June 9, 2006

Denmark to expand fish farm sector

Denmark is embarking on a plan to expand its aquaculture to tap into the international market for seafood.

Denmark¡¯s present output of 40 000 tonnes should be expanded to over 100,000 tonnes, boosting turnover to DKK4 billion (US$678 million), the fish-farming body Dansk Akvakultur said.

The agricultural department hopes to expand all areas from freshwater farms and sea-based production, including inland farms with seawater re-circulation. Uncertainty about seawater fish farming has limited production areas so far, but other sites are under consideration.

Fisheries minister Hans Schmidt Schmidt expects that, with recent investments in water filtration systems, larger freshwater units would be forthcoming in future.

In addition, the Danish Food ministry has granted DKR2 million (US$339 million) for research into commercial production of softshelled/shell-less beach crabs. Soft shell crabs can be eaten whole and there is supposedly a huge potential market for it in the US and Asia.