ABT InnoviaCapability Statement

Excellence through Innovati on and Quality

01-Jul-2015 vs. 1.1.

AQUABIOTECH GROUP

Table of Contents

Who We Are 1

2

4

9

10

12

15

16

17

18

19

20

20

21

22

23

ABT Innovia

Systems Introducti on and Overview

Species Available for Testi ng

Monitoring System

Challenge Models

RAS Technology

Laboratory and Analyti cal Capabiliti es

Anti fouling Trials

Aquati c Toxicity Trials

Experimental Feed Producti on/Fish Nutriti on

Nati onal, EU and Global Research Initi ati ves

Animal Welfare

Further Expansion

Biosecurity

Internships

Who We Are

The AquaBioTech Group is a leading independent aquaculture, fisheries and environmental consulting, technology provider, engineering, development, testi ng/research and training company strategically located in the centre of the Mediterranean on the island of Malta, operati ng globally with clients and projects in over fi ft y-fi ve countries.

The AquaBioTech Group undertakes a variety of aquaculture, fi sheries and aquati c environmental projects through its regional offi ces and selected partners throughout the world. The vast majority of the company’s work is related to the marine or aquatic environment, encompassing aquaculture developments, market research/intelligence, through to project feasibility assessments, fi nance acquisiti on, project management, technology sourcing and technical support and training.

ABT Aquaculture has developed a number of highly effi cient and cost eff ecti ve Recirculati ng Aquaculture Systems (RAS). These can be applied to hatcheries, broodstock, aquati c research and on-growing operati ons. Our highly sustainable approach incorporates aquaponic and hydroponic systems. We constantly strive to be at the forefront of our industry by testi ng and developing innovati ve technologies.

ABT Marine provides a range of services including marine surveying, constructi on support and mapping/GIS. The techniques we employ include bathymetric and side scan sonar surveys, bottom type assessments, sub-bottom assessments, data confi rmati on and site inspecti ons using both remote sensing and underwater video techniques.

ABT Aquatics main areas of work range from initial feasibility studies, outline planning with concept development, architectural and structural design with engineering, filtration and Life Support System (LSS) development, through to livestock supply, management support and turnkey operati ons.

AquaCirc™ recirculation system is developed by AquaBioTech Group and is a unique recirculati on system which combines numerous state of the art recirculation apparatus. The various components are specifically designed for use as a land based recirculati on system, for both marine and freshwater setups. The system can accommodate diff erent types of species and life stages and is designed to maintain opti mal water quality for aquaculture, low in ammonia and nitrogenous suspended solids.

ABT Innovia offers research services to support the development of vaccines, functi onal feeds, alternati ve protein sources, culture technologies and producti on techniques with a wide range of commercially important species under any combinati on of culture conditi ons in our fully licensed and bio-secure R&D faciliti es.

www.abti nnovia.com

www.aquabt.com

www.abtmarine.com

www.abtaquati cs.com

www.aquacirc.com

1

AquaBioTech Group

Central ComplexNaggar StreetTarga Gap, MostaMST 1761MALTA G.C.

AQUABIOTECH GROUP

Other Bays have not been completed with tanks and fi ltrati on at this ti me so as to enable clients to have systems confi gured to their specifi c requirements. Having our own GRP fi berglass producti on facility means that we can make tanks of any shape and size and normally we can put an enti re system together and have it operational in less than two weeks, if required.

The main areas of contractual industrial research undertaken for our clients and experti se areas of the company are described as:

Veterinarian Research

The veterinarian unit is geared towards undertaking various aspects of applied research into vaccine development, testi ng, effi cacy and challenge trials as well as viral, bacterial and parasiti c diseases in aquati c animals.

ABT Innovia2

The AquaBioTech Group has been conti nually upgrading and expanding its faciliti es, which currently includes a total of sixteen (16) trial rooms - “Bays” with over twenty (20) individual trial systems, all uti lising the AquaBioTech Group‘s highly effi cient and stable RAS technology.

