Research Hub: Oita Marine Biological Technology Center, Central Research Laboratory

The Center contributes to the Nissui Group’s aquaculture business by conducting research on problems that threaten the stable growth of fish.

[Example of Topics Tackled by Oita Marine Biological Technology Center, Central Research Laboratory]

• Fish health management
• Research and development of aquaculture methods without relying on antimicrobials

Nissui Group’s Fish Health Management: N-AHMS

The Nissui Group has built a system to manage the health of fish in Japan named N-AHMS (NISSUI Aquaculture health management system). Under N-AHMS, standardization of inspection quality is pursued through the establishment of an in-house certification scheme for grade-A inspectors in charge of checking the health of fish, their instructors, etc. aimed at improving the accuracy and reliability of health checkups of fish.

Number of persons who received in-house certification for health checkups of fish

As of the end of March each year
Scope: All consolidated companies of the Nissui Group in Japan (aquaculture companies only)

(Note 1) Instructors: Capable of training apprentice inspectors into grade-A inspectors.
(Note 2) Grade-A inspectors: Capable of arriving at the correct outcome by conducting health checkups of fish reared in fishing grounds.
(Note 3) Sub-grade A inspectors: Capable of arriving at the correct outcome by conducting health checkups of fish reared in fishing grounds (limited to observations and microscopic examinations).

Collaboration with Veterinarians

The Nissui Group has entered into a contract with veterinarians, under which they provide treatment based on the results of health checkups performed by inspectors, manage the use of fisheries medicine and give guidance on epidemic prevention and health management.

Animal Welfare Policy in Aquaculture

The Nissui Group, which relies on the bounty of the sea, recognizes the importance of animal welfare in its aquaculture operations. We support the “Five Freedoms (Note)” for animal welfare established by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and are committed to continually improving the welfare of farmed fish.

(Note)The Five Freedoms: Freedom from hunger, thirst and malnutrition; Freedom from fear and distress; Freedom from physical and thermal discomfort; Freedom from pain, injury and disease; and, Freedom to express normal patterns of behavior.

Scope

The Nissui Group Aquaculture Business

Optimal Aquaculture Environment

For each fishing ground, we select locations capable of maintaining comfortable water temperatures and oxygen levels suitable for each species. Additionally, we manage the density within the pens to ensure the fish can grow healthily and exhibit their natural behaviors. When national or regulatory standards for aquaculture density exist, we comply with these guidelines in our operations.

Use of Medicinal Products

We do not use antimicrobials for disease prevention or growth promotion in fish. Additionally, all decisions regarding the type and timing of antimicrobial use are made under the supervision of a veterinarian or specialist.

Monitoring of Aquaculture Environment and Health Status

We conduct daily or periodic monitoring of the aquaculture environment, as well as the physical condition and health of farmed fish. If the monitoring indicates a need for improvement, we promptly implement corrective measures.

Low-Stress Slaughter and Prior Stunning

We select methods that minimize stress to the farmed fish and ensure that the slaughter process is completed quickly. In addition, we strive to stun before slaughter using methods that meet welfare standards for all farmed fish. From a welfare perspective, we continually seek better stunning techniques and procedures and work to improve our operations.

Enactment Date： February 19, 2024

Fish Disease Management

[Skin Parasites]

One of the diseases that pose a problem in the ocean farming of yellowtail, etc. is skin parasites, namely, capsalids, which parasitize the surface of the body of fish. Jointly with a veterinary pharmaceutical company, the Oita Marine Biological Technology Center has developed and put to practical use a method of removing skin parasites (capsalids) by bathing fish in a low-concentration hydrogen peroxide solution (1/3 of the concentration in normal use) in consideration of the safety of fish as well as the environment.

[Sea Lice]

The spread of sea lice is a major challenge for the vast majority of businesses in the salmon farming industry worldwide. In Chile, where Nissui Group company Salmones Antártica S.A. (“SA”) runs an aquaculture business, a nationwide monitoring and control program is implemented by the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca) to prevent the spread of sea lice infections through farming sites.
SA participates in the government’s control program and takes countermeasures against sea lice. In addition, SA is working on the following strategies to further improve the countermeasures against sea lice going forward:

• Evaluation of medicinal benefits of naturally-derived ingredients; and
• Joint research and development of alternative technologies with a Chilean university.

