First fish in Ocean Farm
THE first fish are now in the cages of SalMar’s Ocean Farm 1, the semi-submersible offshore fish farm that arrived in Norwegian waters early in September, after an 11-week journey from its builders in China.
SalMar chief executive Trond Williksen told kyst.no the focus now will be the optimum operation of the new technology.
‘We will gain experience and operational knowledge with a new technological concept out in the ocean.’
The 80m high, 110m wide structure, which was constructed by Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group in China’s Shandong Province, was lowered into the sea at Frohavet on September 5.
Ocean Farm 1, which has a volume of 250,000m3 and will be able to grow 1.5 million fish in 14 months, was awarded eight development licences by the Norwegian government in February. It was reported this month that the farm will be used as a floating laboratory by a company developing systems for computer modelling of the external and internal status of farmed salmon.
Norwegian engineering and services giant Kongsberg Maritime has a three-year operating partnership with Ocean Farm 1 for the development of its SimSalma and CyberFish systems. One of its goals is the control of fish behaviour.
SalMar owns 50 per cent of Scottish Sea Farms.
Truly, madly, deep-sea: Page 118