USSEC recently participated in the Ecuadorian Aquaculture Congress in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The event was sponsored by the National Aquaculture Chamber and the University of Guayaquil—both strong supporters of the aquaculture industry in the Americas.

More than 400 industry representatives attended in the meeting to learn about Ecuador’s shrimp production. Attendees also learned about animal health, water resources, the structure and function of production systems, and market access. USSEC’s involvement in aquaculture in the region, specifically shrimp nutrition, was also discussed at the event.

USSEC contractor Herbert Quintero, Ph.D., delivered a presentation on the recent developments of soy usage, including soy ingredients and shrimp feed.

In Ecuador shrimp production in 2012 will amount to an estimated 200,000 tons. Ecuador is among the world’s largest producers of shrimp, and the country strives to become a supplier for Asian markets in the coming years.