Norwegian fish-farming firm SalMar has announced the launch of the “Salmon Living Lab” – a new R&D initiative aimed at attaining in-depth knowledge about biological performance in aquaculture operations.
Introducing the project at the North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) 2024 in Bergen, Norway, SalMar CEO Frode Arntsen said it will be a continuation of SalMar’s longstanding mission of ensuring the health and strength of the entire salmon value chain.
“SalMar has a history of growth and innovation – in biology, technology, and people – and over the years, we have taken many new steps to grow and improve ourselves and the entire value chain,” he said. “Today, we are excited to launch a new chapter of our journey, pushing ourselves even further.”
Arntsen said the investment would include a state-of-the-art innovation center with the central aim of bringing industry leaders, supply chain members, and NGOs together “to share and learn.”
Outlining the motivation behind the project, Arntsen said SalMar expects to harvest around 277,000 metric tons (MT) of the fish in 2024, and is planning to increase its volume to 362,000 MT annually in coming years.
As the industry is becoming increasingly high-tech and improving its efficiencies using innovative technology across the entire value chain to maximize output, significant challenges remain regarding fish welfare, Arntsen said.
“At SalMar, we strongly believe it’s time to strengthen the knowledge about biology. To reach our growth targets, it must be done on the salmon’s terms,” he said. “We need more knowledge, and we need to close the knowledge gaps that we are facing today.”
Arntsen said the Salmon Living Lab is aimed at improving fish health and reducing mortalities across the industry, but especially at SalMar's farms. He acknowledged Norwegian veterinary health reports that have determined fish mortality is increasing, reaching 16.1 percent at the end of 2022, with SalMar’s own mortality level eclipsing 9.6 percent.
“At SalMar, what we do today, we must do better than yesterday,” he said.
Feed producer Cargill Aqua Nutrition has joined the project as an initial partner.
“The world needs more salmon. That means we need to share knowledge and work together as an industry to do better," Cargill President Helene Ziv-Douki said.
Arntsen estimated initial startup costs for the project at around NOK 500 million (USD 47.6 million, EUR 43.7 million). Arntsen said the search for key personnel to lead the initiative would start immediately.
“As an industry, we have invested billions in advanced technology. Now, we need to invest more in biology. Salmon farmers like SalMar have set ambitious targets for growth; the Salmon Living Lab will help make this a reality,” Arntsen said. “We need excellence along the entire value chain. SalMar and the industry work around the clock to produce salmon with the highest respect to sustainability and fish welfare. This is the obligation we have – to feed the world’s growing population. To do this in an even more sustainable way, we need to know more about our salmon. We need to know what our salmon needs from us.”
