Grieg Seafood BC's latest commitment to delousing

Grieg Seafood BC, a salmon farming company based in Vancouver Island, announced its commitment towards reducing sea lice populations while at the same time reducing its chemical and medication use. 

"Grieg has entered into a three-year contract with Njord Marine Service Ltd. for the service of the Coastal Server, a 24-metre all-purpose vessel which has also been fitted with a SkaMik 1.5 mechanical delousing system," Grieg Seafood BC said in a press release dated 21st December. 

The vessel and equipped delousing system will be used by Grieg at its farms along the east and west coasts of Vancouver Island, where the company operates, and the Sunshine Coast for sea lice management. 

The delousing system consists of soft, rotating brushing and low-pressure water nozzles as a means of removing sea lice, ensuring no chemical or medication use. The vessel will also be able to provide regular maintenance support in addition to delousing treatments.

The SkaMik system

"As an organisation, we are committed to reducing the overall impact from our operations. Sea lice remains one of the biggest issues, and the new vessel and SkaMik 1.5 system are a welcome addition to our toolbox as not only does the system remove over 97 per cent of sea lice, in all lifecycle stages, it uses no medication or chemicals," Rocky Boschman, the Managing Director for Grieg Seafood BC, said. "It captures the removed lice for disposal on land – reducing the overall lice population in the region." 

The vessel and delousing system is capable of being used at all Grieg farms, due to being self-contained and able to travel easily between sites. The system can be used on fish of all sizes and able to treat up to 150 metric tonnes of fish per hour. The treatment time per fish is about 1.5 seconds. 

"The new mechanical delouser will be our first choice for sea lice treatment and will be a valuable addition to our fleet. The SkaMik 1.5 system uses ambient temperature ocean water and soft bristled brushes to loosen and remove lice, which are then filtered out of the treatment water for later disposal or composting on land," explained Dean Trethewey, Seawater Production, Certifications and Regulatory Director. "The process itself is incredibly quick – with each fish only spending about 1.5 seconds in the delousing system. This helps to reduce stress for the fish and enables us to treat entire farms within a matter of days with an immediate reduction of lice in the region." 

When the Coastal Server and SkaMik 1.5 are available, Grieg is going to test and commission the vessel and delouser with the intention of having the system in use at all of the company's operations. Further plans are to arrange for tours of the vessel and celebrations next year, when pandemic restrictions are permitting. 

For more information on Grieg Seafood BC visit their website, HERE. 

For more information on Njord Marine Service visit their website, HERE.

Image credit: Grieg Seafood BC

Green power agreement between salmon farming company and energy supplier

Salmon Evolution, a Norwegian land-based salmon farming company, has entered into a green power supply agreement with Statkraft, the largest generator of renewable energy in Europe and is owned by the Norwegian state.

The agreement ensures 100 percent renewable energy at Salmon Evolution's farming facility at Indre Harøy, expected to be operational from March 2022. Additionally, the electricity will be set at a fixed price and cover the salmon farming company's needs for 2022 and 2023.

The electricity due to supply Salmon Evolution's farm is going to come from Statkraft's hydropower plant in the Rauma Municipality, which is only 37 miles from Indre Harøy.

Image credit: Salmon Evolution

The CEO of Salmon Evolution, Mr Trond Håkon Schaug-Pettersen, said of the project: 'The execution of a green power purchase agreement directly with Statkraft's Nordic Origination team is yet another strong testament to Salmon Evolution's credibility in the market.'

He added, 'Furthermore, this agreement is a great example of delivering on our vision, Extending the Ocean Potential, where we continuously push for an acceleration of new circular blue economies. Also, as our company now approach commercial operations, our customers can be 100% certain that our salmon is produced with the lowest possible environmental footprint, setting a new benchmark for sustainably produced salmon.'

