Aquaculture technology company Innovasea has entered into a collaboration with the Andrew J. Young Foundation on building recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) facilities in the U.S.
The Andrew J. Young Foundation, an Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.-based nonprofit, has launched Forever Young Aquaponics, an initiative to build RAS operations that also use hydropnics to grow plants. Forever Young Aquaponics has already built a RAS in the U.S. state of Colorado, which will grow rainbow trout in eight fish tanks and use waste from the fish to help grow baby spinach.
“We are proud to support this regenerative initiative and bring advanced, sustainable solutions to different types of land-based aquaculture,” Innovasea Vice President Marc Turano said. “It’s another way we’re using state-of-the-art technology to deliver operations that are responsible, scalable, and profitable.”
The Colorado-based facility will be capable of producing between 20 and 30 metric tons (MT) of rainbow trout each year, on what Forever Young Aquaponics said was previously unusable land in the deserts of the southern part of the state. The facility is designed to be fully recirculating, helping preserve water – a precious resource in the desert area it is located in.
A second facility is currently being constructed in the U.S. state of Georgia and will eventually pair tilapia grown in tanks with baby mesclun. Innovasea said when complete, the facility will be double the size of the facility in Colorado and capable of producing 70 MT of tilapia a year and 10,000 pounds of vegetables a week.
Innovasea said it was involved in the design work for the project and developed solutions for the flow systems to support both fish and plant growth.
“Innovasea’s expertise was crucial in helping us design farms that could succeed in each unique location and meet the area’s specific operational demands,” Forever Young Farms Managing Partner Arvind Vankat said. “These projects are centered around a holistic approach to aquaculture, supporting both environmental responsibility and the production of sustainable protein.”
The Andrew J. Young foundation is using the farms to address food insecurity, and the programs will allow any eligible farmer to open a new RAS site on their land “without making an initial CapEx investment.” Forever Young Aquaponics will then help operate the farm, while owners of the farm make a monthly payment to the foundation – with the goal of eventually taking over ownership.
"Forever Young Aquaponics' mission is to be more than just a farm; it's a living example of how we can grow fresh food year-round while protecting the natural resources that sustain us,” Andrew J. Young, the eponymous founder of the foundation, said. “When done right, it holds the potential to be the true trifecta of food, water, and community."
