First fish stocked at new halibut on-growing facility
Around 15,000 halibut with an average weight of 30g have been moved from Averøy to Torjulvågen. Nordic Halibut's new facility is now entering the operational phase.
Published
Nordic Halibut has placed the first fish in its new land-based flow-through facility in Torjulvågen, in Møre og Romsdal county in the Nordmøre district of western Norway.
The first batch consists of around 15,000 halibut weighing around 30 grams that have been moved from the company's hatchery on nearby Averøy, an island connected by road to the peninsula where Torjulvågen is situated.
The fish will be grown further at Torjulvågen before eventually being transferred to a marine site for the remaining grow-out phase.
"This is a day we have been looking forward to for a long time. Getting the first halibut into Torjulvågen marks an important milestone for the entire organisation and the transition from development and construction to a new phase in the company's growth," said Nordic Halibut chief executive Edvard Henden in a press release.
The facility will be an important part of the company's plans to increase production capacity in the future.
"The facility represents a significant step in our long-term strategy to increase production capacity and meet growing international demand," said Henden.
Will follow the fish closely
With the first fish in the tanks, a new working day has also dawned for the employees at Torjulvågen. Operations manager Mari Takle Thomassen highlighted the work behind the start-up.
"It is an absolutely fantastic feeling to see the first halibut in place. This is a big day for us, and the result of many years of work, good cooperation and a strong effort from both our own employees and our suppliers," she said.
The follow-up of the first cohort will be central.
"Now it's about monitoring the fish closely and ensuring that they thrive in their new environment," said Thomassen.
A gradual build-up
The facility in Torjulvågen brings together broodstock, juvenile production, on-growing of juveniles and support functions at one location. Production is based on a flow-through system with seawater taken from a depth of 220 metres in the fjord. According to Nordic Halibut, the temperature conditions at this depth are stable.
The introduction of around 15,000 fish is the start of a gradual escalation. More production departments and tanks will be put into use over time.
The goal is to produce and release one million fish into sea pens annually from Torjulvågen. In the start-up phase, the juveniles will come from the facility on Averøy.
When all departments are operational, the plan is for Torjulvågen to produce its own juveniles and be self-sufficient in hatchery fish.
Nordic Halibut has previously told LandbasedAQ that the facility, when fully operational, will be able to produce 1.25 million fry annually. The company plans to create 15–20 permanent positions in the first phase.
The company's growth plan targets annual production of 4,500 tonnes (head on gutted) by 2027 and 10,350 tonnes HOG by 2031.
Buying size
Nordic Halibut has also expanded its business through several acquisitions.
Through the acquisition of Pure Norwegian Seafood, the company has gained control over slaughtering and processing. Nordic Halibut has also acquired Gulbygget AS and Thule Marine AS, which will contribute with increased production capacity.
The company aims to have a fully integrated value chain from genetics and fry to farming, processing, and sales.
