International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium

Hakai Magazine has just published a new article by Paul Greenberg: As the waters of Utah's Great Salt Lake recede, a dedicated group of locals is on a mission to safeguard its unique ecosystem and vital brine shrimp fishery. With half the lake already perilously low and the other half at risk of following suit within the decade, urgency permeates every aspect of their efforts. From conducting crucial research expeditions to implementing stringent management practices, these individuals navigate the strange, saline waters to ensure the survival of not just the brine shrimp but also the diverse entities that thrive in this extraordinary environment. Dive into the heart of their endeavor as they race against time to preserve a sanctuary threatened by the relentless march of climate change.

The technical proceedings of two historical brine shrimp symposiums (Corpus Christi USA, 1979 and Antwerp Belgium, 1987) have been digitised by the Flanders Marine Institute, and are available for free download. The proceedings are:

1. The brine shrimp Artemia: Proceedings of the International Symposium on the brine shrimp Artemia salina, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA, August 20-23, 1979, and 2. Artemia research and its applications: Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on the brine shrimp Artemia, Antwerp, Belgium, 1987.

An article by Leia Larsen and Levi Bridges for the Great Salt Lake Collaborative describes the role that brine shrimp play in supporting global food networks. The Great Salt Lake remains the world's larges single source of brine shrimp cysts, but water levels are at an historic low.

The 8th fish and shellfish larviculture symposium (larvi '24) will be held in Ghent University, Belgium, from 9-12 September 2024. Submissions are open until 12 February.

Closing the life cycle of aquaculture species of economic importance is critical for the ultimate success of aquaculture. Predictable & cost-effective availability of high-quality fry, fingerlings, postlarvae, seed, spores, etc. remain the key for a successful aquaculture venture. Knowledge generated at many different levels can further increase the success of the sector. Much progress is being made in knowledge-based insights on e.g. the genetic make-up of the broodstock, steering the ontogeny, the importance of first feeding, steering host microbial interactions and its immunological consequences, automation, etc. Research in these fields are increasingly supported and stimulated by a variety of novel and sophisticated techniques such as omics’ and artificial intelligence tools. They generate an unprecedented and often fascinating insight into biological processes. Although they generally also raise new research questions, they stand for a major leap forwards as compared to the empirical approach of a relatively recent past.

Capitalising on the previous “larvi” symposia (in ’91, ’95, ’01, ’05, ’09, ’13, ‘17), the Aquaculture R&D Consortium of Ghent University, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and SINTEF Ocean have joined again in the organizing committee for “larvi’24” and are inviting the academic as well as the private sector to attend the 8th Fish and Shellfish Larviculture Symposium. Bringing together European and non-European stakeholders, once again the latest progress in academic research and in the production sector will be reviewed, problems identified and avenues for future collaboration explored.

Artemia is a critical food resource for the hatchery production of larval fish and crustaceans, underpinning around 10 million tonnes of aquaculture produce per year. The Great Salt Lake, Utah, provides around 40-45% of world Artemia cyst supplies. A video report by KSL TV5 discusses the conservation and management of the Great Salt Lake and its role in global food security.

From 11-13 July 2023, the first "Sustainable Development and Utilisation of Artemia Resources" training course was successfully held in Tianjin, China. The training course was organised by the Asian Regional Artemia Reference Center (ARARC), with the support of the Artemia Association of the China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance.

The course contains theoretical, practical, and operational training on Artemia cyst processing and quality control, effective utilisation of Artemia as live food in hatcheries, and Artemia pond culture techniques, aiming to promote the sustainable exploration of Artemia resources and their application in larviculture. Nearly one hundred trainees from over thirty enterprises, institutes, and universities across the country participated in the training. The comprehensive coverage of the training course was well recognised by the trainees.

The first conference of the International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium will be organized on September 9, 2024 in Ostend, Belgium. The 8th International Fish & Shellfish Larviculture Symposium - Larvi ’24 - will be organised at the same venue in Ostend from 9-12 September 2024.

A more detailed first announcement with call for presentations will be mailed in the first week of October 2023. A preliminary website has been opened where you can register your interest to participate in this event.

The seminar was held on 28 July 2023 in Putrajaya, Malaysia, in conjunction with the first meeting of the International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium Steering Committee. Video recordings of the technical presentations are available in this collection.

Presentation by Simon Wilkinson, Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific, at the Seminar on Artemia Research and Production, 28 July 2023, Putrajaya, Malaysia.

Presentation by Prof. Naser Agh, Artemia and Aquaculture Research Institute, Urmia University, at the Seminar on Artemia Research and Production, 28 July 2023, Putrajaya, Malaysia.

Presentation by Prof. Sui Liying, Asian Regional Artemia Reference Centre, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, China, at the Seminar on Artemia Research and Production, 28 July 2023, Putrajaya, Malaysia.

SALT LAKE CITY, May 15, 2023 – Utah’s Great Salt Lake brine shrimp fishery has officially achieved the Marine Stewardship Council's (MSC) sustainable wild fishery certification, making it the first inland fishery in the United States to earn this prestigious certification.

Brine shrimp (Artemia franciscana) are a small, shrimp-like crustacean that live in hypersaline lake environments and are a vital part of the lake's ecosystem, serving as a food source for numerous bird species and providing an important source of income for local fishermen.

The MSC certification process is rigorous and requires fisheries to meet strict standards for sustainable fishing practices, environmental impact, and management. The Great Salt Lake brine shrimp fishery underwent a thorough 8-month assessment by an independent, third-party certifier and was found to meet MSC's criteria for environmentally sustainability fishing practices.

An article on management of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and Artemia fishery is available for free download and viewing in Hatchery Feed & Management Magazine. The article describes the active management of water and salinity levels through legislative changes and an engineered berm. The fishery has recently received Marine Stewardship Council certification. The article is written by Thomas Bosteels, Timothy Hawkes and Phil Brown, Great Salt Lake Artemia.

The International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium (IAAC) hosted a webinar on Management of the Artemia Resources of the Great Salt Lake, 5 May 2022, at 14:00 UTC. The purpose of the webinar was to familiarise participants with recent international developments in Artemia research cooperation, and to examine the Great Salt Lake as a case study in successful management of Artemia resources in a multi-stakeholder environment.

Introduction by Simon Wilkinson, Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific, and Patrick Sorgeloos, Artemia Reference Center, Belgium, at the Webinar on Management of Artemia Resources of the Great Salt Lake, Utah USA.