Norwegian cod-farming company Ode has harvested and sold its first batch of “deep farmed” cod, in what it describes as the world’s first example of a product like it hitting the market.
Ode harvested its first-ever batch of farmed cod in 2022, and since that time, the cod-farming industry in Norway has rapidly grown to become a key part of the country’s fresh cod exports. In November, farmed cod made up more than half the export value of fresh cod from the country, as quotas for wild stocks dropped.
Ode said its “deep farmed” cod is a new method of farming involving lowering cod in a fully submersible cage to deeper, colder water, using a submersible Nautilus cage provided by AKVA group, which has been advocating for deep-water strategies.
Deeper water farming is intended to help improve control over cod maturation, an issue that Norwegian scientists have found is a continuing challenge for cod farmers. In the event of early maturation, Norwegian law dictates fish must be culled.
“Based on the results we’re seeing, deep farming delivers both strong growth and an even more effective tool for controlling sexual maturation,” Ode CEO Ola Kvalheim said. “Following these results, we are now assessing expanded use of deep farming and are already in dialogue with our technology partners on how this can be scaled further.”
Ode said that its farming operations will play an increasing role in securing the supply of cod globally as lower wild catch quotas have led to lower availability of the species during the holiday season.
“In this context, submerged farming is highlighted in the latest risk assessment from the Institute of Marine Research as a promising technology for cod aquaculture, contributing to a more stable and predictable supply,” the company said.
Kvalheim said the company will continue to use technology as a means of advancing cod aquaculture’s success, and Ode Site Manager Andor Bjerke said the first attempt has been “exciting to be a part of.”
“We’ve followed the fish closely throughout the entire period, and it’s genuinely rewarding to see how well this has worked in practice. It’s a team effort we’re very proud of,” Bjerke said.
