The companies Grieg Seafood Rogaland and FishGLOBE enter into partnership to realize development licenses for closed aquaculture technology at sea, through the partner company Next Seafood, which will take over two awarded development licenses, the two companies will realize the FishGLOBE concept for food fish. The companies signed an agreement to pursue the major development of the giant 30K, a balloon that is 10 times the size of what FishGLOBE operates today.
Grieg Seafood Rogaland and FishGLOBE are currently collaborating on farming post-smolt in two smaller ‘globes’, or closed fish farms, in Ryfylke. This means that Grieg Seafood Rogaland’s salmon can be shorter in traditional fish farms, which, among other things, gives the company better control of lice and disease.
The companies are now entering into a partnership to further develop the technology and adapt it to ready-to-eat food fish. While the 3.5K globes for post-smolt are 3,500 cubic meters, the food fish globe (30K) will be almost ten times as large as much as 30,000 cubic meters.
The goal is to develop technology and expertise in closed facilities at sea
“We will reduce our footprint, improve fish welfare and grow sustainably. We work a lot with this, both by improving traditional farming and using new technology. Through the collaboration in Next Seafood, the goal is to develop technology and expertise in closed facilities at sea. We look forward to that”, says Nina Willumsen Grieg, regional director of Grieg Seafood Rogaland.
In the other hand, Tor Hellestøl, general manager of FishGLOBE, said that they “will contribute to sustainable growth in the aquaculture industry through deliveries of closed fish farms for post-smolt and in the future also for food fish. Together with Grieg Seafood Rogaland, which has expertise and experience that complements us well, we will take new steps in our technology development. We look forward to realizing the 30K through the collaboration in Next Seafood”.
Initially, Next Seafood will design FishGLOBE for food fish in detail. According to the plan, a decision on construction will be made during 2022.
A significant advance in fish welfare
FishGLOBE is a closed farming technology designed to make the salmon industry even better, “more profitable, more sustainable and with higher fish welfare”, they said about their multi solution for use in combination with regular fish cages.
According to the members of the company, FishGLOBE represents a significant advance in fish welfare, as well as leading to a significant environmental benefit, because its technology was developed for fish welfare and health, as well as to ensure environmental considerations for future requirements for aquaculture industry.
“Knowledge of aquaculture industry needs and challenges are fused with technical solutions that meet today’s challenges to environment, health and economy”, they explain.
A cost effective construction
In order to get low enough operating costs, the construction is made in a way that high oxygenation during normal operation is not needed. Oxygen is transported to the fish by supplying large quantities of new water. There is a big pipe for waste in the center of the globe, and many feed pipes.
The feed pipes are placed with correct distance from the outer wall, to ensure optimal flow within the globe. These pipes are at the same time girders that stiffen the walls.
The pipes therefore has a double function, to transport water in and out in a cost effective manner and to stiffen the walls. This solution makes both investment- and operating costs low.
“Together with improved survival and better quality of the fish, this will be economically profitable for the farmers.“
Treatment of diseases and parasites represents a great risk to fish in production. Fish welfare during treatment are therefore essential for farmers. Considering an increasing industry and increasing challenges including lice and AGD, there is currently a great need for alternative treatment.
