The Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) is now accepting applications for its ninth annual Global Aquaculture Innovation Award. The application deadline is June 15.

Established in 2012, the competition recognizes individuals and companies finding new solutions to the key challenges facing aquaculture. Examples of aquaculture innovations include technologies that mitigate the occurrence of animal diseases or parasites, or that reduce or eliminate the use of antibiotics to treat animals; technologies that improve production efficiencies at the hatchery or farm levels while mitigating environmental impact; advances in offshore or land-based recirculation technologies; novel feed ingredients; reductions in carbon footprint through improved energy efficiency or regeneration; and social programs designed to improve living and working conditions at the farm or processing levels.

University of Stirling postdoctoral researcher Simão Zacarias was the recipient of last year’s eighth annual Global Aquaculture Innovation Award, sponsored by Lineage Logistics, for his work on the shrimp-hatchery practice of unilateral eyestalk ablation. His research debunked the notion that the practice results in higher egg production and showed that it actually escalates disease vulnerability. 

To apply, fill out the application form in its entirety and email it to GAA’s Dan Lee at dan.lee@aquaculturealliance.org and Steven Hedlund at steven.hedlund@aquaculturealliance.org. Visuals of the innovation, including photographs and illustrations, are strongly encouraged to be included with the application.

Three finalists will be selected by five judges amongst a pool of applicants. The three finalists will then be invited to present at a GOAL 2021 virtual event in the fall. The winner will be selected by audience vote. For more information, visit www.aquaculturealliance.org.

Photo caption: Simão Zacarias.