Why Technology Holds the Key to the Evolution of the U.S. Aquaculture Industry

By Crystal Johnson, Business Development at Hatch.blue

The adoption of innovative technologies – particularly those related to novel feed ingredients and traceability in the seafood supply chain – are essential for the sustainable growth of the U.S. aquaculture sector.

Working for Hatch, a company that invests in innovative aquaculture technologies, has given me a unique insight into the wide range of emerging technologies that are being developed for the sector. And, having spent a lifetime in seafood, I’m very aware of how consumers are increasingly interested in the source of their seafood.

One of the most common criticisms facing the aquaculture sector is the level of wild fish that are used in aquafeeds. However, there has recently been an explosion in the number of novel feed ingredient producers – from single-cell proteins to microalgal oils. One of the most promising providers of such ingredients is Montana Microbial; they are on course to develop a facility capable of extracting high-grade proteins from one of U.S. agriculture’s traditional and most sustainably produced staples – barley.  Meanwhile, Veramaris has a plant in Nebraska on track to produce enough algal oil to account for 15 percent of the essential omega-3 oils EPA and DHA required by the global salmon sector each year.

Another area that technology is greatly improving aquaculture is by helping to drive transparency across the supply chain. This is critical when building consumer trust and, thankfully, there’s a whole range of new technologies available to ensure that seafood – be it farmed or wild – is fully traceable. The more transparent the best companies are, the greater the pressure will be on those lagging behind to raise their game, and the faster the industry-wide movement toward sustainability will be.

The Internet of Things has led to greater connectivity across the supply chain – meaning there’s more data to share and the cost of doing so has declined significantly.  Companies such as Tracio and Sea Warden are providing blockchain technology and data collection and predictive analytics to some of aquaculture’s most progressive producers to ensure that the consumer can trace the fish right back to the pen it was grown in and the food it was raised on.  

While global population growth must be mirrored by a growth in seafood production, this will not come from our wild stocks alone. A sustainable and tech-savvy aquaculture sector will be able to shoulder such a responsibility.