Innovasea hires veteran farm operator as aquaculture services lead

Innovasea announced that it has hired veteran fish farmer Erik Vis as its new aquaculture services lead.

Vis has more than 20 years of global experience as a fish farm operator and manager, most recently as director of the fish business unit at Naqua, where he oversaw a 10,000 ton Barramundi operation with multiple sites in Saudi Arabia.

“Erik brings a wealth of hands-on, egg-to-harvest mariculture knowledge that he will be able to share with clients who are starting fish farms or looking expand or improve existing operations,” said Innovasea CEO David Kelly. “He has farmed all over the world in myriad environments, and his wisdom and insights bring an additional layer of expertise to Innovasea.”

Before joining Naqua in 2020, Vis served as the general manager of Blue Ocean Mariculture’s Seriola farm in Hawaii, where he oversaw the initial development of a new processing facility. Before that he was the director of operations at Open Blue in Panama, an offshore cobia farm, where he managed a staff of 100.

Both companies are part of the Cuna del Mar portfolio of companies – which also includes Innovasea – and rely heavily on Innovasea technology, systems and equipment.

“I’ve been working with Innovasea for years as a customer and have always been impressed by the company’s creativity, its people and its commitment to fostering sustainable aquaculture,” said Vis. “This was a wonderful opportunity for me and my family, and I’m excited to pass along to clients what I’ve learned over the years.”

Vis will report to George Nardi, vice-president of aquaculture services.

In addition to his fish farming knowledge, Vis is multi-lingual, a certified PADI Divemaster with more than 3,000 dives and can operate vessels up to 60 tons.