“Open ocean aquaculture will take a major leap forward to meet the increasing demand for seafood due to its ability to produce significant volumes without interfering with other ocean activities like shipping and tourism. Moreover, the seafood industry is starting to see the benefits of fish farming in warmer climates – including faster growth rates and the ability to stock fish year round – despite more turbulent conditions and frequent storms. That’s because submersible aquaculture, an evolving form of fish farming over the past 30 years, has proven itself in rough waters and is now demonstrating its financial viability.” – Langley Gace, senior vice president of open ocean aquaculture.Companies Will Aim to Reconnect with Employees
“After a disruptive 2020, companies will be seeking ways to reconnect employees with one another, with leadership teams and with their business visions. Although the ways in which we interact with each other and the marketplace at large may have changed, our individual and organizational need to communicate and connect remains. 2020 created a vacuum of human connection that successful organizations will figure out how to fill in 2021.” – Mark Jollymore, president
More Fish Farms Will Be Situated Onshore or Further Offshore
“In 2021 we will see a noticeable shift in where farmed fish are produced, with established near-shore farmers joining new entrants in moving both onshore and further offshore. Why? Because attractive near-shore sites are hard to find, user conflicts continue to grow, there are more factors that can influence fish health, and environmental concerns – whether founded or not – continue to dog the industry. At the same time, the technology for production on land or offshore in harsh environments has advanced and reached favorable price points for consideration. Bottom line is that both open ocean and land-based aquaculture are now considered more sustainable pathways for growth.” – George Nardi, vice president of aquaculture services.
The U.S. Will Finally Embrace Open Ocean Aquaculture and OK the First Farms in Federal Waters
“2021 will mark the start of a new era in U.S. seafood production with the AQUAA Act picking up bipartisan support in Congress and gaining momentum. In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its supporting agencies will continue to demonstrate a clear, environmentally conscious permitting framework and issue its first set of permits for finfish production in federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic and the Pacific.” – Felipe Ramirez, business development manager.
Remote Work Will Fuel Improvements in Fish Farm Monitoring and Communications
“As upper-level employees embrace the work-from-home lifestyle, fish farm operators will have to look for better ways to manage their farms and mitigate risk. A combination of market pressures and technological advances will lead to better data streams and improved communications on farms. That will give managers better insight into their operations than ever before with real-time environmental data, feed rates and live pen videos available to them 24/7 from anywhere in the world.” – Tyler Sclodnick, senior scientist.
Seafood Consumption Will Skyrocket as the Pandemic Eases
“Once we have a working vaccine for COVID-19 in place, the international market for seafood will stabilize. Seafood producers have found new ways of getting their products to the people in this challenging time, and the industry has also focused on the value and importance of sustainable and healthy food. So I expect there will be higher consumption of seafood after the pandemic stabilizes and restaurants open up again. In the aquaculture industry, there is a major focus on innovation and taking advantage of new technology, so I see a bright future for fish farms and the developers of this new technology.” – Tor Espen Skoglund, managing director, Norway.
Aquaculture Will Play A Significant Role in the Post-Pandemic World
“The seafood industry will play a key role in the post-pandemic recovery. As hotels, restaurants and other food services come back online, demand for fresh salmon will surge worldwide. With the retail market also growing, this could drive the price of salmon to an all-time high in Q2 or Q3. And as we get past the pandemic in late 2021, food security will become a front-burner issue. Countries will start to examine how they could survive another long term disruption in the food supply. This will play favorably into the aquaculture industry. Countries with little or no aquaculture will start looking for new ways to develop this safe, sustainable industry locally.” – Tim Stone, vice president of product development.
About Innovasea
Fueled by leading-edge technology and a passion for research and development, Innovasea is revolutionizing aquaculture and advancing the science of fish tracking to make our oceans and freshwater ecosystems sustainable for future generations. With 250 employees worldwide, we provide full end-to-end solutions for fish farming and aquatic species research – including quality equipment that’s efficient and built to last, expert consulting services, and innovative platforms and products that deliver unrivaled data, information and insights.
