Brett Glencross

IFFO (Moderator & speaker)

Dr Brett Glencross is the Technical Director at IFFO and Honorary Professor at the University of Stirling, Scotland. Prior to taking up the position with IFFO in 2021 he was the Professor for Aquaculture Nutrition at the University of Stirling. Over the past 30 years he has worked in industry in both the feed and aquaculture production sectors, academia, and government foreign aid and research institutions throughout Australasia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Presentation: Introducing the Precision Nutrition Approach to Feed Design

Precision nutrition requires understanding the dietary needs of animals and how these change with size, health status, environmental conditions and genotype. The concept is based on understanding demands for essential nutrients and energy under all these scenarios. It places a focus on nutrients - not ingredients. However, ingredients supply those nutrients, so how we effectively manage them is critical to success. As such, ingredient assessment needs to increase its objectivity in line with those demands. In Brett’s talk he will introduce the precision nutrition concept and lay the foundations for the presenters following.

Johan Schrama

Wageningen University & Research 

Johan Schrama is associate professor at the Aquaculture and Fisheries group of Wageningen University, where he leads the research and education in the field of aquaculture nutrition. In past 35-year he supervised over 40 PhDs. He has special interest in: the impacts of carbohydrates in fish feeds; digestive physiology; faecal waste management via nutrition and energy metabolism of aquatic organisms. Recently, feed-fish-system interactions has become a central theme it his research. 

Presentation: The Net Energy Concept

Aquaculture has an important role in future food systems to supply fish, which is part of a healthy human diet. Though aquaculture has the potential to upgrade organic by-products, residual flows and novel ingredients, the development of a proper energy evaluation system is a necessity to use these type of ingredients and make the transition from linear to circular food production. Energy evaluation in aqua-feed are currently mainly based on digestible energy. In this presentation concept of net energy and its potential for the aqua-feed industry is addressed.

Sofia Morais

Lucta 

Sofia Morais is the Innovation AQUA Team Leader in Lucta, a global leader in feed additives founded in Barcelona in 1949, dedicated to enhancing palatability, efficiency and animal welfare. She holds a Biology degree from the University of Lisbon, an MSc in Aquaculture from the University of Stirling, and a PhD in Aquaculture Nutrition from the University of Algarve. With 27 years of experience in aquaculture research across academia and the feed additives sector, her expertise spans fish nutrition, lipid metabolism, digestive physiology, and feed intake regulation. Sofia specializes in R&D, developing science-based solutions for the aquaculture industry.

Presentation: Controlling Palatability

The reduction of marine ingredient levels in aquafeeds has been accompanied by more frequent challenges with decreased feed intake, feeding efficiency, and growth rates in farmed fish. As a result, palatability is gaining recognition as a key factor in feed formulation. But what does palatability mean from the fish’s perspective, and how can it be leveraged to develop efficient and sustainable aquafeeds? This presentation will explore the fundamental principles of chemosensory perception in fish - particularly taste -, its interaction with chemical cues in feed ingredients, and its practical implications for aquaculture.

Dominique Bureau

Wittaya Aqua International

Dom Bureau has been leading dynamic research efforts on the nutrition and feeding of aquaculture species for over three decades. He is a professor at the University of Guelph and co-founder of Wittaya Aqua International (wittaya-aqua.ca), an innovative company developing bespoke solutions and online tools for feed manufacturers, feed ingredient suppliers and aquaculture operations around the world.

Presentation: Digital Tools to Aid Precision

Christian DeSantis

Cargill Aqua Nutrition

Christian De Santis is a Principal Scientist in the Aqua Nutrition and Health division at Cargill, one of the world's largest suppliers of animal feeds. He holds a Biology degree from the University of Naples, as well as an MSc and PhD in aquatic animal physiology from James Cook University, Australia. With over 15 years of experience in academia and the aquafeed industry, Christian has led numerous strategic projects that have significantly advanced core nutrition knowledge and contributed to innovative solutions in aquaculture.

Presentation: Essential Nitrogen and Effective Energy

Protein has traditionally been viewed as the cornerstone of animal feed, vital for growth and overall health. Common protein sources include fishmeal, other animal-derived ingredients, and various plant-based alternatives. But what exactly constitutes "protein" in feedstuff? What are the key elements that drive performance? And how can feed be formulated to meet the specific nutritional needs of fish while optimizing resource use? This session will address these questions and delve into the fundamentals of protein and amino acid nutrition in aquafeed.

Ian Carr

Veramaris 

Ian Carr leads Business Development at Veramaris, a pioneer in the production of nutrient rich Omega-3 oil from fermented algae for the benefit of animals and people. With a strong passion for sustainable aquaculture, Ian brings more than 30 years’ experience in aquafeed innovation, sales, marketing, and sustainable development from his earlier industry roles with EWOS, Cargill and Cermaq. He holds an MBA from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, and has also studied aquaculture. Ian has given his career to advancing the future of aquaculture and believes in its potential to contribute significantly to global food security.

Presentation: Optimsing Omega Nutrition

Omega-3 EPA & DHA and Omega-6 ARA are known to play a critical role in ensuring health and welfare in aquaculture, ultimately contributing to improved productivity. But how much and what ratios are needed exactly? How can algal oil help feed formulators achieve these levels in commercial aquafeed? What are the biological benefits of Optimum Omega Nutrition? And how do those benefits translate into a return on investment in better fish nutrition? This presentation will address these questions and further explore the gap between science and commercial practice.

Kyla Zatti

BioMar Group

Dr Kyla Zatti is an aquaculture nutrition specialist in the R&D department of BioMar based in Norway. She obtained her PhD in 2013 in Animal Science from the University of Saskatchewan in Canada focusing on lipid metabolism in rainbow trout. Following this, Dr Zatti has undertaken significant roles in academia and industry. Her research interests and expertise are dedicated to studying how raw materials and their interaction play a vital role in improving and maintaining fish performance, health, and quality.

Presentation: Managing Ingredient Assessment

In the last two decades, the aquafeed industry has shifted from primarily using marine ingredients to plant-based raw materials, significantly reducing the fish forage dependency ratio, however it has intimately linked itself to the social and environmental impacts of agriculture, resulting in an increased carbon footprint. To ensure the future of sustainable aquafeeds, we must raise customer awareness, implement standardized assessment frameworks, and demand transparent and responsibly sourced raw materials which bring balance to feed formulations. To achieve this, collaboration among stakeholders along the value chain is essential to allow for effective and realistic decision-making.