LISBON, Portugal -- Undercurrent News is reporting live from the annual conference of the Marine Ingredients Organisation held in Lisbon, Portugal, on Oct. 21 - 23.

The event brings together experts from across the fishmeal and fish oil industry to share expert analysis, production and consumption data, and trade statistics.

Norwegian harvester deploys unmanned drones to find Antarctic krill

Norwegian Antarctic krill harvesting company Aker BioMarine is utilizing unmanned naval drones to locate krill swarms and direct its fishing vessels, increasing efficiency and sustainability. Click here for the full story.

Veramaris CEO: High fish oil prices ‘fantastic’ for algal oil

Soaring fish oil prices were “fantastic” for the algal oil industry and created new opportunities for alternative omega-3 fatty acid sources like algae, said the CEO of algal oil company Veramaris. Read that in full here.

‘Overwhelming’ soybean surplus sinks prices

Rapid expansion of soybean production in Brazil and sluggish demand growth in China have combined to create an overwhelming global soybean surplus this year, sending prices plunging, according to a Rabobank analyst. Click here for the full story.

Scientists lose sway in uptake of novel feed ingredients

Nutritionists and scientists will have decreasing influence over aquaculture feed formulations in coming years despite their deep knowledge, according to industry veteran Einar Wathne, assistant professor at NMBU Norway. Read the full story here.

Climate change makes fisheries management ‘much harder’

Managing fisheries will become "much harder" because of climate change, said Jim Cannon, CEO of Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, as warming waters are causing fish to migrate from historical habitats, while ocean acidification and deoxygenation threaten species health. You can read the full story here.

You can also read the stories from the first day of the conference below:

Less public money for sustainability programs post-COVID, inflation

Less public funding will be available for fisheries sustainability programs due to budget tightening from COVID-19 and inflation, Cannon warned, as he advocated for greater industry self-funding and collaboration with regulators. Read that story here.

Marine ingredients trade ‘not the priority’ amid rising global tensions

Food security is a growing concern for nations amid a rise in global tensions, though it remains secondary behind priorities like semiconductors, automotives, and other critical industries, according to a journalist at the Financial Times. Read his take here.

Record attendance at IFFO annual conference

The annual conference has drawn a record attendance this year in Lisbon, evidence of the “continued and growing importance” of the industry, said Egil Magne Haugstad, CEO of Pelagia in Norway and president of IFFO, speaking to more than 500 delegates attending this year's event. Click here to read more.