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54 | SUPPORTING INNOVATION

POWERING PROGRESS IN
AQUACULTURE THROUGH
TECHNOLOGY INSIGHT

With over 50% of the world’s seafood now sourced “To ensure that strategic investments guide the transition to
from aquaculture, this rapidly growing sector plays a blue economy, the idea is to innovate hand in hand, build
a pivotal role in global food security by supporting
livelihoods and alleviating the pressure on wild fish partnerships, harness science and cultivate transparency so
stocks. But as the industry expands, it creates that we can invest in this industry sustainably. According to
pollution and threatens resources. The urgent need the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), aquatic
to adopt a regenerative approach to aquaculture is no food production will continue to grow and is projected
longer in any doubt. to increase by 15% by 2030. Ensuring that aquaculture
production is sustainable from an environmental, social
The fourth panel of the day saw experts explore and economic point of view, while minimising its impact
innovative solutions that not only minimise the on ecosystems, guaranteeing social equality and adapting
environmental impact of aquaculture but, in the to the consequences of climate change is an enormous
words of Christo du Plessis, CEO of aquaculture firm challenge and we must make sure it’s done right, through
Matorka, “also enhance productivity and resilience in blue investments.”
the industry”. He presented his company’s pioneering
land-based fish farm in Grindavík, Iceland, where
production of Arctic char (a freshwater fish native Stéphanie Rakels
to the region) is fully integrated with the natural Chief Development Officer at AquaSpark
ecosystem and self-sustaining. It aims to become
carbon neutral thanks to clean geothermal electricity
and carefully controlled sustainable diets for the fish.

Sven Jørund Kolstø, CEO of OptoScale, presented
the connected technology developed by his company
to offer real-time measurements of fish weight and
health status, equipping salmon producers with the
tools they need to guarantee fish welfare, reduce
costs, lower their environmental footprint and optimise
operations. “Entrepreneurs must create sustainable
businesses to attract investment without regret”,
concluded the panellist. This view was echoed by
Alessandro Romano, CEO of Ittinsect, who described
his company’s journey from developing a sustainable,
high performance aquaculture feed by extracting
proteins from novel raw ingredients (insects,
microalgae and agricultural by-products) to seeing
the first fish fed on his product come to market:
“The blue economy is a virtuous circle at every level,
from production to sales, and supermarkets are an
important link in the chain for investors.”