US state to open US$10.7 million saltwater aquaculture farm

US first saltwater commercial aquaculture operation to produce saltwater fish is coming to Columbia County, New York.

Called Local Ocean, the US$10.7 million cutting-edge fish farm project was announced during a news conference Thursday (Feb 12) in Hudson.

It is the result of a partnership between Israeli company Grow Fish Anywhere (GFA) and Sanit Corp.

According to reports, Local Ocean will put in new machinery and equipment and train employees in how to run a sustainable aquaculture fish farm which will grow a variety of fish species, in accordance with market demands, and supply seafood markets and retailers throughout the Northeast.

The GFA system is designed to use less energy than typical existing fish farms, with two electric pumps, fully recycled water to minimise heating requirements and a passive solar design to assist with lighting and heating.

According to the report, Sanit Group will provide management, marketing and distribution expertise for the project.

Local Ocean chief executive officer Efraim Bason said that as part of a growing industry, the project aims at replacing fish imports and generating aquaculture know-how.

The project will utilise a US$175,000 grant from the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal.