Fish farming in New York
As another example of the viability of using closed contained, land-based fish farming techno logy to produce fish that will fetch a high selling price and that can tolerate very high densities, the Columbia County city of Hudson is home to a large indoor aquaculture facility, as this article by the Hudsonsaratogachefs explains;
As the first commercial recirculating marine fin-fish aquaculture system in the United States, the future of Local Ocean promises a large, local and sustainably focused fish supply on a mind boggling scale. Over the past two years Local Ocean has standardized an aquaculture system at the 40,000 square foot location in Hudson that makes possible a large scale fresh and salt water commercial fish farm that is the first of its kind. Once established there are plans to strategically implement other locations throughout North America and the Western Hemisphere.
The patented sustainable aquaculture system of Local Ocean is based on a unique fish-farming system that is highly efficient in respect to water and energy use. Energy conservation at Local Ocean comes from a fully-recycled water supply and a passive solar design that provides light and helps minimize heating requirements for the water. The water is purified by what is known as a "living machine" which employs the use of natural "living" bacteria. The result is a continually purified recirculating system run entirely by two electric pumps with no pollution from environmental discharge and very little need for water replacement. In fact the only loss of water due to evaporation amounts to a mere one percent over time.
The output capacity of Local Ocean’s system is much higher than that of comparable systems (100kg of fish per metric ton of water, compared to 10kg in existing aquaculture systems). With close proximity to large consumer markets like New York City and Albany, Local Ocean will provide a constant, year-round supply of fresh fish without expensive transportation costs. While fish is typically considered a healthy food option, various studies have shown that many ocean fish contain toxins like lead and mercury. Such contaminants can be eliminated by Local Ocean's closed system of circulation. From a health stand-point, the advantages of Local Ocean's aquaculture system will mean a product that is close to organic, even though there are currently no USDA organic certification standards for fish.
The company plans to produce a mix of gilthead sea bream (“Royal Dorado”), summer flounder (or fluke), yellowtail, white sea bass, European sea bass and black sea bass, according to Hudson Valley Magazine. The Dorado sells for US$ 9.99 a pond in a local supermarket (€ 16.90/Kg).