This fi rst expansion phase is now complete and the new Bays are completed from a general infrastructure basis, all own dedicated drain lines, more energy effi cient pumps using inverter technology and heat-exchange units with increased effi ciencies, digital LED lighti ng, room specifi c venti lati on and computerised water quality monitoring.

The overall design and fi nishing enhance sanitati on; with epoxy resin fl oors and walls for ease of cleaning. Some of the new Bays have already been fi tt ed out with tanks and RAS units to client’s specifi cati ons.

ABT Innovia

Larvae cultureEcotoxicology

Training and educati onShellfi sh

Fish health research and studiesFeed formulati on research and studies

Bioprospecti ngAnti fouling

Water quality labs Off shore testi ng

Aqua technology testi ngFish nutriti on

Hatchery technologyOrnamentals

Nutraceuti calsAlgae

ABTInnovia

Aquati c Nutriti on Research/Studies

The fi sh nutriti on facility is available to internati onal companies to benchmark commercially available products and carry out investi gati ve research on new products. Such as testi ng new formulati ons or specialised novel ingredients for providing new approaches to improving fi sh growth, reducing environmental impacts or improving fi sh health. In-depth detailed research, such as digesti ve physiology, metabolic biochemistry and quality issues can also be undertaken at the facility in a wide variety of species.

Hatchery Technology and Producti on Techniques

The research facility hosts a fully operati onal hatchery using the very latest technology working towards developing new techniques for improving hatchery producti on/effi ciency and knowledge of new species production in both commercial and ornamental aquaculture.

Biomedical/Nutraceuti cal Research - Bioprospecti ng

Research into various applicati ons of aquati c based products for use in nutriti on as well as human and veterinarian medicines is also available as the resources of the sea conti nue to yield many new products.

Testi ng Faciliti es and Core Services

The wet-labs at the faciliti es are divided into separate areas so as to ensure maximum biosecurity and client confi denti ality. Each of the wet rooms contains a set of holding tanks with self-contained recirculation systems providing high-level mechanical, chemical and biological fi ltrati on. All systems are stage fi ltered down to 1 μm and have the opti on of conti nuous UV or ozone treatment. Systems operate with fresh or seawater with temperatues ranging from 10 °C to 32 °C. Multi ple RAS units can be operated within one facility, isolati ng batches of tanks.

The fully operati onal research hatchery off ers both research and training faciliti es with complete live feed production of rotifers, artemia and various algae species.

Each of the rooms can be used for a variety of research purposes including:

• Larviculture • Veterinarian and pathology research• Nutriti onal research • Aquati c toxicity trials • Ornamental, novel and carrier species

3

Main Research Areas

• Product research and reporti ng/benchmarking

• New/alternati ve species research

• Nutriti on/feeding trials - Commercial and ornamental

aquaculture species

• Vaccine, effi cacy and safety testi ng and challenge

trials

• Technology testi ng, commercial development and

technical directi on

• Technical support and testi ng for new products

• Hatchery training faciliti es, including live feed and

larvae culture

Systems Introduction and Overview

S1: Twelve (12) tanks in the system (1,500 L each) with full RAS & faeces collectors. Freshwater or marine species system.

S1: Eighteen (18) tanks in the system (500 L each) with full RAS. The Bay can be operated for both feed or challenge trials. Freshwater or marine species system.

S1: Six (6) tanks in the system (300 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

S2: Nine (9) tanks in the system (300 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

S3 + S4 + S5: Each system has four (4) tanks with 250 L in each tank and each system has full RAS capabilities. These three (3) systems in the Bay can also be operated as one large system of twelve (12) tanks. Freshwater or marine species system.

Bay 0

Bay 1

Bay 2

4

This bay has a dividing wall with two completely separate RAS units on each side. An interconnection is possible if required. The bay is currently used for quarantining and stock-holding of marine fish.

