LATIN AMERICA REPORT
Latin America Report: Recent News and Events By: Aquaculture Magazine Staff *
Venezuela seeks to propel national aquaculture The government is working to make Venezuela a fishing and aquaculture power house, and in this way is aiming to optimize the distribution of seafood to the population. To achieve these goals, President Nicolás Maduro, announced the appointment of Gilberto Pinto as Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, with the mission to boost national fish production, reports PrenzaLatina. According to the president, Mr. Pinto, who served as Commander General of the Bolivarian Navy, as well as deputy to the National Assembly for the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, will be responsible for making Venezuela a leader in fishing and aquaculture in the Caribbean. Mr. Maduro said that the development will not only enhance fishing activity but will also promote aquaculture on a large scale in landlocked states. Skretting invests $US6.1 million in construction of new shrimp research facility in Ecuador The new facility, named Skretting ARC Guayas Research Station, will be located next to the recently completed Skretting Ecuador feed manufacturing plant. The new R&D facility, centrally coordinated by Skretting ARC in Norway, will comprise fully equipped laboratories and state-of-the art experimental units to carry out trials under controlled conditions. In addition, green-water tanks will ensure maximum applicability under production conditions. “We are committed to supporting the growth of the shrimp industry globally,” says Alex Obach, Skretting 64 »
R&D Director. “We also know the importance of optimal diets, combined with high post-larvae quality and professional farming practices. The development of solutions requires worldclass R&D facilities, combined with local expertise.” Carlos Miranda, Skretting LatAm General Manager says, “In Ecuador, Skretting is recognised by our customers for our high performance diets and expert technical service, including our Skretting 360+ program. We have best-in-class feed facilities, supported by the best R&D; not to mention a world-class genetics program together
with Hendrix Genetics and supported by Nutreco. However, we do not rest. We are serious about our commitment to drive the Ecuadorian shrimp industry further and help our clients deliver to the most demanding global shrimp markets.” Skretting ARC currently has research facilities in Norway, Italy, Japan, Chile and China, and additional validation facilities around the globe. With experts in the field of shrimp research, a team of 140 highly skilled specialists and an annual R&D investment of $18 million, Skretting ARC is perfectly positioned to drive innovation in the sector even further. “Over the years our scientists, together with our extensive research network, have contributed to the launch of important feed solutions for all the shrimp life stages,” continues Obach. “Now, we want to go further. This new world-class shrimp research facility will drive our knowledge of shrimp nutrition in Skretting and deliver new solutions to improve shrimp performance: faster growth, shorter production cycles and higher survival rates. We are excited to see where our curiosity takes us on the next part of our journey.”
APRIL-MAY 2021
