Offshore Mussel Farming Role of Research and Extension Cyr Couturier Research Scientist, Marine Institute [email protected] Macneill
Offshore Mussel FarmingRole of Research and Extension
Cyr CouturierResearch Scientist, Marine Institute
Macneill
About the Marine Institute
0
200000
400000
600000
800000
1000000
1200000
1400000
1600000
1800000
MT
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
Capture
Culture
Environmental capacity problems in Spain & China
Global mussel production 1984-2004Annual growth of 50,000 tonnes
Globefish 2005
Canada
North American mussel marketCanadian production (fresh and frozen) increasesteadily in spite of constraints....however....
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
1 2 3 4 5 6Year
Tonnes
Total
Canada
1992 1994 1996 1999 2000 2002 2004 2006
Source: ARA 1992, Tavel 1996, Mitchell 1998, IntraFish 2003, Gislason et al.
2006, Statscan 2008
2006 ~ 60,000 t
North American market less than 10% of European mussel market
In 2009, 55% of Canadian production was sold
domestically, 45% exported (US, Japan, other)
Canadian Fresh Mussel Exports by Country
United States
MarketsLocationCanadian mussel production
Canadian Mussel ProductionNewfoundland• 2,600 ha• 50 farmsPEI• 2,151 ha• >150 farmsNova Scotia• 2008 ha (?)• 116 farmsNew Brunswick• < 250 ha• <10 farmsQuebec• < 1,000 ha• < 10 farmsBritish Columbia• <100 t• < 10 farms
Totals: 8,000 ha - 24,000 t –400 farms, 2,000 employed (FT/PT) >$125 million to rural economy
500 km
Historical perspective on Atlantic musselIndustry developmentGeneric promotion in the 1990s enhanced marketsCombined with increases in production
To
nn
es
Canadian Mussel Production 1970-2005
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000
Year Source FAO
Research Development Commercialization
70 75 80 85 90 95 00
PEI mussel promo
Trends in Mussel Production:• Year round supply of live or value-added mussels
• Consolidation of industry / vertically integrated companies
• New product development• Adoption of Codes of Practice• Exceeding international
standards of food safety / quality(potential for 3rd party certification)
• Argue that value of industry NOT increasing at sustainable rate
Farm gate prices stable in spite of increasedproduction costs
Gislason et al. 2006
Estimated costs
Of production
(source: various)
The RDC Continuum
An Historical Perspective on Aquaculture Research, Development & Commercialization
The “Continuum”
Research Development / Precommercial Commercial
• Duration of R, D, C phases vary, but generally decline along the continuum
• 5-10 years “research” common in new areas e.g., Norway, Iceland• The level of “risk” diminishes along the continuum (more certainty)• There is an ongoing “development” component (feedback)in commercial production in order to remain competitive
5-10 YEARS 4-5 YEARS 2-3 YEARS
An Historical Perspective on Aquaculture Development & Commercialization
The “Continuum”
• Initial research $$ are comparatively small e.g., mussels• Development & precommercialization $$ risky, NEED public /
private partnerships (PPP)• Ongoing development / research $$ are needed from PPP• Commercial production is strictly a private initiative ………R and D phase may take 15 years in many cases before a true industry is established,even in existing species like mussels
$$ $$$$$ $$$$$$
Research Development / Precommercial Commercial
Newfoundland Mussel Industry Production Trends & Government Support for R and D
Catalized by an Industry Association following
Strategic planning efforts
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Year
To
nn
es
Source: DFA
1985 1990 1995 2000
MI / NAIA LARVAL PROGRAM
NAIA / MI MUSSEL
ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM
NAIA / MUN / MI ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM
ASP WORKING
CAPITAL
Farming methods
The Canadian Mussel AquacultureBusiness: Overview and Production StrategiesCyr Couturier, Marine Institute of Memorial University, March 2007
Macneill
Mussel farming
Continuous droppers
Single droppers
Open ocean, submerged longlines for shellfish – 1.5 km in length!
Open ocean submerged shellfish production:
Open ocean, surface longlines for shellfish –0.5 km in length!Headrope 15m below surface to avoid wave action and second set
Open ocean shellfish production:
Mussel harvesting & processing
Winter Harvesting PEI
Live holding
Product Types - Fresh
Macneill
Macneill
Product Types – Vacuum Packed / Frozen / MAP / Breaded / Smoked, Marinated, etc.
Secondary processing / Transformation secondaire (valeur ajouté)
Role of Research and Extension in Mussel Farming
Development
Research (experimentation):Operation designed to discover something; if applied will benefit industry
Extension:Information sharing, technology transfer, education & training in all aspects (markets, production, post-harvest, regulatory, etc.)