S1: Six (6) tanks in the system (1,100 L each) with full RAS capabilities. Freshwater or marine species system.

S2: Twelve (12) tanks in the system (1,100 L each) with full RAS capabilities. Freshwater or marine species system.

Bay 4 can be operated as one or two “state“ systems – the room is divided by a wall with separate equipment on each side that can be interconnected if required.

S1: Six (6) tanks in the system (500 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

S2: Six (6) tanks in the system (500 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

State systems can be operated at two (2) levels (350 L or 500 L)

S1: Nine (9) tanks in the system (500 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

State system can be operated at two (2) levels (350 L or 500 L)

Bay 3

Bay 4

Bay 5

5

S1: Twelve (12) tanks in the system (300 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

S1: Eighteen (18) tanks, (1,000 L each) for ongrowing and immunisation. Freshwater - assigned to Tilapia/Pangasius/Asian Seabass/Snakeheads or other similar species with an additional eight (8) tanks, (60 L) for fry ongrowing and immunisation.

S1: Twelve (12) tanks in the system (500 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

Bay 6

Bay 7

Bay 8

6

S1: Eight (8) tanks in the system (100 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

S2: Eight (8) tanks in the system (100 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

All tanks have acrylic viewing windows for greater ease of fish behaviour observation. The compact rack design of the systems utilise maximal space and experimental capacity available in this bay.

S1: Sixteen (16) tanks in the system (40 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

S1: Eighteen (18) tanks in the system (10 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

S2: Twelve (12) tanks in the system (40 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

Bay 9

Bay 10

Bay 11

7

8

A fully equipped laboratory with microscope, steromicroscope, analytical balances, incubators, and other equipment to support the experimental trials development in our facility.

S1: Twenty-four (24) tanks in each system (100 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.S2: Eighteen (18) tanks in each system (10 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.S3: Eighteen (18) tanks in each system (10 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

Vaccine Batch release and efficacy.S1: Six (6) tanks in the systems (150 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.S2: Six (6) tanks in the systems (150 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.

Additional Bays are also available for development as part of the Phase III expansion where groups of tanks up to 7 m3 each can be constructed in systems with multiple replicates of tanks.

Bay 12

S1: Open configuration – available to be customised to the exact requirements of clients

Bay 14

Bay 15 and 16

Bays and Facilities

9

As a key component of the upgrade, the monitoring system provides an extremly improved level of monitoring, control, electronic reporting and trial security with flexible monitoring configurations available for each and every system, as per client’s requirements.

The AquaBioTech Group system is a measuring, monitoring and control system designed for use in fish farms. It is both multichannel and multi-parameter. A single system forms a complete modular small-size process control system. Several systems can be combined into a Commander Pacific system for larger installations.

An important feature of the Pacific system is its extensive connection capabilities. It has P-NET data bus for connection to other Pacific units and systems, IP connection for LAN or internet, an interface for other field bus units and multiple USB ports that can be used for a number of additional purposes. It also has an SD card socket for data interchange. A supplementary option, especially useful for sea cage or remote ponds, is the Wireless DO Probe system that makes it easy to connect probes at large distances from the main unit.

A single Pacific system consists of one Pacific main unit, probes, power supplies and other equipment and instruments as needed.

Monitoring System

ABTG Monitoring System

10 RAS Technology

In addition, ABT Innovia and the AquaBioTech Group are proud to offer design and engineering services for recirculating aquaculture facilities for both research and commercial use.

Based on our expertise, we can design facilities that can run a wide range of daily water exchange rates – from flow-through to zero exchange. We can also independent filtration solutions for solids removal, biofiltration, gas exchange, water polishing and disinfection.

ABT Innovia and The AquaBioTech Group, also applies it expertise on the design and manufacturing of Glass Reinforced Plastic equipment for aquaculture facilities:

• Solids separation devices: hydro cyclones and radial flow separators

• Down flow bubble contactors: oxygen and ozone cones

• Protein skimmers • Packed columns: oxygenation and degassing • Tanks for every application: fish tanks, biofilter

tanks, sumps.. etc.

