Design work begins on land-based salmon farm in China
Design work has begun in China on a land-based Atlantic salmon complex integrating hatchery production, grow-out, processing, cold storage, seawater intake and cold-energy recovery, reports China aquaculture blogger Daniel Huang on LinkedIn.
Qingdao Conson Group, the state-owned company that operates China’s Guoxin series fish farm ships, is behind the RMB 920 million (£100.6m) development in Qingdao West Coast New Area, says Huang, who is reporting information released on WeChat, a chat, social media, and payments “super app”.
The project will occupy approximately 194,400 square metres, equivalent to 19.44 hectares (48 acres), with a planned total floor area of around 134,000m².
Hatchery and grow-out
The first phase will have a floor area of approximately 38,000m² and will focus on establishing the project’s core Atlantic salmon hatchery and farming systems.
The second phase will cover approximately 96,000m² and will focus on expanding the project’s farming capacity while extending the value chain into processing, storage, and energy utilisation.
When complete, the project is expected to establish an integrated value chain covering hatchery production, grow-out, harvesting, processing, freezing and storage.
An integrated system
“The inclusion of seawater intake and cold-energy recovery facilities also indicates that the development is intended to function as more than a conventional farming site. It is being planned as an integrated aquaculture and processing complex in which water supply, temperature management, energy use and downstream processing are considered within the same industrial system,” writes Huang.
The project’s construction and installation investment is estimated at approximately RMB 537.5m, of which approximately RMB 295.7m will be allocated to civil construction and approximately RMB 241.8mwill be invested in aquaculture process systems and related equipment.
The planned construction period is 540 days.
Land bought in March
Qingdao Marine Green Ecological Aquaculture Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Qingdao Conson Group, acquired the land for the project for RMB 11.92m in March.
The expected production capacity of the fish farm has not been revealed.
“Although the start of design work represents important progress, commercial Atlantic salmon RAS involves challenges that extend well beyond completing buildings and installing equipment,” writes Huang.
“The success of the project will ultimately depend on whether its engineering systems, fish biology, microbial processes and production organisation can operate as an integrated whole.”
He adds: “For large RAS projects, design capacity is not the same as stable production capacity, and production capacity is not automatically equivalent to marketable output.
“The real test will therefore be whether the Qingdao project can convert its investment scale into predictable survival rates, consistent fish quality, competitive production costs and year-round market supply.”
