Aqua Gen's research concession has been extended by 10 years. In the justification of the award it was mentioned that Aqua Gen is regarded as having important innovation abilities which contribute to industry progress.

A broad-based delegation of Chilean officials visited Aqua Gen`s breeding station at Kyrksæterøra during Aqua Nor 2011.

The first generation of Aqua Gens QTL-eggs, QTL-innOva™ have been followed in an extensive field trial benchmarking program. The results from freshwater sites, and for the S0-smolt followed until 90 days post transfer, show significantly higher IPN-resistance in the QTL-stock compared with the non QTL-stock. Results so far also show promising results when it comes to QTL-stock and PD-resistance.

Aqua Gen was presented with the North Atlantic Seafood Forums Innovation Prize during a conference arranged in Oslo, March 1-3 2011. The prize was given for the implementation of genetic testing for IPN resistance used in salmon breeding in the aquaculture industry.

From February 1, 2011, the department previously known as the department for Genetics and Technology will be divided into two independent departments, Research and Development (R&D), and Breeding and Genetics (B&G).

During this egg season we will be introducing a new box for the transportation of eggs. The box currently in use was developed many years ago, so it was logical to review it in light of the many changes that have taken place in the industry. The new box that we are to introduce has a number of benefits.

Aqua Gen AS is one of six companies which have been nominated for the Research Council of Norway`s Innovation Prize: Norway’s Most Innovative Company for 2010. This is the first time a company from the aquaculture sector has been nominated.

The autumn of 2009 Aqua Gen launched salmon eggs from brood fish which were chosen based on use of a genetic marker for IPN resistance. Nearly 50 million of this egg type, called QTL eggs, were delivered to Norwegian and Scottish customers in the course of the egg season 2009/2010. The results of laboratory tests and reports from hatcheries show that the salmon fry have so far been very well protected against IPN.

Aqua Gen Chile named Patrick Dempster (49) as Managing Director. Dempster will take over from Svein Sørvik, effective from 1 June 2010. Sørvik will enter a new position within marketing and business development at the Aqua Gen headquarter in Trondheim, Norway.

Aqua Gen has received funding for a research project, the goal of which is to find a genetic marker for resistance to salmon lice. The project will last three years and will take place in the period 2010-2012.

Eivind Isdal (43) is newly employed as Marketing Manager, Region South. He assumed his new position November 16, 2009.

The first brood fish in the Aqua Gen system were stripped on 9th September. This is the earliest date ever in the history of Aqua Gen that stripping has commenced. The first deliveries of early eggs will therefore be brought forward to weeks 43-44.

Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) has been diagnosed on a broodfish population belonging to Marine Harvest Norway, location Høgholmen in Bjugn. The site is one of the external multipliers in the Aqua Gen system.

As the world’s first selective breeding company in the area of aquaculture, there will be used a gene marker to choose brood fish that produce offspring with predictably high resistance to the viral disease IPN. By combining traditional selective breeding and genetic testing the offspring will acquire improved traits for both growth and IPN resistance at the same time, when compared to previous egg generations.

EU has approved ISA-free segments and zones in Norway based on historical absence of disease and approved biosecurity measure programs. Aqua Gen's populations in both fresh- and salt water at Hemne and Tingvoll have received the status of ISA-free.

Aqua Gen recently presented the findings of a project which described the finding and use of a DNA marker that decides IPN resistance in Salmon. This research is characterized as a new discovery which the seafood industry needs.

Restrictions which were imposed in connection with the presence of the BKD bacterium in brood fish at Aqua Gen Hemne in the autumn of 2008 have been lifted. All the brood fish at the site have been disposed of and the facility has been disinfected and fallowed according to regulations.

This year’s eyed eggs of rainbow trout from Aqua Gen are the first generation in which the parents have been selected based on high resistance to IPN. In the last few years IPN in rainbow trout fry has been a problem, but selective breeding as a means of reducing the incidence of the disease is quite new in commercial breeding programs.

The bacterium causing BKD, Renibacterium salmoninarum has been detected in brood fish at Aqua Gen Hemne. The diagnosis is based on autopsy, positive PCR and other immunological methods, but so far it has not been possible to grow it. Neither irregular behaviour, nor mortalities have been observed in this brood fish group.

Thomas Moen (37) is employed as a Research Scientist in Aqua Gen from August 1. 2008.