First salmon harvested from Korean land-based facility
Eco Aquafarm has completed its first slaughter. The company is now working to establish regular commercial deliveries.
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On September 30, Eco Aquafarm marked the end of its first production cycle with a tasting ceremony in Busan.
The facility is South Korea's first land-based facility for Atlantic salmon. It has an annual production capacity of around 500 tonnes and uses recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) technology from AKVA group.
Min Suk Kim, who works with planning and marketing at Eco Aquafarm, tells LandbasedAQ that the company is now working on distribution.
"We will finalise agreements with our distribution network to begin regular deliveries and commercial sales soon," he says.
No date has yet been given for the start of sales.
Four to five kilos
According to the company, the first harvest batch had an average live weight of four to five kilograms.
"The production time from egg to slaughter was 27 months, including three months in the hatchery," Kim says.
The first fish were introduced in July 2024 as part of the research work at the facility. This group, Batch 0, was also planned as the company's first harvest batch.
When LandbasedAQ reported on production in January, Eco Aquafarm had six fish groups in the facility. Batch 1, the first commercial group, had then been moved to RAS3.
Kim says that the company has learned several lessons through the first production cycle.
"As our first production cycle, it naturally involved a learning curve in operations, but we got all departments fully operational and completed the entire growth cycle."
Has changed operations
Eco Aquafarm has made changes to both feeding and water treatment along the way.
“We have optimised feeding times, upgraded filtration systems and improved sensors for monitoring water quality in real time,” says Kim.
The plant's RAS technology has up to 99% water recycling. A central control system monitors, among other things, oxygen levels, CO2, pH, and temperature.
The company also states that it has received certification for antibiotic-free production and introduced a traceability system.
When asked about the biological results, Kim describes natural mortality as virtually absent when routine sorting is excluded, and he says that regular welfare surveys of the fish are carried out.
The story continues below the pictures.
Aiming for 500 tonnes
The goal is to utilise the facility's annual production capacity of 500 tonnes, measured as live weight.
"Although this is ambitious for our first year, the current growth trend suggests that the goal is within reach," says Kim.
The company has not provided separate harvest forecasts for the rest of 2026 and for 2027.
Eco Aquafarm primarily targets the South Korean market, with major grocery chains, five-star hotels, and restaurants as potential customers.
According to Kim, the company has also received inquiries from Japan and Australia about possible imports of the salmon.