Salmon Evolution's first production facility is currently in construction, with its location on the west coast of Norway being a strategic choice, owing to the access to fresh seawater, renewable energy and the infrastructure for salmon farming. The facility is designed for a maximum annual capacity of 31,000 tonnes. Its aim is to utilise the ocean whilst farming fish on land by using hybrid flow-through technology (HFS).

Statkraft is a leading provider in renewable energy, with hydropower, wind power, solar power, and gas-fired power all in its repertoire.

For more information on Salmon Evolution click, HERE.

For more information on Statkraft click, HERE.

 

£5m investment in Scottish Salmon Company's post-smolt project

The Scottish Salmon Company's (SSC) post-smolt project has just been awarded up to GBP £5 million in public sector funding. Highlands and Islands Enterprise approved a £3m investment, while Marine Scotland confirmed their £3m investment in the project.  

"A central aim is to increase smolt size from around 100g to 500g in an ecologically sustainable way using innovative Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) technology. It will include innovative husbandry and enhancing smolt testing and vaccination methods to improve fish welfare while increasing production," SSC said in a press release from the 8^th December. 

By having greater control over the freshwater rearing environment, the length of time smolts spend in the freshwater phase of production can be increased. The fish are most at risk to environmental and biological challenges such as predation and disease whilst in the marine phase, which will be shortened. In doing so, this reduces biological risk and ensures greater production. 

Scottish Salmon Company's Applecross site

The project will create around 30 rural jobs and advance salmon farming in Scotland. Ian Laister, the Managing Director of SSC commented on this: 

"We are committed to investing in the remote and rural communities in which we live and work. Our investment in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) is part of our commitment to become the leading and most sustainable salmon producer in Scotland. 

"Our RAS facility at Applecross will be fully operational by 2023 and will be the largest of its kind in Scotland, with plans for an additional two RAS facilities. 

"This is fundamental to our overall sustainable growth strategy and investment programme over the next five years, which will transform the business." 

In her announcement of the funding, the Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon explained: "The project will deliver on improved fish and welfare, applies innovation to address key challenges and contributes towards sustainability. It also supports the creation of new jobs which will boost the wider economy. 

"It is an essential part of our green recovery, Scotland's largest food export and a huge part of our food and drink success story." 

The Scottish Salmon Company currently employs 600 people across 60 sites, in economically fragile parts of Scotland's coast and islands. It is owned by Bakkafrost Group, one of the world's largest salmon producers. It is committed to incorporating RAS into all freshwater production and strengthening farming operations in the marine environment.

 For more information visit Scottish Salmon Company's website, HERE.

Image credit: Scottish Salmon Company

Andfjord Salmon verifies water flow technology

Andfjord Salmon announced the verification of its laminar water flow technology after a period of testing, at its first pool in Andøya. The company has developed its sustainable aquaculture concept for the purposes of land-based Atlantic salmon farming.

Following weeks of testing, it increased the intensity of flow-through technology tests. The tests included the complete water inlet and outlet infrastructure, filling of the pool, activation of power adaptors, gradual increase of the laminar water flow and measurements of the water flow. Other results recorded analyses of the pool infrastructure and how it reacted to the laminar water flow.

'In practice, this confirms that we have been able to recreate wild salmon's natural habitat on land. In the wild, salmon swims in laminar water flows in the ocean, similar to what we now have in our pool at Andøya. Never have I been more certain that we will meet our ambition of building the world's most sustainable aquaculture facility of its kind,' said Martin Rasmussen the CEO of Andfjord Salmon in a press release from today.

Andfjord Salmon's flow-through technology with a laminar water flow facilitates a natural environment in which farmed salmon can thrive and enables the company to produce fish at a low energy cost of 1kWh per kilogram. 

A flow-through system with a laminar water flow reduces energy consumption and its associated costs by removing the need to lift, filter or heat the seawater, thanks to being sourced directly from the nearby Andfjorden. It also holds a perfect temperature.

'This is a major technological milestone for Andfjord Salmon and a really nice Christmas present to our shareholders, utilising our own technology. We were always confident in the technological capabilities, but humble to the fact demonstrating it in practice is what matters. As such, the successful verification of the laminar water flow helps to de-risk our business case substantially,' Martin Rasmussen explained.

