Marine Harvest Canada moving on closed containment
A few months ago, Marine Harvest and the environmental group CAAR (Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform) announced that they would jointly seek funding for the establishment of a commercial-size closed containment salmon farm. In an interview with FishfarmingXpert last month, CAAR representative and Executive Director for the Living Oceans Society, Jennifer Lash confirmed that her group was working on a joint project with the fish farming company. She expressed a level of frustration with the delay of establishing a workplan for this initiative, but acknowledged that the ENGO’s were not experts in producing fish, and that they had to rely on Marine Harvest to provide the technology for the pilot project and to grow the fish. “We are the experts in environmental protection”, Lash said.
Last week, Marine Harvest provided another indication of its commitment to move forward with the project, posting an advertisement for a “Project Manager- Land-Based (Closed Containment) Pilot Salmon Farm”. The ad gives the reader some insight into the justification for the project and the envisioned design of the facility;
“A key to the long-term sustainability of our business is to adaptively manage our operations based on all available science and utilization of the latest technologies in order to raise healthy salmon with a minimal environmental footprint. Due to recent advancements in freshwater aquaculture systems and specific adaptations of these systems by our company, MHC believes the time is now right to pilot a closed contained aquaculture system. Although in concept phase at the moment, it is believed that this system will be land-based, mixed freshwater and saltwater and 99% re-circulation.
To this end, we require a Project Manager to lead the development of this closed containment pilot project. Reporting to the Managing Director and drawing on the in-house fish culture expertise of our staff, you will be responsible for developing performance criteria; determining the rearing system design and obtaining proposals from system suppliers; determining the appropriate site location and permitting requirements; compiling production scenarios, developing cost (capital and operating) estimates and related financial analyses; developing a preliminary constructions schedule; and developing a complete formal proposal and presentation for consideration and approval to proceed with construction.”
A few years ago, Marine Harvest undertook another trial with a form of closed containment system, using floating canvas bags holding the fish in water that was continually pumped through a submerged pump. No disinfection or screening was done of either incoming or outgoing water, and no waste was collected. While the biological performance of the fish in the bags was similar to fish grown in conventional net pens alongside the bags, the cost of production of the experimental fish was about 29% higher than those fish produced in pens.
