USSEC has a long-term goal to promote an increase of aquaculture production using high quality feeds. The In Pond Raceway System (IPRS) allows farmers to use the same water volume in ponds to produce a significantly higher yield, and the technology favors complete, high quality feeds that are well suited to feeds that use U.S. Soy products. USSEC has also developed an aquaculture database called IAFFD to help support the farmers to make well-balanced aquafeed.
A USSEC project followed trout farmers and earthen pond marine farmers in Turkey who used the IPRS system in early 2018. As a result of this investigation, USSEC found that the IPRS as well as the IFFAD database would hugely benefit Turkish trout and earthen pond marine producers and aquafeed millers.
As a follow up to this project, USSEC organized a seminar focusing on sustainable fish production, fish nutrition, and formulation in Bodrum, Turkey where the aquaculture production is highly concentrated. The workshop activity was concentrated on sustainable fish production with IPRS, fish nutrition and formulation with the IAFFD database, and the use of soy, soy products, or soy byproducts in fish feed production. Bodrum was selected for the event location because around 65 percent of the fish production is located in the Eagan region and Bodrum, which is located at the heart of the fish industry with the highest marine production.
Fish feed formulation hands-on training with the presentation of the USSEC IAFFD aqua database were presented by Dr. Bureau from Guelp University and local USSEC representative Sirri Kayhan. The IPRS system in fish farming by presented by Skip Kemp from the U.S.
Around 46 industry professionals participated, including fish farmers, integrators, feed millers, and government representatives. The topics were of great importance and interest to the attendees. The question and answer session allowed for a good exchange on the current challenges of the fish industry and, especially, the impact of the current economic situation on the price of (imported) raw materials and the reduction of water resources for trout farming and earthen ponds marine farming. Various options on the use of soybean products in fish diets were evaluated and discussed. Interest in the use of soybean meal remains great and its use continues despite the price increase.