Design and Engineering

Internal Design and Manufacturing

11

ExperiRAS™ Technology

Commercial RAS Technology

Species Available for Testing12

With the new facility being far more efficient, trials on cold water species like Salmon, Trout, Carp and Coho and tropical species like Pangasius, Asian Seabass and Shrimp (L. vannamei) are now more cost effective than ever. We have also worked hard to develop secure reliable supplies of a number of additional species.

Fish Species

Tilapia/Oreochromis niloticus (and other species)

Warm - Freshwater

Marine

Cold - Freshwater

Rainbow Trout/Oncorhynchus mykiss

Tench/Tinca tinca

Pangasius/Pangasius hypophthalmus

Turbot/Scophthalmus maximus

Sturgeon/Sterlet/Acipenser sp.

Sea bream/Sparus auratus

Clarias Catfish/Clarias gariepinus

Carp/Koi Carp/Cyprinus carpio (and other species)

European Sea bass/Dicentrarchus labrax

Brown/Sea trout/Salmo trutta

Asian Seabass/Lates calcarifer

Perch/Perca fluviatilis

Nile Perch/Lates niloticus

European Catfish/Silurus glanis

Tambaqui/Colossoma macropomum

Pike Perch/Sander lucioperca

Snakeheads/Channa striata and C. micropeltes

European eel/Anguilla anguilla

At this time, the following list represents species we are able to secure from known sources, but we are also open to requests from clients to work on other species if required.

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Japanese flounder/Paralichthys olivaceusSole/Solea solea/Senegalensis

Salmon/Salmo salar

Coho salmon/Oncorhynchus kisutch

Meagre/Argyrosomus regius

Sea urchins/Paracentrotus lividus

Cobia/Rachycentron. canadum

Razor clams/Ensis sp.

Nanochloropsis

Thalassiosira, Phaeodactylum

Chlorella, Phormidium

Silver Pomfret/Paralichthys olivaceus

Oysters

Isochrysis

Pavlova

Yellowtail/Seriola lalandi

Mussels/M. edulis and galioprovincialis

Red snapper/Lutjanus spp

Manila clams

Abalone

Chaetoceros, Tetreselmis

Skelotonema

Groupers/Epinephelus sp.

Limpets/Patella sp.

Algae Shellfish

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Artemia/Artemia sp.

Sponges

Clownfish

Artemia, Algaes, Sea urchins, Fish, Rotifers, Daphnia, Mussels, Bugula, Barnacles

Marine

Acute and Chronic Trials

Freshwater

Bioaccumulation Trials

Zebra Danio/Danio rerio

…as well other emerging species of economic importance.

Copepods

Corals

Angelfish/Pterophyllum scalare

Mytilus sp., Fish

Rotifers/Brachionus sp.

Ornamentals

Live Feeds

Other Invertebrates

Aquatic Ecotoxicology

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With the addition of these new species, we have been working on expanding our list of challenge models. Work has also been completed on our cohabitation challenge models for Tilapia (O. niloticus) with Streptococcus and European Sea bass with Photobacterium which are all proving to be very robust and providing consistent data.

• Thermal stress: high and low temperatures, static and controlled rising/lowering levels

• pH stress: static and rapid change• Oxidative stress, low DO: static and controlled

reduction of levels• Carbon Dioxide (CO2): static and controlled

elevation of levels• Stocking density and stress indicators: cortisol

levels.. etc.

