A three-year feasibility project sponsored by the Falkland Islands’ Development Corp. (FIDC), with assistance from European Union funding, has identified considerable potential to develop the local aquaculture industry, and opportunities are being thrown open for foreign companies to invest.
The project, set up by an aquaculture consultant Dr. Brendan Gara and now managed by a local team, looked at a number of finfish and shellfish species and the infrastructure necessary to support them. It also set up research facilities, a laboratory and a hatchery, and trained key workers. The facilities will now be made available to help new commercial ventures get off the ground.
Project manager Daniel Fowler explained that sea trout, (Salmo trutta) has been identified as particularly suitable for development, and offers exciting possibilities.
“This species already thrives here in the wild, having been introduced in the 1940s, and we have successfully grown it in aquaculture, using standard salmonid reproduction methods,” he explained.
Breeding the indigenous zebra trout and culturing ragworm as a high-value fishmeal replacement are also possibilities, and both are the subject of ongoing research projects.
Mussels and oysters are currently grown on a small scale in the Falklands, and mussels were identified in a previous feasibility study as offering great potential to develop a substantial industry on a par with that in Chile. There is also a separate project that aims to breed the highly valuable Patagonian toothfish, also known as Chilean sea bass (Dissostichus eleginoides), in captivity, but progress on this has been frustratingly slow.
Environmental sampling was set up as part of the study, to help assess the suitability of different areas for shellfish and finfish production.
“We have built up a wealth of knowledge about local conditions and a number of species, and are ready to transfer this to commercial companies wishing to explore development potential in the islands,” said Daniel. “We will even consider the case for introduced species, provided we are satisfied they can be farmed sustainably.”
So what does the Falkland Islands offer prospective investors? Set remotely in the southeast Atlantic, 300 miles to the east of the southern Chile/Argentina border, they are surrounded by pristine waters, have an established and successful fishing industry for Loligo squid, Southern blue whiting, Marine Stewardship Council-certified Chilean sea bass, king clip and hake and efficient port facilities for exporting seafood products. There are two main islands, hundreds of small islands, and around 1,300 kilometers of coastline. Its many sheltered bays are suitable for cage culture or longline mussel farming. The absence of disease and parasites in these waters could make the Falklands attractive for developing and isolating broodstock of a number of introduced species.
“As far as infrastructure goes, we have excellent sea and air links, Chile is an hour’s flight away, and a container ship is despatched twice per month to South America,” explained Daniel. “The Falklands’ current prosperity has been built on the successful local management and operation of the fishing industry, and a local service sector has grown up around it. We now hope that a flourishing aquaculture business can be built up to enhance this, and look forward to hearing from anyone interested in discussing opportunities.”
