Iceland land farmer granted licence for 7,000 tonnes
Icelandic fish farming company Laxey has been granted a licence to grow up to 7,000 tonnes of salmon and rainbow trout in a land-based facility at Viðlagafjörður in the Westman Islands, on the country’s south coast.
The company says this is a new operating licence which was submitted to the authorities earlier this year.
Laxey is building a 32,000 tonne a year fish farm for salmon in a flow-through system. It is expected the project could create about 100 jobs in the Westman Islands region (Vestmannaeyjar).
The smolt-station is located in Farahan and will use RAS system. In the grow-out facility clean seawater is pumped up through the station and cleaned before being returned to the sea. A place has been chosen in Viðlagafjara on Heimaey.
The company says the sea temperature around the Westman Islands are generally very favourable which was so important for a good growth rate and good operating results.
The project appears to be progressing well. A month ago Laxey said it had completed the first grading and transfers between the RAS systems. This had involved a great deal of planning and preparation, the company said.
Two weeks later batch two was transferred from the hatchery to RAS 1. This was the second time that its staff performed this transfer, but this time it was twice as big as the last one with 600,000 fry being transferred between systems.
It said the operation was well prepared which resulted in a safe and efficient transfer. The next batch will arrive this month which will comprise 900.000 salmon ova.
Last week the first grow out tank was erected, having been assembled in less than four days. In total, there will be eight tanks erected this summer and autumn. The tanks are designed by A Consult, which is also in charge of the installation.
The Westman Islands are noted for volcanic activity and include Surtsey, which only came into existence through an eruption in 1963.
Second batch transfer at Laxey’s land-based salmon farm, Westman Islands
