A conceptual drawing of a 10 tank farm site for Agrimarine. (Photo: Agrimarine Holdings)

Self-contained farm averts escapes and pollution

CHINA
Wednesday, December 16, 2009, 00:40 (GMT + 9)

A completely self-contained floating farm system built by a Canadian research and development team is now making year-round salmon farming in China possible.

"We've built closed containment rearing technology and built our first commercial plant in China," said Richard Buchanan, CEO of Agrimarine Holdings Inc.

The company established its first commercial farm near Shenyang in southern Liaoning Province.

Agrimarine expects to see their first harvests of rainbow trout and salmon in late summer 2010. The firm is also producing chinook salmon in a demonstration unit set up near Campbell River, British Columbia, with a first harvest also anticipated for 2010, Meattradenewsdaily reports.

The company developed a self-contained system that includes 10 tanks, each 79 ft in diameter and 20 ft deep, when it was contracted by the British Columbian government in 2000 to resolve the escapes, diseases and pollution of traditional net pen farms.

Circulating water is fully replaced hourly, slightly resembling ocean currents, enhancing flesh quality while removing faecal waste (which is recycled for compost) and left-over feed. The floor of each unit contains video cameras for more efficient feed use, Buchanan said.

"When (feed) pellets are seen falling through, you know feeding is done. You know the fish are full," he said.

Buchanan expects to save 10 per cent in feed costs.

"We're going to do salmon in the Yellow Sea," he stated.

Agrimarine is considering four properties in China with plans for two each for salmon in cold-water areas and two for yellowfin tuna in warmer waters.

Canadian First Nations tribes critical of net pen farms because of pollution and disease that threaten wild salmon support this new technology for its sustainability and the jobs it will produce in seafood processing plants, he noted.

A 10-tank unit can be operated by a crew of about 12 and, because it doesn't depend on ocean currents to remove waste, it can be placed close to processing facilities and markets.

"I think eventually the net cage guys will come around and see this is cheaper and supported by the consumers," Buchanan added.

Related articles:

- First Nations sue BC over salmon farms
- BC's largest farm loses thousands of salmon

By Natalia Real
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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