Fine tuning the laminar water flow technology will happen over the coming months. It aims to release its first smolt in the last half of 2021. 

For more information on Andfjord Salmon click, HERE.

Image credit: Andfjord Salmon

Collaboration on UK RAS-based shrimp farm

Farm 491, an agricultural technology hub based in the Royal Agricultural University, has partnered with Land Ocean Farm, a Gloucestershire based start-up, in a project to create the largest land-based system for shrimp farming in the UK. 

Land Ocean Farm's duties in the project include 'building the technology and the network to produce seafood in a land-based and bio-secure environment in the UK,' Land Ocean Farm explained on Farm 491's website. Their joint project aims to produce healthy, nutritious and sustainable seafood at an affordable price for restaurant, retail and consumer markets.

With an awareness that existing traceability and transparency in the seafood supply chain is poor and requires improvement on gaining a better understanding of chemical, antibiotic and hormone use, Land Ocean Farm aims to combat this by developing bio-secure, land-based production facilities in the UK.

This will reduce environmental impact via reducing the carbon footprint and lessen pressures on natural water resources. Being produced in the UK, for the UK market, ensures that the carbon emissions produced from transporting shrimp containers, are drastically reduced. The land-based facility will be operated by green energy to provide heat and power, while water will be recycled.

Land Ocean Farm aims to build its first plant in 2022, which will mark the largest scale producer in the UK. Co-founder of Land Ocean Farm Rasel Mahmud, said of the project: 'Our success in aquaculture depends on others being successful with us, so we want to collaborate and create that success together.'

Referring to their collaboration with Farm 491, he added: 'Being part of Farm491 has created a spider-web of connections which opens other doors, and with anyone you meet in the network there is an instinctive element of trust and seal of approval which helps accelerate mutual benefit. This is so important, especially for young entrepreneurs who haven't yet built up that network.'

For more information on Land Ocean Farm click, HERE.

For more information on Farm 491 click, HERE.

Image credit: Adobe Stock

Aqualife's new semi-automated vaccination technology

With the assistance of a loan from Umi Debt Finance Scotland, vaccination company Aqualife has announced today its brand new piece of technology, the semi-automated fish vaccination unit Inoca, with another fully automated unit in development. Aqualife has succeeded in vaccinating more than 1.6 billion fish since its beginning in 1996, with the hopes to branch out into automated vaccination technology, and change the old, manual process.

In a press release dated today, Chief Executive Office Gordon Jeffrey said: 'We started thinking about automating manual vaccination way back in 2003, and at the time were awarded a government grant to look at the feasibility of building such a system.' It was not, Mr Jeffrey explained, feasible at the time. 'Now the technology has caught up and we commissioned the building of a proof-of-concept system called 'The Inocubot' – a fully automated vaccination system using cameras to determine where the fish is, so we can instruct a robot to inject it, while also determining the fish health, fins and gill colour, and storing the images for future use.'

He then detailed their current commercial prototype, with plans to roll it out from 2022.

Testing on the Inoca unit has been completed, boasting the ability to switch between different vaccination strategies and manage different species. Thanks to its automation, the Inoca unit requires less than half the operators required in a manual vaccination operation.

Phil Brown with Gordon Jeffrey

On working with Umi Debt Finance Scotland, Mr Jeffrey explained: 'We're hungry for funds. We're transitioning from a service-based company to a tech-led business, and that requires funding. And of course, there's been the impact of Covid.' Their relationship with UMi, 'were a pleasure from start to finish. I liked their personal touch, and the way they really wanted to know about the actual business, which is quite unusual – most funders just look at the figures.'

From UMi, Fund Director Tom Brock commented that Aqualife's achievements and aims were admirable: 'Gordon and his team took an idea of semi automation and in just 19 months developed a unit which will speed up vaccinations for a much wider range of fish, making the entire process quicker and more affordable.'

