![From left: Ace Aquatec North America sales manager Sam Bowman, sales chief Tara McGregor-Woodhams and marketing manager Michelle Wildeboer at Seafood Expo North America in Boston earlier this month. Photo: Ace Aquatec.](https://image.fishfarmingexpert.com/1154594.webp?imageId=1154594&width=960&height=540&format=jpg)
Aquaculture innovator makes debut at RAS event
Dundee-based aquaculture technology innovator Ace Aquatec was today making its debut at the RASTECH international technical conference and trade show in the US state of South Carolina following a successful appearance at Seafood Expo North America in Boston earlier this month.
The company’s North America sales manager, Sam Bowman, is due to speak at the two-day event to introduce the audience to Ace Aquatec’s in-water electric stunner which reduces stress to the fish at the point of harvest by rendering them unconscious in less than a second.
In a press release, Ace Aquatec said it had achieved a great increase in brand awareness and understanding of its stunner products due to augmented reality demonstrations it did in Boston.
Fish welfare
“Since winning the Aqua Nor Innovation Award in 2017, we’ve seen global exports of Ace’s in-water electric stunning system grow rapidly across the UK, Europe and APAC (Asia-Pacific) in both sea-based and land-based facilities,” said Bowman.
“We know that fish welfare and farm profitability are directly linked. If fish welfare at the point of slaughter is compromised by using inferior stunning techniques, the fish suffer, quality declines, earnings fall, and the reputation of the supplier suffers.
“Consumers and retailers want to feel confident that the fish they are buying were humanely stunned at harvest and if that isn’t happening, they will stop buying product from that source.”
Small footprint
Tara McGregor-Woodhams, chief sales and marketing officer of Ace Aquatec, said: “As we’re continuing to communicate the Ace Aquatec brand, events like this are a great way of introducing how far our technology has advanced.
“Fish cultured in RAS have one of the smallest environmental footprints in the animal food production industry and are becoming the most reliable and sustainable way to source more seafood to keep people fed. The RAS ethos fits perfectly with our own mission of developing welfare first technologies that accelerate the world’s adoption of sustainable aquaculture practices.”
Ace Aquatec will also be exhibiting at Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona in April, and Aquaculture UK in Aviemore and Hav Expo in Bergen in May.