Andfjord Salmon Group AS (Andfjord Salmon) today announces the successful completion of its first dedicated post-smolt production cycle, which was also the first production cycle in pool K3 at Kvalnes, Andøya, following the sale of post-smolt to regional fish farmer Eidsfjord Sjøfarm.
The smolt were released into pool K3 in early June this year. Over the past few days, all the fish in pool K3 have been transferred to Eidsfjord Sjøfarm, which has subsequently released the post-smolt into ocean net pens in the Vesterålen region.
The transfer corresponds to a biomass of approximately 390 tonnes of post-smolt. This is the second time Andfjord Salmon has delivered post-smolt, but the first time the company has run a production cycle dedicated solely to post-smolt.
“We have reared the smolt from an average weight of 110 to well above 700 grams in just over four months. This is ahead of the growth table for ocean net pens. Faster growth means a shorter runway to revenue for Andfjord Salmon, while Eidsfjord Sjøfarm gets earlier access to robust fish to release into their ocean net pens at a time that matches their production plans. Both parties benefit from the solid biological performance,” says Martin Rasmussen, CEO of Andfjord Salmon.
Andfjord Salmon will now proceed to empty pool K3 before cleaning, disinfecting and performing periodic maintenance prior to the next stocking. The company expects to release approximately 800,000 smolt into pool K3 in November this year. This volume will likely be used partly for post-smolt and partly for production of human-grade salmon.
“Our land-based pools and supporting infrastructure provide us with flexibility to combine post-smolt and grow-out production. This is a resourceful way of capitalising on available pool capacity without compromising the biology,” adds Martin Rasmussen.
Located at Andøya on the Arctic Archipelago of Vesterålen, Norway, Andfjord Salmon is developing the world's most sustainable and fish-friendly aquaculture facility of its kind. Through a proprietary flow-through system, Andfjord Salmon combines the best from ocean and land-based salmon farming. In its first production cycle, the company achieved an industry-leading survival rate of 97.5 percent, feed conversion ratio of 1.05, superior share of 91.1 percent, and required 1 kWh to produce one kilo of salmon. For more information, see www.andfjordsalmon.com