RAS Talk RAStech Magazine

Research scientist, John Davidson, and The Freshwater Institute team are conducting some of the leading research around understanding off-flavour in recirculating aquaculture systems. In this episode, he shares his latest findings with co-hosts Jean Ko Din and Justin Henry. They talk about how conversations around off-flavour in the industry have changed over time.

Vertical Oceans is a unique recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) for shrimp because it touts itself to be modular, has zero discharge and is almost 94 per cent automated by a complex algorithm. Co-founder and chief executive, John Diener, talks about how he's harnessing his team's expertise in data science and bioinformatics to solve traditional shrimp farming's environmental challenges. 

Florida is home to both red drum fish and red mangroves. Megan Sorby, CEO and founder of Pine Island Redfish, has a vision to sustainably farm both in her new 150-acre RAS project. She sits down with Jean Ko Din and Justin Henry about her experience finding an aquaculture community in the state and her hopes to bring more RAS innovation to the industry.

Viking Aqua wants to build the "next generation RAS for Atlantic salmon," planning a 33,000-ton facility in Skipavika, Norway. In this episode, Borghild Hillestad shares how she plays a key role as director of fish welfare in the early design/engineering phase. She also shares the company's plans to establish a Fish Welfare Index that will set parameters for the facility’s artificial intelligence (AI) monitoring system.

Although reconstruction in the area is over, Fukushima continues to live with the aftermath of the 2011 nuclear accident and its impact on its reputation. Initial ARK Inc.prototypes became a new way to revitalize the small Japanese town's seafood industry. Co-founder Yosuke Kurihara offers a unique take on recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) technology with a micro-scale unit that he hopes will be a new take on "farm to table."

Sara Rademaker is the founder and CEO of American Unagi, a glass eel recirculating aquaculture farm in Maine. She shares the journey of how she started the company from a small RAS system in the basement of her home, to an incubator startup, to now a commercial-scale farm to grow eel domestically.