Capture fisheries and aquaculture produced about 148 million tonnes of fish valued at US$218 billion in 2010, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said

The use of a new ISO standard on the traceability of finfish products will help improve food safety by supplying stakeholders throughout the supply chain with accurate information about the origin and nature of these products

Hendrix Genetics and Lithgows Limited recently signed a Letter of Intent for Hendrix Genetics to acquire Landcatch & LNS (Landcatch Natural Selection) from Lithgows Limited.
Completion is expected in the first half of 2011 and is subject to various necessary consents.
Thijs Hendrix, Président of Hendrix Genetics, stated, “Aquaculture is a sustainable and valuable protein source all over the world and we are confident we can bring new and innovative ideas to a company with a long and successful track record in aquaculture. Aquaculture breeding is a natural extension to our existing portfolio.”
“Once our discussions started,” commented James Lithgow, Chairman of Lithgows Limited, “it became clear that we share a very similar vision, and we realised that Hendrix Genetics and Landcatch were a natural fit. Landcatch produces its breeding stocks in land-based facilities where they are free from predation and kept in a stress-free environment which ensures high health status. Combining the efforts of our excellent production and R&D teams with those at Hendrix Genetics will make Landcatch and LNS even more effective, and ultimately more successful in supplying superior salmon eggs and juveniles to salmon producers world wide.”

Aquaculture is the most rapidly growing food production sector in the world with an average growth of 8 per cent. More than 90 per cent of the global aquaculture production is contributed by Asia.