• Monogeneans (Sparicotyle chrysophrii, Diplenactum aquaeans)

• Myxosporeans (E. leii, E. scophthalmi)

Our Challenge Models Include

• Challenge by pathogen inoculation, generally by intra-peritoneal or intramuscular injection, depending on pathogen

• Challenge by cohabitation • Application of vaccine/therapeutants in bath, orally

or inoculated, depending on pathogen and experimental design

• Application of environmental stressors - if required by the experimental protocol

Challenge Model List

Challenge Models

Streptococcus agalactiaeTilapia

Aeromonas salmonicida Trout and Salmon

Renibacterium salmoninarum Trout - Bacterial kidney disease – BKD

Edwardsiella tardaTurbot challenge

Vibrio harveyiSea bream

Nodavirus / VNNGroupers, Sea bass, Asian sea bass

Streptococcus iniaeTilapia

Motile Aeromonas Septicemia (MAS)Tilapia

Vibrio anguillarumSea bass

Yersinia ruckeri Trout - Enteric Red Mouth Disease (ERMD)

Aeromonus hydrophilia Tilapia and Pangasius

Koi Herpes Virus (KHV)Cyprinus carpio

Photobacterium damsela subsp. piscicida Sea bass - Pasteurellosis

Edwardsiella ictaluri Bacillary necrosis of Pangasius (BNP) / Enteric Septicemia of Catfish (ESC)

Environmental Stressor Challenges

Parasite Challenge Models (under development)

16 Experimental Feed Production/Fish Nutrition

Different types of nutrition trials can be performed in our facilities:

• Benchmarking performance trials using different commercially available feeds where fish are grown for a period of time, whilst biometric parameters are recorded

• Feed formulation trials, where desired raw materials or additives are included at different inclusion levels in experimental diets. Feeds can be formulated by the client or with the help of ABT Innovia

• Functional feed trials: where feeds containing special ingredients are fed prior to a particular challenge such as thermal stress, low oxygen or an immunological challenge

• Digestibility trials

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• General biometry

• Examination via gross necropsy

• Optical microscopy

• Histology

• Microbiology

• Digital Imaging

• Vaccine residue

• Elastomer and PITs

• Tagging

• Spielberg test

• Physiological/Biochemical parameters

• RT PCR

• ELISA

• Viral isolation and cell culture

• Enzymatic activity at tissue level

• Proximate composition of whole body or target

organs

• Protein expression in specific tissue

• mRNA expression in specific tissue

• Sediment analysis

• HPLC

• Off flavouring geosmin/MIB

Internal Analysis and Practices With Partner Laboratories and Research Centres

Laboratory and Analytical Capabilities

18 Antifouling Trials

Marine fouling causes enormous problems in the maintenance of vessels, aquaculture cages, ropes and moorings as well as intake pipelines, Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants and others strutures. Countries worldwide are spending billions every year to fight biofouling using toxic compounds that kill non-target organisms and accumulate in the marine environment. The assessment of the antifouling activity should be established at different levels. Our licensed facility provides laboratories, testing tanks and field studies to assess the antifouling activity of different products.

Laboratory Tests

• Barnacle settlement assay

• Bryozoan settlement assay

• Mussel attachment inhibition assay

• Biofilm growth inhibition

• Algae growth inhibition

• Leach rate potential

Field Tests – Marina and Offshore

19Aquatic Toxicity Trials

This field of study includes freshwater, marine and sediment environments. Common tests include standardised acute and chronic toxicity tests lasting 24–96 hours (acute test); to seven days or more (chronic tests). These assessments measure endpoints such as survival, growth and reproduction, at each concentration in a gradient, along with a control test. This field of study can be used to test chemical compounds, wastewaters, groundwaters, sediment pore waters, effluents, pesticides and soil or waste leachates. Our facility provides the following tests:

Ecotoxicity Tests

• Algae growth inhibition• Acute test with Artemia salina• Embryo toxicity tests with sea urchin Paracentrotus

lividus• Embryo toxicity tests with fish – various species,

such as D. Rerio • Chronic test on fish – various species• Rapid Toxkit microbiotests

