CAT, which was previously owned by from Linnaeus Capital Partners, currently operates two laboratories: its research hub in San Diego, California, and state-of-the-art wet lab facilities including BSL 3 containment for aquatic animal pathogens, located on Prince Edward Island in Canada.
© CAT
It has close ties with a number of aquaculture firms and recently signed an agreement to use its patented sterility technology in AquaBounty salmon. And its main areas of expertise include genetic improvement as well as facilitating the commercial development of innovative feed and health management products and services.
Dr John Buchanan, CEO of CAT, commented: “We look forward to working within Cuna del Mar, a fund that clearly sees the potential for growth in the aquaculture industry.”
Cuna del Mar's aquaculture portfolio includes Sol Azul - Mexico's leading oyster producer; InnovaSea, which is known for its sumbersible geodesic Aquapods; OpenBlue, the Panamanian offshore cobia producer; and Earth Ocean Farms, which uses AquaPods in offshore locations in Mexico.
Robert Orr, the fund’s managing director, added: “Cuna del Mar is very pleased to be acquiring the CAT operations in the USA and Canada. CAT has a tremendously talented team of people with unique capabilities, who are dedicated to making a difference for our customers and the industry as a whole. We are excited about the possibilities the future holds for this business.”
CAT now says it looks forward to working with other companies within the CDM portfolio and to expanding its contract research capacity.
