Cermaq Canada trials algal oil after Veramaris gets green light from regulators
Salmon farmer Cermaq Canada has committed to a nutritional innovation trial of Cargill’s salmon feed with Veramaris algal oil across several Cermaq farms in British Columbia, it has announced. The introduction of algal oil aims to reduce the need for marine fish oils in salmon feed.
“Testing Veramaris algal oil in our salmon feed is a significant step towards supporting our fish health, product quality and sustainability goals while reducing our dependence on marine resources. As partners in innovation, the move is the latest benefit of our collaboration with Cargill’s Aqua Nutrition business,” said Cermaq Canada production director German Campos.
Netherlands-headquartered Veramaris recently completed a rigorous three-year process with regulators to obtain Canadian market authorisation last month. The regulatory approval affirms the safety and compliance of Veramaris’ oil, which is rich in omega-3 EPA & DHA long-chain fatty acids, essential nutrients for the health of farmed salmon and the people who eat them.
Exciting alternative
“By leveraging the experience of the use of Veramaris algal oil across Cermaq, we look forward to conducting the sea trials and learning more about how we can incorporate this exciting alternative to marine fish oils into our nutritional strategies. Implementing these innovative solutions demonstrates how quickly the aquaculture industry in Canada can move to adopt new techniques,” said Cermaq Canada managing director David Kiemele.
“Our company is proud to be one of the first movers in this space in Canada.”
The feeding period will begin in May and focus on introducing the new feed to salmon close to harvest size.
Critical alternatives
“Cargill is excited to collaborate with our valued partners Cermaq and Veramaris to introduce a new novel ingredient in the Canadian aquaculture market,” said Isaac Yun, country director at Cargill Aqua Nutrition. “As we move forward on this sustainability journey for our customers, it is critical we provide alternatives in biodiversity for the feed industry to progress into the future of aquaculture.”
Veramaris algal oil is produced in Blair, Nebraska, in the United States, and offers a regional solution to North American aquaculture producers who are seeking more sustainable, alternative sources of omega-3.
“Farmers in Chile, Norway, and Ecuador have been successfully using Veramaris natural marine algal oil in their feed for years now. With the recent registration in Canada, we are pleased to see farmers adopting it in salmon feed there,” said Jorge Torres Lagreze, business development Americas at Veramaris.
