Industry analysis

At a time when the shrimp sector shows signs of increasing consolidation, Gorjan Nikolik prepares to speak to some of the key architects of the industry's biggest mergers and acquisitions.

Global shrimp production is forecast to reach 5.7 million tonnes this year and 6.1 million next – up from 5.4 million in 2023 – according to Erwin Termaat, shrimp analyst at Kontali.

The global salmon sector has been experiencing one of the most challenging periods for many years, with production issues in Norway and Chile being particularly acute.

As BioMara kicks off its bid to raise £2 million to fund its processing scale-up to deliver orders for customers, Jay Dignan details how the Scottish startup aims to catalyse the growth of the country’s seaweed sector – right along the value chain.

Following another year of challenging shrimp prices and high production costs, it’s little wonder that this year’s Global Shrimp Forum is set to include plenty of sessions that either cover how to boost demand, or how to produce shrimp more efficiently.

Despite its lack of coastline, shrimp production has proved lucrative for a small but significant number of farmers in Punjab for nearly a decade, but many of them are now facing an uphill struggle.

While hybrid striped bass have historically tended to outperform their pure-bred equivalents in aquaculture, recent breakthroughs suggest that the latter could now be in the ascendency in the US.

A recent study into the interactions between marine aquaculture development and small-scale fisheries has highlighted the need for marine planning to prevent conflicts over resources and markets.

With nearly 30 countries and 10 especially popular shrimp species, a look at the European shrimp market provides a fascinating insight into cultural and culinary differences across the continent.

Uttar Pradesh, an Indian state with a population larger than Pakistan, is home to an increasing number of fish farmers, thanks to various initiatives by the state government to boost fish production and create economic opportunities for producers.

Black tiger shrimp are experiencing something of a renaissance, especially in India and China, but experts such as Kontali analyst Ida Skancke, and leading Indian shrimp farmer Dr Manoj Sharma note that producers would be foolish to write off vannamei.

While the market for UK seaweed products is growing, the industry currently relies on wild harvests to meet the majority of its demand, preventing the sector from realising its potential.

Crawfish farming is one of the most lucrative and sustainable forms of aquaculture in the US, but recent droughts in its southern heartlands are putting livelihoods at risk.