A job ad posted at SalmonBusiness was the first clue to what was taking hold in China.
“We are looking for two assistant farm managers, fresh water farm,” trumpeted the Seafood Dragon advert posted by Norway-based recruiter and executive headhunter, Seafood People.
Behind the need for personnel is a large, land-based facility in the works on Goatang Island, Ningbo City, in the Chinese county of Zhejiang. Living a short drive from port city, Shanghai, is a clear bonus for would-be candidates.
“Seafood Dragon will be a fully-integrated and commercially viable RAS Atlantic salmon farming facility in China based on state-of-the art RAS technology supplied by world-leading technology providers AKVA Group and Aquatec Solutions,” job-seekers were informed.
A hatchery for imported ova, a nursery, grow-out for “fully grown Atlantic salmon|” plus processing, marketing and sales ought to entice the project manager bent on adventure and an exciting career.
Shanghai is both the bustling reward for the job and key to the project’s success, offering vast exports and speedy distribution to the world’s largest potential seafood market.
A EUR 70 million investment will fuel a project that aims for start-up capacity of 3.000 tons, albeit with obvious “aggressive” plans for expansion.
“State-of-the art RAS technology will ensure an optimal production environment with a stable production of high quality fish, 365 days a year, under continuous control,” Seafood Dragon said, promising an “offer freshness on an entirely different level by shortening the time-to-market down to hours instead of days” with live salmon delivered to nearby fish markets.
“Cutting down number of links in the transportation chain will ensure proper quality retention during transport,” to a market of 100 million people within not more than five-hours distance by car.
