Galway Advertiser

I think Dragon was a spinoff, or otherwise somehow connected to a Dutch firm Topsy Baits who initially developed the Rag farming technologies. They're still in business I think, and fish meal made from cultivated Rag is still possible.

Unfortunatly while Rag is an alternative it could never be grown in high enough densities or quantities to replace fish meal. So it would only be able to substitute a small amount of current fishmeal use. Another company doing this in the UK was Seabait now known as Shoreline baits (I think).

Also there is nothing to say that Rag meal would provide the proper nutritional requirements for different species of fish and animals as each fish and animal different nutritional requirements. There is a lot of research going on into vegatable proteins including seaweeds as suppliments for feeds. Other types of meals being looked at include crustacean meal and shell meal. Chicken feather meal for example is also used in the making of animal feeds.

I dont know what the percentage of off-cut fish meal is produced but it is significant. I do know that for many of the organic farmed standards, 100% of the fish meal used for fish feed must come from off cuts of fish going to human consumption.

Caz

That is good and sensible news regarding off cut produced fish meal for organic farms.

Also, Dutch technology is used by Dragon Baits.

Another interesting fact is that back in 2009 they were experimenting with farming bass within some of their ponds. The ponds comprise two thirds sea water and one third sand/gravel. The bass swimming in the ponds were fed Dragon feed pellets and the worms ate their waste matter. Having seen the trial first hand, it seemed not only a good idea, but that it was working. I do not know how it proceded ongoing.

That's a great clip you posted mojo. Mind you it is about much more than just sea lice. It's a brilliant clip though. It's so informative and in my opinion indicative of the effects of a lot of fisheries across the planet.

Cheers,
John D.