New Danish RAS (recirculation aquaculture system) being launched.
In October 2019, a group of three investors acquired the development project Skagen Aquaculture and have since then worked towards initiating the extensive construction project in Skagen at the northernmost tip of Denmark. The facility in Skagen will be based on Danish technology, taking its point of departure in a concept deriving from the owners’ experience from establishment and operations of other RAS facilities – including Danish Salmon and Sashimi Royal – located in Hirtshals and Hanstholm, respectively – two other well-known fishing ports in Denmark.
Denmark is one of Europe’s largest fishing nations and as such has a highly specialized and efficient logistics framework for the distribution of fresh fish to the rest of Europe.
”Through our long-standing involvement as active investors, we have gotten to know the industry inside out – the potentials as well as the challenges of land-based production,” said CEO and co-owner Jens Petri, Skagen Aquaculture, in a press release.
”Throughout the design phase, a key marker for Skagen Aquaculture has been to give our company the most sustainable profile in the industry, including with regards to environmental aspects, which need to go hand-in-hand with a solid financial performance.”
The owners behind Skagen Aquaculture have made their investments through a holding company, Danish Sustainable Fish Farming, which also owns 33 per cent of the company Danish Salmon in Hirtshals. This company has recently received media attention following the purchase of the remaining 67 per cent of the stock by the Japanese conglomerates Marubeni and Nissui.
”The owners of the company are very aware than there are several plans for establishing land-based facilities around the world. We also know that we are still one of the few companies that are actually initiating the construction of a facility of this size. We have confidence in our investment because it rests on a solid foundation – based on experience built up over the last 6-7 years, said Jens Petri.
”At this point – after many and costly hands-on experiences – the RAS technology has reached a maturity where the RAS production technology can match sea farming in terms of production costs,” Jens Petri pointed out.
”But what is of particular significance to us is that we can present the market with products of a high quality adhering to equally high standards of eco-friendly and sustainable principles.”
In the fall of 2020, Skagen Aquaculture will be recruiting the first employees who are to participate in the construction work, and concurrently prepare the fish production that is expected to commence in early 2021.
