Each tanks is 9 metres deep, with the capacity to hold 3,700 cubic metres of water © Bue Salmon
The company, which previously focused on producing post-smolts, harvested the fish from its pilot flow-through facility, which consists of four tanks on the island of Gjørøyna off the coast of Vestland county.
According to the company’s latest report, during May and June, they sold 514 tonnes of food fish at an average price of NOK 99.2 (£7.36) per kilo and achieved a superior share of 95 percent. Mortality levels were only 2.1 percent - considerably lower than the average in traditional net pen systems - where mortality levels averaged around 20 percent in Norway last year.
“We are very satisfied with the development we have seen in the company recently. Our first ‘Buelaks’ have been sold and distributed, and the plant will soon be ready for new use in August. This quarter has confirmed that we have made sound judgments,” said Bue Salmon chief executive Knut Eikeland of the company’s quarterly results.
“We have every reason to be optimistic about the company's future development,” he added.
The pilot facility has a capacity of 1,400 tonnes of post-smolt and farmed fish, with a licence to produce a total of 5,500 tonnes. Bue is now scaling up the site and plans to build a significantly larger land-based farming facility at the island of Lutelandet. It has ambitons to reach an eventual annual production of around 50,000-60,000 tonnes.
The company added that they have had positive feedback from the county governor about the Lutelandet concession and has entered into a strategic partnership with DNB for further financing.
Bue is scheduled to restock the facility with 800,000 smolts from Alsaker Fjordbruk in August.
