Nordic Halibut's plan for constructing a land-based halibut farm in Torjulvågen, Norway, was approved by the Tingvoll municipal council on 2 February.
In a press release, Averoy, Norway-based Nordic Halibut said with the approval, it expects the facility will be fully operational by 2027, by which time it is expected to produce up to 1.25 million juvenile halibut annually. That, in turn, will enable the company to project it will be able to produce 9,000 metric tons of head-on, gutted halibut at the farm by 2030.
"The zoning plan approval and project progression strengthens the timeline for facility completion," the company said. "The company’s dedicated broodstock program and the advancements made in broodstock generations is the prerequisite for [Nordic Halibut's] growth plan through increased robustness, growth rates, and reduced lead-time. The new facility at Torjulvågen will enable further biological improvement and increase the company’s competitive advantage."
Nordic Halibut's planned land-based, flowthrough system farm will include three 1,500-square-meter production units.
"The fjords surrounding Torjulvågen are deep, enabling [us] to access water of high quality and stable temperature perfectly suited for land-based halibut production without the need for advanced technological water treatment or heating," the company said. "This makes the facility energy efficient in addition to minimizing technological risk throughout the production cycle."
Nordic Halibut said its current infrastructure and capacity at its production facilities at Midsund, Askøy, and Averøy are, after investments during 2021 and 2022, able to produce one million juveniles annually, which it said is enough to produce 4,500 MT of halibut. Combined with the new hatchery and farm, the company will have the capacity to put over two million fish to sea per year, corresponding to a harvest volume of 9.000 MT HOG, it said.
“We are really pleased that Tingvoll municipality continues to demonstrate its support to [Nordic Halibut's] plans to create local jobs and value creation through the development of a new land-based halibut facility,” Nordic Halibut CEO Edvard Henden said.
This facility will be the first Nordic Halibut specifically designed for halibut farming, Henden said.
“The new land-based facility will for the first time in the company`s history be fit-for-purpose and designed for halibut farming specifically, without any legacy cost both in terms of location and technology. Utilizing Torjulvågen`s natural environment and water properties enables us to produce energy efficient and sustainable superfood at an industrial scale,” Henden said.
The company is backed by two of Norway’s largest shipping magnates and is seeking growth to help it enter “a new era in halibut farming.”
It had an estimated production of 600 MT of HOG halibut in 2022.
Photo courtesy of Nordic Halibut
