September 29, 2023

Mariculture AS granted clearance for smart fish farm in Norwegian sea

Mariculture AS, a fully-owned subsidiary of Salmar Aker Ocean, has received official clearance from the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries for the establishment of its smart fish farm in the Norwegian sea, SeafoodSource reported.

This clearance grants Mariculture AS eight development permits for the site known as "Froya" in the Norwegian sea. Notably, these permits are exclusively for the operation of a specific farming concept and pertain solely to salmon farming. SalMar Aker Ocean is required to submit the final design plan for the facility to the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries once it becomes available.

Roy Reite, chief executive officer of SalMar Aker Ocean, said this is an important step forward in realising the potential of offshore aquaculture, adding that the next important milestones are the clarifications relating to ground rent tax and the regulatory framework for offshore aquaculture.

According to the directorate's announcement, the company has been granted a location positioned 45 nautical miles beyond the baseline for salmon farms. The granted rights enable the cultivation of 19,000 metric tonnes (MT) of salmon biomass at this site.

The initial application for this project was made subsequent to Mariculture receiving eight development permits to test its farm concept in 2019. This commitment was later transferred to SalMar Ocean AS, the predecessor of Salmar Aker Ocean, formed in 2021 through a strategic partnership between Norwegian salmon farming firms SalMar and Aker.

Projects seeking development permits, as stipulated by law, must contribute to advancing technology capable of addressing environmental and spatial challenges confronting the aquaculture industry, as outlined by the directorate. The rationale behind this requirement is to open up previously unsuitable areas for farming and enhance the overall efficiency of land use in coastal zones.

Having obtained the necessary development permits, approved production quotas, and site clearance for a specific location, the company is now poised to commence operations. It will proceed with the construction of its facility in the Norwegian Sea and initiate the testing phase for its offshore aquaculture concept. As part of its long-term vision, Salmar Aker Ocean aims to achieve an annual salmon production of 150,000 MT by the end of 2030.

-      SeafoodSource