Catch of the Day: August '21 Edition

From TARS 21 to new case studies for seabass and seabream, Chris shares what he has been doing this past month.

Our senior analyst Chris handles everything seabass and seabream related here at Kontali, and while his days are usually occupied with uncovering trends in that specific market, he has also been busy with other things this past month.  
 
 
Relaying important information digitally through TARS 2021 
 
Back in August, TARS 2021 (the Aquaculture Roundtable Series Virtual Edition) went live, focusing on markets, margins and productivity where thousands participate. The conference was held over three days and Chris partook in one of the discussions. “Several topics were discussed but the focus was on shrimp in Asia. I was part of a discussion where we talked about feed additives and if they should be a Black Box in shrimp feeds, how accessible the (heath boosting) feed additives are today in Asia,  and if change is needed. Disease prevention, instead of curing a disease, was also another hot topic up for discussion”, says Chris. On another round table, focusing on processing and markets was Mariska, Senior Analyst from Seafood TIP, a subsidiary of Kontali.  
 
“Digital events have become more the norm in the past years with the situation around COVID-19 and I think digital events will play a big part in discussions and how we do things moving forward as well, as information is being distributed to many more, and more people are able to participate from all over the world”, comments Chris when asked about the importance of digital events.  
 
 
Onboarding and training: New resources to the seabass and seabream team 
 
We recently had a new employee join the Kontali team back in August: Leana. She will be working together with Chris on uncovering new opportunities for the seabass and seabream industry. “I am happy to have Leana onboard. There has been a lot of focus this past month on proper onboarding as we know there is a lot of new information that needs to be digested. We have also been wanting to strengthen our relationship with Turkey and the market there, and get in touch with more institutions and companies, but it has been hard when there have not been any physical events that we can participate in. So, there will be a bigger focus on the turkey market moving forward”, says Chris.  
 
 
The final leg of the newest case study for seabass and seabream in the works 
 
Chris has also been working hard at his latest case study for seabass and seabream, for EUMOFA. While the case study is not out yet, it is now in the final stages before it is ready to be published. “I have worked a lot on the latest case study. The case study takes a deep dive into what has been happening in Europe in the world of seabass and seabream. We have been looking at production volumes in the last year(s) and prices during COVID-19, industry status and market trends”, says Chris.  

 
A visit all the way from Netherlands, by Seafood TIP 
 
A recent visit from Seafood TIP, a subsidiary of Kontali, was also on the agenda this past month. “We were finally able to meet Seafood TIP in person. This is the first time we have been able to talk face to face and not screen to screen, so it was great to have them all visit our offices to talk strategies for existing and future products”, says Chris. Chris works together with Seafood TIP, to gather knowledge from Seafood TIP and Kontali, in order develop new products related to shrimp. “There is a big market for shrimp, and it is a great opportunity for us to relay valuable information that both Kontali and Seafood TIP has gathered to produce something for potential clients that they can benefit from”, says Chris.  

Catch of the Day is a monthly column highlighting our experienced team of analysts here at Kontali, where we take the reader through what our analysts have been working on for the past month. There is a myriad of data and information waiting to be analysed and brought to life, and our experienced analysts are the backbone of Kontali becoming a trusted provider of independent and objective information to the seafood industry. Missed last month’s edition? Read it here.