Iceland is the world’s principal supplier of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), with most farmers’ entire production cycle – egg to harvest – conducted in land-based facilities using sustainable green energy. Jon Kjartan Jonsson, director of farming at Samherji, the country’s leading char producer, talks to SeafoodSource about the key differences and advantages that the species has over other salmonids and the growing appetite for the fish in multiple markets.
SeafoodSource: In volume terms, how much Arctic char is produced by Samherji each year and what changes in output are expected in the years ahead?
JKJ: Samherji is producing around 2,800 metric tons (MT) of Arctic char this year (harvested whole fish). We expect to produce over 3,000 MT next year, and the plan is to gradually increase production in the years to come.
SeafoodSource: When did Samherji start farming Arctic char and what were the initial reasons for getting into the species?
JKJ: Samherji has been involved in Arctic char farming since 2002. Arctic char is native to the Arctic so it is well adapted to low temperatures and grows very well at temperatures from 6.5 to 10°C. The species does not thrive as well in higher temperatures, which makes it hard to grow in warmer climates. Arctic char is in many ways unique and different from salmon and trout. It is smaller, has a more delicate flavor and the skin does not have scales. So with good marketing strategies, this species was and still is promising.
It should also be highlighted that the Department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology at Holar University in Iceland started a breeding program for Arctic char in 1989 that is still ongoing.
SeafoodSource: How difficult are these fish to produce and what are the particular challenges and opportunities affecting this sector?
JKJ: Arctic char does not grow well at full salinity, so traditionally it is not grown in open net pens at sea, although net pens are used in freshwater lakes. All of Samherji´s char (and salmon as well) is grown in land-based tanks. Unique geographic conditions in Iceland (waste lava fields) with underground layers of crystal clear brackish water make it possible to pump high-quality rearing water of different temperatures and salinities, straight up through the ground and into land-based tanks without any treatment.
SeafoodSource: Could you outline the Arctic char production cycle and any ways in which it differs from other farmed species such as salmon?
JKJ: The life cycles of Arctic char and salmon are in many ways very similar. However, while salmon has to undergo smoltification (light regime manipulation) to be prepared for life in saltwater, this is not necessary for Arctic char.
Arctic char are harvested after one year of on-growing at 1.2 to 1.5 kg (reared at 6.5 to 8°C), whereas salmon is harvested at 4 to 6 kg after 16–20 months.
Land-based Arctic char production cycle
1. Arctic char eggs are hatched in fresh water at 5–7°C
2. Alevins (newly spawned salmonids) feed on their yolk sacs for 3–4 weeks
3. Once alevins have consumed all of their yolk sacs, they are ready to eat on their own and are now called juveniles
4. The juveniles are grown in nurseries for approximately 12 months. They are kept in fresh water of 8–10°C before transfer to on-growing at 80–120 grams
5. Juveniles are transferred to on-growing units where they are raised for 10–12 months in brackish water of 6.5–8°C. The char are harvested at 800 grams to 1.6 kg.
SeafoodSource: In your opinion, what are the main strengths of the species?
JKJ: As mentioned above, Arctic char is in many ways unique and different from salmon and trout. It is smaller, has a more delicate flavor and the skin does not have scales. Our land-based tanks have double-security barriers that minimize the risk of escape and risk to wild stock. We have never had any escapes from any of our farms. At all our farms, environmental factors such as oxygen levels, salinity, density and temperature are constantly monitored and adjusted to best fit the optimal living conditions of the fish at every stage.
SeafoodSource: How much of your Arctic char is exported?
JKJ: Almost all of our Arctic char is exported. Most of it goes fresh to the United States, but we also sell to Germany, the Netherlands, France and other European countries. (All of Samherji’s products are sold through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ice Fresh Seafood.)
SeafoodSource: What is the current estimated total volume of Icelandic Arctic char production, and what level could it potentially reach in the next five years?
JKJ: The current estimated total volume in Iceland is around 4,000 MT and the total global volume of Arctic char is just over 7,000 MT (Sweden, Canada and Norway being our biggest competition). It is our guess that the total volume will increase to over 10,000 MT in the next three years.
SeafoodSource: Have there been any new players joining the industry?
JKJ: In Iceland there is one new notable player, a company called Matorka that is building a new farm and plans to produce up to 3,000 MT of Arctic char. Sweden and Norway are also increasing their production.
