RAS Talk Podcast

The RAS-produced Atlantic salmon sector has come a long way since its inception in the late 1990s, with the industry has continuously striving for success. However, it took time to get the technology there, with RAS technological components evolving greatly in the past 20-23 years. Today, we continue to improve technology and RAS facilities to produce high-quality Atlantic salmon, but must look at the biology of Atlantic salmon as well, focusing on genetic improvements to the eggs to create quality stock, as well as avoid diseases, mass mortalities, and early maturation. In this episode of RAS Talk, co-hosts Catarina Muia and Brian Vinci speak with Dr. Jónas Jónasson, Production Director at BMK Genetics & CEO at Benchmark Genetics Iceland, and Christopher Good, Director of Research at the Conservation Fund Freshwater Institute, to see how the industry is prioritizing and moving forward with the improvements of Atlantic salmon genetics.

With much talk, research and new projects circulating the land-based shrimp production sector, RAS Talk was curious to gain perspective from a shrimp recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) professional. Patrick Wood, global consultant and expert on shrimp production technology and innovation, sat down with RAS Talk hosts Catarina Muia and Brian Vinci, to discuss the current technologies being utilized in the land-based shrimp production sector including RAS technologies, the necessary areas of improvement in RAS for shrimp production, where the land-based shrimp production industry is headed, and more.

This week, RAS Talk host Brian Vinci had the opportunity to speak with Yonathan Zohar, Professor and Chair of the Department of Marine Biotechnology at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), University of Maryland, Baltimore County and Director, Aquaculture Research Center at IMET, as well as Program Leader of Recirculating Aquaculture Salmon Network (RAS-N). With more than 40 years in the marine biology industry, Yonathan discusses the use and combination of biotechnology with RAStech, the importance of project RAS-N and its potential outcomes, as well as the projects he and his team have had the opportunity to work on, at IMET.

In this episode, hosts Mari-Len De Guzman and Brian Vinci talk with Árni Páll Einarsson, CEO of Matorka, a pioneer in land-based production of arctic char based in Grindavik, Iceland. Einarsson talks about his company’s journey through its RAS production and the opportunities for sustainable seafood production in Iceland.

Guest: Árni Páll Einarsson, CEO, Matorka

Bridging the gap between seafood producers and consumers is key to pushing the agenda of sustainability in the aquaculture industry. In this episode, hosts Brian Vinci and Mari-Len De Guzman speak with sustainable seafood advocate Jennifer Bushman about some of the practical and meaningful ways seafood producers can engage their consumers.

Guest: Jennifer Bushman, sustainable seafood advocate and educator

Feeds are a critical component of any RAS production environment – it can make or break the health of both fish and systems. This episode provides a variety of perspectives when it comes to fish feeds in closed containment, land-based aquaculture. Co-hosts Mari-Len De Guzman and Brian Vinci hash out the details of diets made for RAS.

Guests:

John Ng, president, Hudson Valley Fish Farm

Kim Schøn Ekmann, senior product developer, BioMar

George Nardi, VP of aquaculture services, Innovasea

Featuring the tech brains behind the innovative startup ReelData, this episode discusses the various applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning to aquaculture, particularly in land-based farming. ReelData CEO Mathew Zimola and CTO Hossein Salimian are the guests for this high-tech conversation.

RAS Talk hosts Mari-Len De Guzman and Brian Vinci talk about the year that was and the year ahead. From COVID-19 and RAS milestones to trends in sustainable food production systems and technologies, this podcast episode provides a rundown on the most important developments in 2020 and what to look forward to in 2021.

In this RAS Talk episode hosts Mari-Len De Guzman and Brian Vinci talk about the various aspects of investing in RAS. It’s an engaging discussion about investors’ perspectives in RAS technology and land-based aquaculture, the risks and the opportunities as well as their outlook on the sector.

Guests:

Maggie Fried, Head of the Oceans and Aquaculture Investor Consortium, CREO Syndicate

Frank van Roest, Investment Director, Aqua Spark

RAS engineering and design specialist Marc Sorensen takes us through the history and evolution of RAS in aquaculture. Co-host Brian Vinci also provides his insights on the beginnings of RAS technology. In this episode, we get into the technical details of the why, the how, as well as the current and emerging challenges involved in designing and operating a recirculating aquaculture system.

Guest: Marc Sorensen, president, Sorensen Engineering Ltd.