Proximar Seafood, the Norwegian company developing a land-based salmon recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) facility in Japan, said it continues to be on track to have its first harvest in Q3 2024 even as it takes steps prevent a similar tank breach to one that occurred in early February.
The company began construction on its RAS facility – located in Yama, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan near Mt. Fuji – in 2021, using equipment provided by AquaMaof. It completed that facility in Q3 2023, and has since been building up biomass at its site.
The facility is targeting a production rate of 5,300 metric tons (MT) head-on gutted (HOG) salmon per year, and as of its 23 February update it had reached 57 MT of standing biomass. So far, one of its four post-smolt growout facility modules is completed and in operation, and according to the company the next module will be ready to receive its first fish in April.
“We are transitioning from construction to an operational phase with harvest of the first fish expected in Q3 this year,” Proximar Seafood CEO Joachim Nielsen said.
Proximar said biological performance at the facility has been “encouraging,” with stable conditions and growth in line with the production plan.
“We are pleased to see the standing biomass increase at pace, whilst the growth of the fish remains according to expectations,” Nielsen said. “Fish health and safety remain our key priority going forward, and we are very happy to have a highly skilled team in place to deliver on our plans.”
The company did have one hiccup – it reported 50,000 fish died due to a tank breach in its growout building on 3 February, which it said was caused by leakage between the floor panels and the “center module in the tank.”
That leak resulted in soil drainage in the tank’s foundation, causing a sudden breach in the tank. The company said it will prevent future breaches using foam injections around the center module to prevent any drainage damaging the foundation, and to “secure extra support.”
“Although we’ve experienced issues with the tank breach following the quarter end, initiatives have been made to prevent similar incidents. This remains our number one priority,” Nielsen said.
In its latest Q4 2023 update, it said that the amount of fish that died represents less than 5 percent of the individuals in production, but will impact the Q4 2024 harvest by an estimated 250 MT.
Nielsen said the upcoming year will be “pivotal” for the company as it …
