The IFFO Conference in Bangkok finished on Wednesday and al the attendees are making their way back home. So far there are few stories or rumors about new business being done at the conference but I am sure that this information will filter out over the next few days. Looking at the details of the program and the speakers, it certainly looks like there was a great deal of very good industry info available.
Next week will should be able to report on any exciting developments in Bangkok.
In the USA, the government has increased the Atlantic quota on landings for menhaden to 200,000 m/t, up from about 187,000 m/t. Omega Protein is the largest producer of fishmeal from the US Atlantic and is very pleased with the increase and expects to land about 150,000 m/t of the quota. Omegas has also said that research indicates that the quota could have been higher but they feel that the level set is very good for maintaining safe fish stocks.
In the EU the decision has been approved for the use of wild starfish for the manufacture of fishmeal for poultry and pig use. However the use will be limited to areas where the starfish population is multiplying and is seen as a threat to aquaculture production. Starfish have been a problem for mussel producers in the EU and this will allow them to better control the starfish population while finding a valuable use for the starfish. According to industry experts, starfish were never purposely not allowed for fishmeal production, their use was just never included in the list of approved fishmeal sources – seems that no one thought much about starfish.