Mediterranean aquaculture group Avramar has launched a new marine fish farm in the El Campello province, Alicante, Spain, with a planned annual production of 5,000 metric tons (MT). This harvest will comprise sea bream, sea bass, and the group’s flagship species in the Spanish market, corvina rex.
Construction of the 144-hectare “marine farm center” began in March last year. It will eventually comprise of 40 cages, each 32 meters in diameter, with the final 10 cages due for installation in a second phase that is scheduled for 2022. The farm’s first fish will be ready for markets in October 2022.
The Institute for Coastline Ecology in El Campello took part in the initial study linked to the project and, alongside the local authority of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and Ecological Transition, will conduct in-depth, regular checks on the new fish farm’s activities moving forward, Avramar said.
According to Avramar, the initiative has been well-received by the local authorities and the regional fishermen’s association. The new farm will create at least 45 new jobs in the area, it said.
Avramar said it plans to organize entertainment and educational activities, along with visits from schools and other local institutions to the facilities, with the objective of bringing aquaculture closer to the region’s citizens and to make them aware of the benefits of farmed fish. As part of its corporate social responsibility efforts, Avramar has implemented similar initiatives in other areas in which it has farming centers.
Avramar is the world’s leading sea bass and sea bream brand, and the largest producer of Mediterranean fish. It was formed through the merger of Andromeda, Nireus, Selonda, and fish feed company Perseus, and now exports products to 30 different countries. Its shareholders include AMERRA Capital Management LLC and Mubadala Investment Company.
Avramar, which recorded more than EUR 400 million (EUR 481.4 million) in annual revenue in 2019 but saw its income fall between 5 and 7 percent in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is banking on more recognizable and consumer-friendly formats for its product offerings to drive its growth, Avramar CEO Alex Myers said in April.
