From Ocean to Table

Marine Institute’s Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development collaborate with global processing leader BAADER to advance seafood innovation

Monday, August 3, 2026 By Jodi Cooke

Butter dripping. Mouthwatering. The first bite of a seafood feast may start with crab, lobster, or even a fish stick. What most consumers never see is the complex network of harvesting, processing, research, and engineering that brings seafood from ocean to table.

At the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University’s Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development (CASD), that journey is where innovation begins. Through applied research and industry partnerships, CASD helps seafood producers improve efficiency, maximize value, and advance sustainable processing technologies.

Recently, global food processing technology company BAADER partnered with CASD to showcase its latest seafood processing innovations at the Marine Institute’s Mount Scio Road facility. Using CASD’s world-class facilities and strong industry connections, BAADER demonstrated technologies designed to support every stage of processing, from automated crab splitting and sorting to protein recovery, emulsifying, and bone separation.

“BAADER has had a longstanding relationship with the Marine Institute going back to the 1970’s”, says Bob Courage, Sales and service manager, BAADER Canada.

For BAADER, the Marine Institute provides an ideal environment to demonstrate emerging technologies, gather industry feedback, and evaluate new concepts before they enter the marketplace.

“MI provides an unbiassed neutral environment where the industry can learn from demonstrations such as those we have held frequently since 2018. The personnel are second to none and the facilities are comparable to many of the processing facilities where BAADER equipment operates. It is a great place to showcase our knowledge, expertise, and capabilities.”

Courage also says BAADER’S collaboration reflects a shared commitment to maximizing the value of every fish and shellfish processed. At CASD, a full-scale demonstration line recently showcased BAADER’s advanced automation and robotics. A line facility capable of cleaning, grading, sorting, and processing crab while recovering valuable raw materials that might otherwise be lost as waste.

For MI’s Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development, the potential extends beyond commercial processing. Researchers here are also exploring how these systems can support work in areas such as collagen extraction and the development of value-added products from seafood by-products.

As sustainability and resource efficiency become increasingly important, technologies that improve product recovery and reduce waste offer significant benefits for industry, consumers, and the environment.

By bringing together industry expertise and applied research, the Marine Institute continues to build a more efficient, sustainable, and resilient seafood sector, one innovation at a time.