Farming of salmon on land has developed very well in recent years and all major problems in flow through systems have now been solved. In cases where there is a good area for farming, there are good business opportunities.
Fish farming on land
The main advantages of being on land are:
There is no risk of environmental damage or mixing with wild salmon as accidental releases and accumulation of waste and feed residues do not occur.
Controlled conditions ensure that the fish is constantly swimming and gets enough of everything it needs to grow. This results in a good product.
All structures have a long service life and maintenance of the main structures should not be costly.
Only electrical energy is used in the farming as well as oxygen produced with electricity on site. This energy is produced in an environmentally friendly way in Iceland, i.e. the product's carbon footprint is largely derived from the feed.
Waste is filtered from the effluent of the farm and can be used to fertilize land and thus achieve full utilization of the nitrogen in the feed. Furthermore, the effluent from the farm is rich in nutrients and can be used, for example, in shellfish or seaweed cultivation. This would be in the style of circular economies - using one company´s waste as a feed for another operation.
Sustainable production – for the future
Consumers are increasingly demanding that the food they consume be produced responsibly with regard to environmental and social impacts. Aquaculture on land can fulfill all these aspects and the company’s policy is to excel in this field. The company will:
operate without the use of drugs or disease control agents, only juvenile vaccinations will be practiced.
maintain strict animal welfare standards in the farming operations.
strive to minimize the carbon footprint of production.
use natural and certified feed to maximize the health of the product.
clean the effluent from the plant and dispose of the plant's waste for fertilizing or other value creation as much as possible.
Sustainability is the idea of operating in such a way that the opportunities of the future do not diminish as a result of the activity. It is a goal that is completely realistic for salmon farming on land with knowledge and foresight in its preparation.
LAXEY has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for renewable energy with Landsvirkjun. LAXEY purchases Guarantees of Origins (GOs), making the agrrement a green PPA.
Perfect location
The site for the farming facilities is located on the northeast side of Heimaey, the largest of the Westman Islands, in an area that has been used as a mine in recent years. The sea temperature in the Westman Islands is the highest in the waters around Iceland. Waste will be removed from the effluent and will be utilized using flow-through system with about 99,8% water reuse.
