RAStech round-up
Recirculating aquaculture systems under the spotlight
NEARLY all the global supply of Atlantic salmon is produced at sea in net pens but growing demand for protein, together with restraints on the expansion of conventional farming, have encouraged the emergence of land reared fish.
Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are hailed by pioneers as the future of fish farming, with a lower environmental impact, as well as proximity to the biggest markets.
But while there has been significant investment in RAS hatcheries by the salmon sector, the jury is still out on full cycle farming on land.
The risks are seen by many as too high, with insurers unwilling to back projects. The world’s biggest fish farm insurer said that RAS had so far been a loss maker.
Speaking at the North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) in Bergen last month, Geir Myre, global head of aquaculture insurance at insurance company AXA XL Catlin, said the proliferation of RAS projects are not ‘dream objects’ for his company.
‘(RAS has) less than two per cent premium, but over five per cent of the losses. This has so far been a loss making project for us,’ said Myre.
He said the risk factors include water quality, biology, crew, technological risk, genetics and hydraulics.
‘There are many small things that can go wrong. We need more expertise in place before we can assure it or if we are going to insure it.’
Spearheading that expertise are companies like Atlantic Sapphire, currently building the world’s biggest land based salmon farm in Miami.
The company’s CEO, interviewed on page 30, is one of several RAS experts who will address delegates at RAStech, the technical conference and trade show devoted to farming fish on land, to be held in Washington in May.
There are now plans to build RAS plants with biomass of up to 45,000 tonnes of salmon, Geir Myre pointed out, much of this in the US, the world’s biggest market for salmon.
Approximately 350,000 tonnes of Atlantic salmon are consumed in the US, more than 95 per cent imported, and it is hoped that production of salmon in RAS plants will reduce dependence on
seafood imports.
RAStech will feature companies at the forefront of RAS ingenuity, such as AquaBounty, which last month overcame the final hurdle in its efforts to farm genetically modified salmon in the US. Syliva Wulf, president and CEO, will deliver the keynote speech.
Leading RAS scientists and engineers, oxygen specialists, waste disposal experts, aquaponics innovators, and RAS feed, including live feed, manufacturers will present papers and participate in panel discussions.
The technology behind systems for freshwater and marine fish, and shrimp, will be examined, and commercial challenges will be addressed too.
Speakers include Bjarne Hald Olsen of Billund Aquaculture in Denmark, Craig Browdy of Zeigler Bros, Ivar Warrer-Hansen, advisor to Nordic Aqua Farms, and Steven Summerfelt, formerly of the Freshwater Institute and now running the aquaponics venture, Superior Fresh.
RAStech will run from May 13-14, at the Capital Hilton, Washington. A preview of some of the RAS developments, with insights from farmers, researchers and financiers, features over the following pages.
There are now plans to build RAS plants with biomass of up to 45,000 tonnes of salmon”