NASDAQ listed AquaBounty Technologies has successfully commenced the commercial-scale harvest of conventional Atlantic salmon raised at its first farm in the United States.
This first harvest at its Albany, Indiana farm validates AquaBounty’s land-based Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) model as an efficient and sustainable way to raise Atlantic salmon. AquaBounty strategically located its first U.S. farm within easy reach of key U.S. markets to accelerate delivery of fresh, nutritious Atlantic salmon to U.S. consumers. As part of this effort, the company has established the necessary supply chain connections to these key markets and is formalizing commercial customer agreements.
“As the global population increases, we are seeking better ways to efficiently feed a hungry world with a sustainable source of nutritious food,” said AquaBounty’s CEO Sylvia Wulf. “Land-based aquaculture is a reliable method for supplying fresh and healthy salmon. This harvest is the result of AquaBounty’s almost 30 years of experience in aquaculture and demonstrates our expertise in raising Atlantic salmon.”
With rising concerns about the safety and security of our food sources, AquaBounty offers a consistent supply of salmon that is raised domestically in the U.S. on a carefully monitored and managed land-based farm where the fish grow, swim and school naturally in a healthy, disease-free environment without the use of antibiotics. AquaBounty salmon are raised efficiently and compassionately by experienced specialists within a system that conserves precious natural resources and operates with a lower carbon footprint when compared to other salmon farming practices.
The Indiana-based farm will ramp up monthly harvest of conventional salmon throughout the summer and plans to reach 100 metric tons per month by early 2021. The annual capacity of the farm is approximately 1,200 metric tons.
“AquaBounty’s success comes at a time when the global supply of Atlantic salmon is facing a multitude of challenges,” continued Wulf. “The AquaBounty strategy for farm design and operation is driven by concern for the health of our salmon. Our goal is the delivery of fresh, secure and delicious salmon raised right here in the United States.”
With this harvest of conventional Atlantic salmon underway, AquaBounty will prepare for the first commercial harvest of its proprietary, genetically engineered AquAdvantage Salmon in the fourth quarter of 2020 at the Indiana Farm. This will be followed by the first harvest of AquAdvantage salmon at its Canada-based, Prince Edward Island Farm in the first quarter of 2021. AquaBounty currently is the first and only provider of genetically engineered Atlantic salmon approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada approved the AquaBounty AquAdvantage salmon as the first and only bioengineered animal protein for human consumption. AquaBounty’s AquAdvantage fish program is based upon a specific molecular modification completed one time, 30 years ago to better protect the fish during their early, most vulnerable stages of growth, resulting in an estimated 70 percent increase in annual production output for AquAdvantage versus conventional Atlantic salmon.
