Guayaquil, Ecuador, 24 - 26 October 2023

For more than two decades, the National Ecuadorian Chamber of Aquaculture has hosted this important annual event, itself coinciding with a period during which the Ecuadorian shrimp industry has experienced significant growth, becoming one of the leading global exporters of shrimp.

dsm-firmenich was one of the main sponsors of this important event, both a trade show and a scientific-technical congress, that in four days brought together 200 exhibitors, 70 speakers and 5000 daily visitors from more than 23 countries. The focus this year was on promoting knowledge and innovation in the industry globally and covered all aspects of shrimp production, from disease prevention and nutrition to sustainability and addressing evolving market needs.

The team from dsm-firmenich focused on the role of bioremediation in shrimp production in order to sustainably improve the productivity and efficiency of production as well as lowering its environmental impact. For example, the dsm-firmenich AquaStar® Experience demonstrated how the use of probiotics for gut-health, water quality and soil bioremediation, allow producers to have more consistent and predictable harvests. Importantly, it also provides producers with more control of water quality and algae succession, favoring good bacteria and disrupting quorum quenching of pathogenic bacteria (e.g. vibrio), creating a more balanced and sustainable aquaculture environment.

According to Thiago Soligo, Regional Aquaculture Manager for dsm-firmenich, “Sustell™, with a specific shrimp module available soon, allows producers to accurately measure and validate the sustainability improvements that bioremediation supports. This in turn creates added market value for important export markets like Europe, where consumers want larger, heathier (darker red) shrimps but also ones produced sustainably. With the complete dsm-firmenich offering for shrimp production, we are, together with Ecuadorian shrimp producers, ready to meet such market needs.”