Nordic Aquafarms to expand ‘ground-breaking’ project
NORDIC Aquafarms has received planning approval to build the second phase of what will be one of Europe’s largest land based salmon farms on a 10,000 square metre site, 40 miles south of the Norwegian capital Oslo.
Fredrikstad Seafoods, a subsidiary of Nordic Aquafarms, said it has been granted a construction permit for its ground-breaking project, which features new innovations related to efficient footprint, self-cleaning tanks, efficient logistics and environmental standards.
The new design removes 99 per cent of most nutrients before discharge.
The company said construction will begin when remaining permits are in place, alongside a new smolt facility on the site.
Construction of phase one, which will produce 2,000 tonnes of salmon, has been in progress for several months and the first production should be ready by the end of 2019.
The phase two expansion will involve an additional 4,200 tonnes of new production capacity.
Fredrikstad Seafoods has also invested heavily in water purification and recycling. It describes itself as a ‘progressive producer’ in land based fish farms, with production facilities in Norway and Denmark.
Established in 2014, it has rapidly developed into a considerable business operation with international involvements.
Nordic Aquafarms is also behind a $500 million plan to build a huge land based salmon farm near the port town of Belfast in Maine, in the US.
CEO Erik Heim announced that the company has hired its first two employees in Maine. The company will submit applications to local and state authorities later this summer for permits to start building.
The new employees are Carter Cyr, who will become production manager, and David Noyes, who has been appointed chief technology officer at the new site. Both are natives of Maine and have considerable aquaculture experience.