Dutch firm plans $100m RAS site in US
THE Dutch aquaculture company KingFish Zeeland has become the latest seafood business to plan a large land based facility in the US state of Maine.
It has chosen the traditional fishing town of Jonesport for the $100 million plus project. But it will not be breeding salmon.
Kingfish Zeeland specialises in the production of yellowtail, a high grade sashimi which it currently sells into European markets.
It operates a RAS facility in the Dutch province of Zeeland which has an annual production of 600 tonnes of yellowtail, also known as kingfish.
The company pin pointed more than 20 sites along the US east coast before deciding on Maine, which is fast becoming home of the largest US aquaculture cluster.
, CEO of Kingfish Zeeland, said the plant plans to produce around 6,000 tonnes of fish a year, increasing over time.
The project is expected to create around 70 jobs and construction could start in early 2021.
The company spent several months in the area obtaining the views of local people.