Aquaculture is the world's fastest growing source of food production. With the world's population set to rise by 2.6 billion in the next 45 years, more food will be consumed in the next 50 years than in the whole of world history. Feeding the world will become our most important and pressing global priority.
Meeting this challenge will require a Blue Revolution to produce food from the worlds' waters.
One company that is proposing a concrete solution is AquaBounty Technologies, a biotech company focused on developing productivity enhancements for the commercial aquacultural industry.
They will be present at BioMarine in Halifax to discuss their lead product, AquAdvantage Salmon, a pioneering, genetically modified, fast growing Atlantic salmon that is currently undergoing regulatory review.
According to Henry C. Clifford, V.P., Marketing & Sales, AquaBounty Technologies, (USA, Canada): “A central objective to our primary mission is to demonstrate to seafood consumers and the general public that AquAdvantage Salmon is safe to consume and safe for the environment, especially when deployed under the conditions of use proposed by the FDA.”
He explained the overall mission of AquaBounty, “to utilize molecular biological tools as a platform or genetic improvement of important aquaculture species with the objective of enhancing traits of commercial importance, such as growth rate and time to market.
"Within that framework, we intend to demonstrate that when responsibly deployed, managed, and regulated, genetically engineered animals can play a safe and important role in sustainable global food production. Our overall mission is to meet the future demand for healthy sustainable foods by introducing innovative food production technologies.” Mr. Clifford expects to meet other like- minded individuals at BioMarine.
New investment, innovations, new technologies and a commitment on the part of the world business community will be necessary to meet the world's expanding food requirements.
Thad Simons, President and CEO of Novus International, Inc., a major supporter of BioMarine, states: “Novus will continue to grow as we expand our reach into key segments, in particular aquaculture. We will increase our footprint in key geographical regions, including Africa, Asia and South America. Finally, we will innovate, as we continue to seek optimal nutritional solutions that maximize health while improving business profitability for our customers.”
At the 2013 BioMarine Business Convention, his interest is: “In connecting with others who understand the long-term business potential of aquaculture and related markets. Additionally, I look forward to discussing the social implications of aquaculture as a means to achieve food security, improved quality of life and an environmentally responsible model for agriculture.”
In this vital transformation of the Blue economy, ensuring a responsible and sustainable regulatory framework is essential. It is currently made up of a patchwork of regulations and policies, often decades old.
Max T. Holtzman, Acting Deputy Under Secretary MRP (Marketing and Regulatory Programs) and Senior Advisor to the Secretary, United States Department of Agriculture, leads the US delegation to BioMarine. and he will participate in the debate on Aquaculture.
Mr. Holtzman advises the US Secretary of Agriculture in a number of areas including trade, biotechnology, public-private partnerships, international food security and aquaculture. He is the US Chairman of the North American Biotechnology Initiative, which includes the United States,
Canada and Mexico.
Some 300 leaders from business, science and government will meet in Halifax at the 2013 BioMarine Business Convention.
Other major delegations at BioMarine include Canada, France, Ireland, Monaco, Norway and Portugal. Participants come from North America and Europe, as well as Asia, Australia and South America.
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