Color-coded tools and gear are used in each part of the production process, all equipment and fish tanks are cleaned and disinfected continuously and the use of footbaths and hand sanitizers are enforced. Strict biosecurity measures are in place in the facility. Once they’ve reached this size, they are processed at Swiss Alpine Fish’s processing plant, electrocuted and bled before gutting.Īlthough mainly head-on, gutted fish is sold, the company has recently established its own onsite smokehouse, where 20 per cent of its fish is smoked before being sold online at the farm shop and to retailers and distributors. Reared in freshwater with 24-hour light, it takes up to one year for the salmon to reach a weight of 150 grams, and another 10 to 12 months before they reach an optimal harvest size of 3.5 to 4 kilograms. The probes are connected to an alarm system that can generate emergency alerts and allow the staff to quickly respond if problems occur. The RAS2020 has multiple probes inside the tanks that can continuously measure and monitor water parameters. On average, our CO2 levels are 6mg/L, ammonia is 0.3mg/L, turbidity is 0.7NTU, and pH is very stable across the entire system at 7.3,” he notes. “It’s the key to producing healthy fish and achieving an optimal performance on the farm. Water quality is vital to success in salmon farming, farm manager Hofmann says. Our aim is to deliver safe, sustainable aquaculture solutions with the highest standards for biosecurity, fish welfare and water quality.” “The RAS2020 is cheaper and faster to build than a conventional farm of the same capacity because it’s very compact with a footprint of 3,340 square metres, and designed with four concrete channels and no additional piping under the concrete floor. “Another is the adjustable water velocity and uniform flow pattern, which gives an even distribution of fish, reducing competition and stress. Michael Bech, project developer at Krüger Denmark, a business unit of Veolia. “One of the RAS2020’s unique features is the possibility of moving fish through the system using moveable grids, reducing stress significantly,” says Dr. They remain there for several days until harvest. This section is connected to two purge tanks, 385 cubic meters each, allowing the fish to be moved easily without pumping. The fish are then transferred to the next section of the outer tank followed by the next until they reach the tank’s last section at harvest size. As they grow in the outer tank, a tank separation grid expands the section they are in to create more room. A grader installed on the central platform grades them as they grow, before they are transferred to another section in the outer circular tank once they have reached a preferred size. The RAS2020 comes with a tank volume of 6,400 cubic metres and a system flow of 10,000 cubic metre per hour.įish enter one of the sections in the inner of the two circular tanks as juveniles. The maximum feed load is 4,200 kilograms of feed per day, and the system can produce 1,000 to 1,800 tonnes of fish each year, depending on the species and production logistics. Parameters such as oxygen, pH, CO2 and temperature are kept at optimal levels with an advanced control system. Flow markers allow water exchange in each tank section in under a minute and adjust flow rate to the most optimal level for the fish. The two circular tanks are divided into a number of sections by permeable grids to separate different groups of fish. Two circular tanks are positioned around a central tank that has a platform and contains a biofilter. Based on recirculation, it includes water treatment technology that can optimize growth, reduce feed conversion ratio (FCR) and improve survival. An average of 1.3 to 1.5 tonnes of feed is given each day depending on standing stock in the system, while water quality is checked daily.īest suited to species like salmon, trout and sea bass, the RAS2020 is designed to reduce capital and operating costs, maximize production and improve sustainability in land-based aquaculture. Fish are given Biomar feed free of ethoxyquin each day through an automated feeding system, with rations adjusted according to fish size and appetite. It operates on a 24-month production cycle, from the egg stage to 4 kilograms. Its advantages are its low footprint, innovative design and the warranty to have optimal water quality,” Hofmann says.įor Swiss Alpine Fish, the RAS2020 has provided a turnkey solution to farming salmon in the Alps, while Veolia’s expertise in water and technical support has been an integrated part of the company’s success.įounded in 2013, Swiss Alpine Fish receives batches of 50,000 salmon eggs every 10 weeks from Stofnfiskur in Iceland. Not only does the RAS2020 provide great performance, it’s also reliable and respects the environment and fish welfare. It began in September 2015 and fish were in the system by November 2016.
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