Kiwi king salmon producer plans on-land facility
Government pays 40% of cost for hybrid farm designed to emulate farmer's hydro-canal conditions
A New Zealand salmon producer that grows its fish in canals that serve hydroelectric power stations has announced plans to build an on-land salmon farm.
Mount Cook Alpine Salmon aims to build a prototype 1,000-tonne hybrid facility that will use a partial flow-through system to emulate the unique conditions of the glacial-fed canals where it raises king salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha).
The facility will increase the company’s production volume and will be designed to optimise energy use through gravity-fed water and integrating renewable and low-energy solutions.
Waste capture
“This differs from the recirculated water systems used by most overseas land-based farms,” said chief executive David Cole in an article on the company’s website.
“The design will capture waste, control the flows better to suit the fish, and provide a stable, ideal growing environment. Being land-based, it has the opportunity to deliver greater automation and monitoring systems in an all-weather working environment.
“The nutrients from the salmon operation will be collected to support an aquaponics crop, taking a circular approach and generating value from a zero-value waste stream. This will link to a wetland area that would further purify the water.”
Sustainable growth
The NZ $16.7 million (£8.3 m) project is being part-funded with NZ $6.7 m from the government’s Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) fund.
Steve Penno, director of investment programmes at the Ministry for Primary Industries, the project aligns with the government’s aquaculture strategy, which outlines a sustainable growth pathway to an additional NZ $3 billion in annual revenue.
“Land-based aquaculture is a key pillar of the aquaculture strategy, which relies on innovation across the aquaculture sector,” said Penno.
“This project is an excellent example of smart thinking to explore what land-based farming could look like for New Zealand, based on next generation salmon farming techniques.”
The location of the farm hasn’t been decided, but it will be within either the Mackenzie or Waitaki Districts where Mount Cook Alpine Salmon already operates.
The company’s chairman, Sir Bill English, said: “Mt Cook Alpine Salmon pioneered salmon farming in the hydro-canals in 1992. It is very fitting that it will continue to lead the way with this innovative approach to a land-based farm. A successful pilot will see the opportunity to scale up and to later replicate the proven concept, with huge potential overseas.”
Mount Cook Alpine Salmon operates five salmon farms in the hydro-canals, along with two hatcheries, a large primary processing plant and a secondary processing plant, and employs a total of 240 people.
