Norway's most southerly RAS fish farm is officially opened
Published
The new land-based salmon farming facility of Baring Farsund AS has now officially opened in Lundevågen in Farsund, in the southwest corner of Norway.
The facility has gone from contract signing to operation in less than a year, equipment supplier Searas announced in a press release on Thursday evening.
The opening was marked with a ceremony where Knut Nikolai Ugland, majority owner of Baring Group through Ugland Seafood, was in charge of the official opening.
The event brought together industry players and local representatives in Farsund.
Rapid build
The first OptiRAS modules - self-contained aluminium recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) units - were delivered by sea from maker Leirvik AS earlier this year. Construction work began in the summer of 2024, and the facility was completed in the spring of 2025. Production started as planned, and the facility has been operational since the end of May.
“This has been a record-breaking project – it has required courage, precision, and good cooperation. Now we are under way, and it is fantastic to see the fish thriving in the facility,” said Baring Farsund chief executive Kjell Rege.
The choice of OptiRAS technology was made after assessments of technical, biological, and economic factors. According to the company, the collaboration with the supplier Optiras AS has been characterised by common goals and good interaction.
Energy efficiency
OptiRAS is developed with an emphasis on energy efficiency, water quality, and operational reliability, and builds on experiences from a pilot project at Bremnes Seashore. Each module functions as a self-contained RAS unit with control over the water environment and short water treatment times, which should reduce biological risk.
The facility is the southernmost land-based fish farming facility in Norway, and the first in commercial operation to use OptiRAS modules. The modular solution allows for step-by-step expansion.
“OptiRAS provides our customers with flexible and efficient solutions for land-based aquaculture – with low technical and biological risk, and with a unique delivery model that provides a fast path to production. The collaboration with Baring Farsund has shown what is possible when expertise and vision meet,” said OptiRAS chief executive Asle Lygre.
Further plans
The first construction phase in Farsund is designed for an annual production of 1,200 tonnes of post-smolts. Facilities have been set up for further expansion, with a target of a total capacity of 24,000 tonnes of post-smolts and harvest-szied fish when the facility is fully developed.
The project is now entering a new phase with a focus on stable operations and fish welfare.