Killing and Prior Stunning of Fish According to Animal Welfare Standards

In its aquaculture operations, the Nissui Group prioritizes minimizing fish stress by using efficient and humane slaughter methods to ensure the welfare of all fish species. For 100% of the total harvest volume (metric tons), we use short-duration stunning techniques that minimize stress. In addition, for 98% of our harvest volume (metric tons), we either currently use pre-slaughter stunning (Note) or are actively exploring process improvements to encourage its use. In salmon farming, we consistently perform pre-slaughter stunning on the entire harvest volume (metric tons). The stunning methods used by the Nissui Group primarily incorporate the use of electrical stunning.

(Note) Pre-slaughter stunning: The process of rendering fish unconscious and numbing their senses prior to slaughter to prevent them from getting stressed.

Utilization of AI and IoT Technology for Animal Welfare

In collaboration with electrical equipment manufacturers, the Nissui Group has co-developed a solution that automates the measurement of the size of farmed fish, such as of body length, by leveraging the advanced AI and IoT technologies these companies offer. This solution is currently being used in aquaculture settings. In aquaculture, there is a need for such solutions to constantly manage the growth status of the fish. This solution alleviates the risk of stress or disease that comes from people physically handling fish. It also reduces labor and inconvenience, and improves measurement accuracy, thereby boosting productivity. The Nissui Group will continue to deliver safe, secure and delicious farmed fish by expanding the scope of AI and IoT utilization.

	Number of companies
Implementation status of fish measurement system	5/5 companies

As of March 2024
Scope: All consolidated companies of the Nissui Group in Japan (aquaculture companies only)

Image Showing AI Detection of Yellowtail

Approach to Use of Medicinal Products

When using antimicrobials, an appropriate medicinal product is administered under the supervision of a veterinarian/specialist after the diagnosis of the fish disease.

Initiative to Review the Use of Antimicrobials through SeaBOS

As a member of the Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS; an initiative aiming at sustainable fishery business), the Nissui Group is working on reducing the use of antimicrobials in aquaculture.

Support for SeaBOS

Antimicrobial Usage in Salmon Farming

Escaped fish

[Approach to Fish Escape Prevention]

The Nissui Group aims to reduce the escape of fish to zero with the understanding that fish escaping from farming sites has the risk of affecting the ecosystem. For this purpose, the Nissui Group will engage in the following initiatives.

1. 1. Inspection of facilities
   Facilities will be inspected in day-to-day operations. At farming sites that are susceptible to the impact of typhoons, facilities will be inspected before and after the development of typhoons.
2. 2. Identification of escaped fish
   If any fish has escaped, all such fish will be identified, recorded in books and tallied regardless of the scale of the escape.
3. 3. Analysis of cause and prevention of recurrence
   If any fish has escaped, the analysis of the cause of the escape and measures to prevent its recurrence will be examined, the content of which will be put in writing each time fish has escaped.
4. 4. Employee training
   Opportunities for training will be created for employees aimed at preventing fish from escaping (at least once a year)

Number of Escaped Fish

Scope: All consolidated companies of the Nissui Group in Japan and overseas (aquaculture companies only) and domestic aquaculture-related facilities.

Employee Training on Fish Escape Prevention

Scope: All consolidated companies of the Nissui Group in Japan (aquaculture companies only)

Reducing the Impact of Fish Feed/Feeding on the Marine Environment

Ordinary feeding methods in aquaculture may cause deterioration in water quality at farming sites and their surrounding areas due to leftover feed. To address this, the Nissui Group is promoting the development of aquaculture technologies that alleviate the impact on the marine environment and minimize the effect on marine ecosystems, such as formula feed “EP feed,” which is highly digestible and not easily dissipated into the sea during feeding, and automatic feeding control system “Aqualingual®” which provides the appropriate amount of feed according to the appetite of the fish.

EP feed

Aqualingual® Feeding System in Otsuchi-cho, Iwate Prefecture

On-land Farming Attempts to Minimize the Impact on the Marine Environment