March 11, 2014

Salmon processor Meralliance to branch out into salmon farming

The 4,000-square meter site will be based in Treffegiat, French Brittany, and will be able to produce 800 tonnes of salmon a year across eight tanks. The aim is to start operations in 2015.

Niche segments such as Label Rouge salmon are important in the French market. But for a Norwegian producer to be able to provide 3,000 tonnes of Label Rouge salmon a year, he'd have to produce at least five times as much for it to be worth his while, said Charpentier.

He said the second idea behind the project is to have a product of high quality. This includes producing salmon feed on a diet with at least 60% marine protein content.

The industry has been working hard on reducing the marine protein content in salmon feeds, with some feeds going as low as 12%. Salon feed will be sourced from local partners, using by-products that will be provided by local fish harbours, he said.

The farm will also improve feed conversion ratio of its salmon, from the standard 1.3kg of feed to 1kg of fish, to 1:1. Meanwhile the waste will be collected, with the sludge from the site broken down using anaerobic digestion.

An added bonus, he said, is that the fish can be sold as "Saumon de France" - "Salmon from France". Some five to six employees could be hired for the site.