Speaking on the unit itself, Gordon said that the Inoca is 'simple, light and extremely quiet' compared with other units and had already received interest from Africa and Asia.

Gordon concluded with the hope that if automating vaccinations is feasible for fish, the same can be done for humans – having been awarded a feasibility study grant by Innovate UK to look into this.

For more information on Aqualife Services click, HERE.

For more information on UMi Debt Finance Scotland click, HERE.

Image credit: UMi Debt Finance Scotland

The Aquaculturists

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SalmoTerra's partnership with Graintec for new RAS facility

Norwegian salmon producer SalmoTerra has recently partnered with aquaculture technology supplier, Graintec, in the construction of their first, land-based grow-out facility. The facility will be based in Øygarden, nearby to Bergen.

'In the beginning of 2022, the construction of the new facility will take off, and phase one is expected in production in first half of 2023. Phase one has the capacity to produce 2700 tons of Atlantic Salmon annually. After completion of phase 2 the total production capacity will reach 8000 tons annually and will therefore be one of the largest land-based grow-out facilities in Norway,' detailed Graintec in a press release published in November.

On the subject of the project, Managing Director of SalmoTerra, Harald Schreiner Fiksdal, explained: 'Our clear vision is to create optimal conditions for the well-being of the fish in our visionary RAS plant. We wanted a supplier to partner up with, a partner with shared values and visions. Graintec has a long project-history within large projects. They understood our expectations and supported us in creating peace of mind for our investors for this great project in Bergen."

Image caption, from left: Kai André Stæger-Holst, CFO, Harald Schreiner Fiksdal, CEO from SalmoTerra and Jens Jensen, Business Developer and Michael Mortensen, CEO from Graintec.

Echoing his sentiments, Michael Mortensen the CEO of Graintec said: 'We are looking forward to a long partnership as trusted advisor. SalmoTerra marks an important milestone for Graintec as this is our first fish farm project. Having supplied salmon feed plants and feeding solutions for more than two decades we have a long track-record in delivering complex projects to the salmon industry. We have invested heavily in building up RAS competences and have developed a unique RAS concept that will allow SalmoTerra to realize their vision of farming sustainable salmon of highest quality.'

This marks a first for both companies: for Graintec in supplying a RAS facility and SalmoTerra for the construction of its first land-based salmon farm.

For more information on Graintec click, HERE.

For more information on SalmoTerra click, HERE.

Image credit: Graintec

The Kingfish Company's planned US production facility in Maine

Priding itself on its sustainability and high fish welfare standards, The Kingfish Company recently announced its purchase of land for an upcoming land-based facility to further its aquaculture production. The Company is committed to environmentally friendly practices, such as running its facilities on green energy, with custom made heat exchangers. All the water used in these facilities is purified, filtered, and returned to the sea.

The Company currently produces the Dutch Yellowtail and is the largest Yellowtail producer in the EU. The facility is based in Jonesport, Maine, and once completed, will be Kingfish's first production facility in the U.S.

'The facility will serve as Kingfish's first production facility in the U.S. as the company looks to replicate its successful operation in Europe and establish significant local sustainable seafood production for U.S. retailers and food service,' said Kingfish Company in a press release, dated the 29th November, 2021.

Their purchase of land comes after two permits were approved by the State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MDEP) earlier in November. This allows Kingfish to begin pre-construction design and engineering.

'These announcements represent a major milestone in The Kingfish Company's execution of its expansion strategy, and its focus on technology driven local production of high value import dependent seafood in the EU and the US,' said Ohad Maiman, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer. "Today, Kingfish Maine is one step closer to achieving fully operational status, and we are ready to build on our proven blueprint and scale our technology locally to service our network of distributors nationwide."

In recent months, Kingfish confirmed a nationwide retail partnership in the U.S. with Whole Foods to sell its Yellowtail products  across the country.

For more information about The Kingfish Company click, HERE.

Image credits: The Kingfish Company