Andfjord in successful smolt release at third pool

The company said the average weight of around 110 grams per smolt, the fish were smoothly transferred from a wellboat into pool K3, the latest stage of the Kvalnes site to be brought into operation.

CEO Martin Rasmussen said: “We have established a very gentle fish transfer process that once again incurred very few mortalities. The smolt’s immediate pool adaptation looks good too.”

The 550,000 smolt are expected to be used for post-smolt production on behalf of Eidsfjord Sjøfarm, as part of a strategic co-operation agreement with the fish farmer.

Pool K3 is the third pool in operation at the Kvalnes facility, following last year’s smolt releases in pools K0 and K1.

Andfjord Salmon says it is developing the world’s most sustainable and fish-friendly aquaculture facility of its kind at Kvalnes, which is not far from Narvik. Through a proprietary flow-through system, the company says it can combine the best of ocean and land-based salmon farming.

CEO Rasmussen added: “Initiating production in pool K3 is another building block towards our objective of large-scale fish farming at Kvalnes.

“Our aim is to replicate the strong biological conditions that we have demonstrated in the other pools we have in operation.”

In its first production cycle, Andfjord Salmon achieved an industry-leading survival rate of 97.5%, a feed conversion ratio of 1.05, superior share of 91.1%, and required just 1 kWh to produce one kilo of salmon.