FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FTA Activities
Aquaculture in Africa heats up
1 February 2012--Africa is becoming
the new aquaculture "hot spot."
There is a new sense of optimism and
opportunity in many African countries--particularly in those areas with reserves
of oil and gas or other valuable natural resources. This new-found
prosperity is leading to a focus on food security, exports, and ways to improve
the standard of living for local residents.
On a relative basis, the continent of
Africa is virtually untapped in terms of its potential for aquaculture
production. In addition, its favorable climate for the production of a
wide range of species, and its proximity to markets in Europe and Asia suggest
that Africa has a bright future as an aquaculture powerhouse.
Fisheries Technology Associates is teaming
with several companies to develop both aquaculture and aquaponics facilities in
a number of African nations, including Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and
Angola. As these projects unfold, we will provide a full range of services
including technical and financial feasibility analysis, design, construction
oversight, and management.
Our work will continue as we expand our
services to other nations within Africa.
Water features dominate residential acreage
2 January 2012--The significance of
water in peoples' lives cannot be overstated. The intimate link between
water and life is undeniable.
This certainly explains the attraction of
coastal areas for residential development, and the strong desire on the part of
property owners at other locations to include water as a prominent part of the
landscape.
Fisheries Technology Associates will be
working closely with a landowner during the next six to twelve months to assist
in the development of water features at the client's southwestern Missouri
estate. Existing ponds will be modified, improved, and enhanced for
recreation and aesthetics, and a trophy trout pond will be added to augment
on-site activities.
We encourage and promote responsible and
sustainable water feature development in ways that enhance enjoyment, water
conservation, and the environment.
Aquaculture in Asia in high gear
4 November 2011--As we reported back
in 2010, many parts of
the world are experiencing economic slowdown or even crisis conditions.
However, other
regions are booming, with aquaculture playing a big role in the boom. Asia appears to fall into the second category.
Aquaculture production in Asia is in high
gear and shows no signs of slowing. During the next year, Fisheries
Technology Associates will be working with a large aquaculture producer in
Vietnam to produce oysters and other bivalve shellfish for markets all over the
world. Sustainable and efficient hatchery and grow-out technologies are
vitally important in oyster aquaculture, and we plan to provide the expertise to
make this new venture a success.
The first phase of the project, which
started last year, is complete. Construction is now underway on an oyster
hatchery and an algae production facility to support it. After construction is complete and production begins, we
will provide ongoing training and regular technical evaluations.
We fully expect Asia to be a focus for our
company in the foreseeable future.
Investment interest in bluefin tuna soars
23 May 2011--The demand for
sushi-grade tuna is booming and so is the interest in tuna production
investment.
Fisheries Technology Associates has agreed
to assist an investment client in investment due diligence and assessment of two
large bluefin tuna grow-out facilities--one in Baja California Norte, Mexico,
and the other in Croatia. These facilities are the largest bluefin tuna
grow-out operations in the world, and cater primarily to customers in Japan.
This work highlights the strong
demand for FTA assessment services as more and more attention is cast on
aquaculture as our future source of fish and seafood. Once the small
step-child of the fisheries world, aquaculture has blossomed into a credible
investment opportunity with production history, moderating risk, and sustainable
profits.
Native Americans upgrade fish production capabilities
10 April 2011--High
on the list of many Native American tribes is their ability to enhance and
sustain wild and native populations of fish. This not only ensures their ability
to carry on tribal fishing traditions, but also enforces their commitments as
good neighbors to surrounding communities.
A tribe in the Midwest has called upon
Fisheries Technology Associates to assist them in upgrading their walleye and
brook trout production capabilities and use fewer natural resources in the
process.
Pumping water can be expensive,
particularly when water is drawn from aquifers several hundred feet below the
surface. While this water is usually very pure and well suited for the
production of fish, extracting it can require a difficult financial burden.
Here is where recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) can prove invaluable and
quickly pay for themselves in energy savings.
In future months and years, the Client
plans to build new RAS facilities and convert flow-through systems to RAS
technology. We view this as forward-thinking, and encourage other existing
and new facilities around the country and the world to consider the advantages
as water resources become more and more scarce.
For more information,
contact:
Fisheries Technology Associates, Inc.
Telephone:
970-225-0150
E-mail:
info@ftai.com
High-Performance Aquaculture, Fish Farming,
and Fisheries Services
