Maynard, USA.- AquaBounty Technologies, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on enhancing productivity in the aquaculture market and a majority-owned subsidiary of Intrexon Corporation, has won the Gold Leaf Award – “Emerging Agriculture Company” from BIOTECanada, Canada’s national biotechnology industry association.
Launched in 2001, the Gold Leaf awards are given annually to recognize both companies and individuals who have made significant contributions to the biotech industry in Canada. AquaBounty’s nomination competed alongside numerous others, and selection criteria such as technology advances, business milestones, and contribution to the Canadian biotech landscape were evaluated by a voting panel of industry peers. BIOTECanada presented AquaBounty with the Gold Leaf Award for Emerging Agriculture Company during the PEI BioAlliance kick-off to Global Biotech Week in Charlottetown, PEI.
Ronald Stotish, Chief Executive Officer of AquaBounty, stated: “Recognition from our industry peers is very welcome and much appreciated. Our efforts in Canada have been greatly aided by the business development environment, in particular the support of BIOTECanada and the PEI BioAlliance, as well as the support of provincial and national governments. These are exciting times for our company, and we look forward to the future as we grow our business, increase our workforce, and expand our contribution to the economy.”
“The Canadian biotech industry is linked from coast to coast by regional expertise comprised of universities, incubators, individual entrepreneurs, pre-commercial companies, multinationals, and investors all working to drive biotech solutions forward,” commented Andrew Casey, President and CEO BIOTECanada. “AquaBounty highlights the particular strengths of the Canadian ecosystem, where game-changing innovations are being developed and supported by a community of entrepreneurs and leaders in all parts of the country.”
AquaBounty is currently constructing a new 250-metric ton commercial production facility and a new broodstock facility in Rollo Bay, PEI, and renovating the former Bell Fish Company’s 1200-metric ton production facility in Albany, Indiana, which it purchased in June this year.
AquaBounty
With depleted wild fish stocks, aquaculture production is meeting an increasing demand for nutritious food and animal protein, with the increasing production of salmon, tilapia and catfish, among other species. The future rising demand for fish as food will have to be met by increasing aquaculture production. Like the revolution in the application of new technologies to land-based food production over the past century, technology innovation is fueling the growth of the global aquaculture industry.
AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. is a publicly traded aquaculture company focused on improving productivity in commercial aquaculture. The Company’s objective is the application of biotechnology to ensure the availability of high quality seafood to meet global consumer demand – addressing critical production constraints in the most popular farmed species, including salmon, trout, and tilapia.
Its AquAdvantage® fish program is based upon a single, specific molecular modification in fish that results in more rapid growth in early development. The aquaculture facility is located in eastern Prince Edward Island, AquaBounty is raising its disease-free, antibiotic-free salmon away from the ocean, thus eliminating the risk of escapes impacting native fish populations and the risk of pollutants or contaminants harming marine ecosystems.
In November 2015, AquaBounty announced that the U.S. FDA approved the Company’s New Animal Drug Application for the production, sale, and consumption of its AquAdvantage® Salmon – a game-changer that will bring healthy and nutritious food to consumers in an environmentally responsible manner without damaging the ocean and other marine habitats.
