabream Algorithm for Biomass Solution

Innovasea, a global leader in technologically advanced aquatic solutions for aquaculture and fish tracking, announced today the first commercially available seabream algorithm for biomass estimation.

This algorithm, part of Innovasea’s AI-powered biomass solution, BiomassPro, was rigorously tested and proven to deliver over 95% accuracy in real-time with gilthead seabream weight estimations for Aquafrais Cannes. Located off the coast of France, Aquafrais Cannes has been a leader in French aquaculture for over 35 years, advancing sustainable methods for growing high-quality seabream and sea bass...