Physiological/Biochemical Parameters

• Clearance rates

• Condition index

• Liver somatic index

• Protein content

• Catalase activity

• Lipid peroxidation

• Acetylcholinesterase activity

• Gluthatione S-transferase activity

• Lysosomal neutral red retention

Bioaccumulation Tests

• Mussels/clams/oysters • Zebra fish/Danio rerio • Sea bream/Sparus aurata

Animal Welfare

Biosecurity

ABT Innovia operates under the three R’s principle: Replacement, Reduction and Refinement. Over time, the creation of more robust challenge models has led to a reduction in the numbers of fish used. ABT Innovia is also fully authorised to carry out animal testing and is subject to a constant animal welfare review and improvement process by the local authorities.

Our facilities operate with a high degree of bio-security so as to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission. Our staff are trained in industry-leading biosecurity procedures and the work-flows around the facilities are designed to keep biosecurity risks to a minimum. Some of our biosecurity policy features include:

• Disinfection of footwear, gear and hands at the entrance of every lab

• Strict access control to experimental bays• Individual sets of footwear, equipment and water

quality sensors on each bay • Work flow forbids staff from re-entering the labs

after pathogen work has been carried out • Constant disease surveillance is done on water and

stock • Quarantine procedures are in place for every batch

of incoming fish, even if sanitary certificates have been provided by the supplier

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21National, EU and Global Research Initiatives

The AquaBioTech Group is actively involved in research and academic activities at both National and European level, either in collaboration of local universities and public bodies or as part of larger consortia which takes part in Europe’s main research schemes.

In Malta: collaboration with the University of Malta performing oceanographic work such as ROV surveys, seabed mapping and sampling work.

EU: Active involvement in FP7 projects and other initiatives. Currently ABT is actively involved in 4 running FP7 and 1 Horizon 2020 projects whilst many more have been completed.

International: We have started our involvement with the EU-China Dragonstar Scheme and linked EU-China business and technology co-operation, as well as the Business Avenues and EU Gateway Programme to establish a long-lasting business and research collaboration with counterparts from Korea, Japan and South-East Asian countries.

Internships

The revamped facilities and the existing research acti viti es provide ample opportunity for students from all over the world to improve their skills in fi sh rearing, aquaculture engineering, water chemistry, fi sh health and fi sh nutriti on.

Over the years, our faciliti es have received dozens of students from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.

Sergio A. Gayoso Spain

Nelli VarsányiHungary

Day Thanh PhamVietnam

Marie-Teresa GroblerZimbabwe

Rodolfo Villalobos Costa Rica

USANorway

Vietnam

Costa Rica

Columbia

Spain

FranceCroati a

Greece

Italy

PortugalTurkey

HungaryPolandRussia

BulgariaMoldova

Zimbabwe

Saudi Arabia

MaltaIreland

Canada

Mexico

Venezuela

Brazil

Germany

UK

The NetherlandsSlovenia

Morocco

LebanonEgypt

Nigeria

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23Further Expansion

Address:Central Complex, Naggar Street, Targa Gap, Mosta MST 1761, MALTA G.C.

Telephone: +356 2258 4100

E-mail: info@aquabt.com

Website: www.abti nnovia.com www.aquabt.comwww.abtmarine.comwww.abtaquati cs.comwww.aquacirc.com

In 2015 we started the third phase of our expansion and it is expected that a number of new wet labs and faciliti es will be available by the end of 2016 in order to sati sfy the growing sectoral demand. These faciliti es will include additi onal quaranti ne and stock fi sh rooms and additi onal RAS faciliti es for fi sh nutriti on and challenge trials, as well as a new dedicated aquati c ecotoxicology laboratory and testi ng systems for fi sh and shellfi sh species.

The company has also recently expanded its licensed off shore marine experimental site area which is used for applied research and testi ng for a range of acti ons including the testi ng of anti -fouling materials, water quality monitoring equipment and other oceanographic instrumentati on/research acti viti es.

www.abtinnovia.com

AQUABIOTECH GROUP