Examples of Industry Researchproduction related*:
• Seed supply• Larval and seed monitoring• Mussel health• Second set• Technology adaptation
* NOT intended to be comprehensive
Research and ExtensionSeed Supply
Newfoundland “Environments”
subarcticgulf
southern island
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Tem
pera
ture
(C
)
3579
111315171921232527293133
Sal
inity
(pp
t)
0
2
4
6
8
10
Chl
orop
hyll-
a (u
g/L)
2 metres
5 metres
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Charles Arm
Chlorophyll-a
Salinity
Temperature
NAIA Environmental Program
Research – production related:
• Larval and seed monitoring
Spat collection - Larval Monitoring Program
Larval sampling
Larval sampling
Collector deployment
Mussel Larval/Spat Prediction: fairly reliableSeed supply in existing farm areas
NEarly/Mid July
to Late July
Late June /Early July
Late July to
Early AugustMid JulyLate July
500 km_______Successful spatfall Spatfall timing
Mussel Larval/Spat Prediction: fairly reliableSeed supply in existing farm areas
Concrete Blocks mooring
Mussel spat collection area
Invasive species collectors
Horizontal Position (10cm x 10cm)
Main flotation –16” sub surface PVC float (yellow)
surface
Location marker – 16” surface PVC float (Yellow)
20 FT
6 FT
6 FT
Research and ExtensionSecond Set
Research – production related:
• Second set
Macneill
What is second set?An accumulation of unwanted mussels on existing mussel production lines
Couturier
Four strategies evaluated simultaneously:
• Influence of deployment depth
• Influence of socking density
• Influence of sock deployment time
• Influence of husbandry practices
Influence of initial density on second set:
• Initial density influences amount of second set
• Second set diminishes with depth
• Second set reduces mussel growth on production socks
• …….still evaluating biomass, condition and growth rates
Influence of collector deployment depth, timing, and site on second set:
• Depth reduces number of second set mussels
• Size of second set mussels reduced with depth
• Major settlement in July and August
• ……still evaluating monthly collector retrievals to pin point timing and depth of settlement
Influence of husbandry on second set:
• Adequacy of seed grading influences sock filling which in turn influences prevalence of second set
• Some areas use starfish to “reduce” second set (not recommended)
• On site grading at harvest and resocking being evaluated
Influence of husbandry on second set:
Inappropriate sockingleads to this
Influence of husbandry on second set:Uniform socking and seed grading minimizessecond set prevalence
Research and ExtensionHealth assessment for export
Research – production related:
• Mussel health
McGladdery
Results of mussel health study:
K. Moret
NFLD mussels healthy
SM
9
8 7
6
5
4 3 2
1
10 1114
12
13
Comprehensive Mussel Health Survey
McGladdery
Moret
Couturier
Couturier
Research and ExtensionHealth assessment for production
Research and ExtensionHealth assessment for production
Research and ExtensionHealth assessment for production
Research and ExtensionHealth assessment for production
Aesthetics and Quality Implications
Left (1)- Mottled Meat-Moderate, Mussels Centre (2-5) Normal, Right (6)- MottledMeat-Severe
Moret
Research and ExtensionTechnology adaptation
Research – costs of production related
• Extension advice• New technologies• Quality initiatives – e.g., guide, handling, etc
Eider deterrent
Research – costs of production related
• Extension advice
Practical Guide for Mussel FarmingBest Practices
March 2000
By Christopher Brown, Cyr Couturier, Jay Parsons, Jason Nichols, Alistair Struthers, Sean Macneill, Miranda Pryor, Kelly Moret, and Tony Zokvic
Marine Institute of Memorial UniveristyCentre for Aquaculture and Seafood DevelopmentP.O. Box 4920, St. John’s, NF, Canada A1C 5R3
With funding by the Aquaculture Component of the Economic Renewal Agreement, the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation, the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association, the Department of Fisheries
and Aquaculture and the Marine Institute of Memorial University
A B C
D
E
F
G
H
500 m
80 m
Seed grading: demonstratedenhanced socking by 2-4X. Reduced
socking costs by 50% at least, aswell as improved product quality
(yield) and reduced growout
Research – costs of production related
• New technologies
Adaptation of continuous culture methodsresults in further 50% reduction in cost of production
S. Macneill
Continuous loop sock
Site layout conforms to CEAA
Mussel Responses to SockingJ. Bertrand (1999):
• Occasionally new products introduced to industry
• One such product included socking material that is woven, not extruded
• Noticed large losses of mussels post-deployment
• Sock deterioration about one year later
Atelier sur les indicateurs de stress, le 24-26 fev. 2003, Qc
Mussel Responses to SockingJ. Bertrand (1999):
New socking
Traditional socking
Mussel Responses to SockingJ. Bertrand (1999) conclusions:
• Lubricant in new woven socking might account for loss of mussels post-seeding
• Lubricant altered mussel response behaviour signficantly, in a fashion similar to hydrocarbon effects such as naphthalene
Research – costs of production related
• Quality advice
Research and ExtensionOptimizing production and processing
Mussel Water Loss
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Hours
% L
oss
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 68 72
Chill Room 4C32% meat yield
25% weight loss first 24 hours
Developped methods to reduce drip loss & enhance return to growers
Quality related issues (not food safety):
Mycotic shell infections
PEI cultivated mussels Byssal thread fouling
Shell colouration
MacNeill
MacNeill
Bacterial discolouration
Research and Extension
Research and Extension
Research and Extension
Research and Extension
Research and Extension
Research and Extension
Conclusions
1. Ongoing R and D required to maintain competitiveness
2. Extension support crucial3. Market access constraints will
drive the agenda for R and D