News Health Fish Vet Group goes global David Cox
FISH Vet Group (FVG) has announced the expansion of its aquaculture health services into the Ameri- cas and Scandinavia. The company, which launched its global presence at Aqua Nor, will position operations in Louisiana, Portland, Canada and Norway. In addition to providing expert advice on the use of its core products Sal- mosan and Virasure, FVG’s vets and scientists will provide independent, global aquacul- ture knowledge and expertise in the areas of health, clinical, environmental and auditing services to existing and devel- oping industries within the global fi sh supply chain.
Technical support for a growing industry Commenting on FVG’s global expansion, David Cox, Managing Director said, ‘Our expansion has been very much demand-led. We started out by providing veterinary health services for a number of fi sh farming operations based around the coast of Scotland, but over the last 15 years the production of farmed fi sh and shellfi sh has more than dou- bled around the world. Pres- sures on the use of land and
Expansion of the industry has created new health issues
water for farming have creat- ed new aquaculture health is- sues. We have been consulting extensively for governments, fi sh farmers and retail chains in Asia, which has around 90% of the global aquaculture industry, and more recently in Canada and the US. Since 2009, the number of fi sh and shellfi sh farms has increased in North America and Europe, but in relation to marine catch operations, caged fi sh farming still only represents a third of the fi sh consumed. Globally, this relatively young industry is in a strong period of growth. Demand is rising for intel- ligent, practical solutions and veterinary products and so we are moving closer to our customers.’
A sustainable future ‘While fi sh farming goes some way to alleviating the depletion of wild fi sh stocks, the conversion rate can be variable in some farmed spe- cies of fi sh,’ added David. ‘To help protect the biodiversity of the ocean, producers are starting to implement more sustainable farming methods, but because the industry is still relatively new, there are issues to be resolved. Farm- ing of herbivorous and fi lter feeders such as carp, catfi sh and tilapia in the US will soon contribute to the global supply of affordable animal protein,
but for the supply chain to be truly sustainable, solid part- nerships need to be fostered between industry experts, public and private sectors and consumers.
‘The requirement for trace- ability from farm to plate means that every stage of pro- duction needs to be managed ethically, economically and with environmental considera- tion. Through positioning our core scientifi c strengths at the heart of fi sh farming indus- tries, we aim to help large and small scale suppliers of catfi sh, shellfi sh and salmon understand and implement best practice in husbandry, feed, stocking levels, habitat, biosecurity, treatments and dealing with waste products, in order to develop healthy businesses that will support the growing population.’
Total health
‘Our priority has always been the health and care of fi sh. This extends to best prac- tice advice and training for all those involved in the fi sh and crustacean supply chain. We have updated our brand to refl ect our offering, employed local expertise and extended our resources to position ourselves as a global player. Needless to say, we are very excited about the opportuni- ties this expansion will bring,’ concluded David.
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