Finnish trout farmer lines up new RAS facility in the UAE

Finnish fish farmer Finnforel has signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company ADQ to explore the feasibility of a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) rainbow trout facility in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The fish farm, with a capacity of 3,000 tonnes per year, would be strategically located within a dedicated zone for aquaculture and related industries that forms part of the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) and is close to the Gulf. The zone features dedicated infrastructure, utilities and connectivity.

Upon satisfactory conclusion of the feasibility stage, the facility will be modelled after Finnforel’s unique indoor aquaculture concept. The company currently operates two RAS facilities in Finland - a broodstock facility and hatchery at Hollola, around 75 miles north of Helsinki, and its Gigafactory at Varkhaus, 150 miles north of Hollola, where it produces around 3,000 tonnes of trout per year. Fish are slaughtered, processed and packaged at the plant.

70% of seafood imported

Approximately 70% of the total seafood consumed in the UAE is currently imported, with the total volume of salmon imports alone amounting to 10,000 tonnes per year.

ADQ’s deputy group chief executive Mansour AlMulla said: “Our collaboration with Finnforel exemplifies our commitment to harnessing state-of-the-art technology to facilitate the expansion of local food production capabilities.

“With imports currently catering to the vast majority of the demand for protein in the UAE, our focus is to work towards closing supply gaps by introducing a new way of cultivating high-quality seafood that is cherished for its nutritional value.”

Global realities

Pekka A. Viljakainen, co-founder and chief executive of Finnforel Group, said: “The current global realities are heightening our awareness of the critical importance of food security. In the foreseeable future, it will become imperative for every nation to ensure the local production of most of their consumed food, including fresh fish.

“Finnforel’s mission is to build a network of local facilities based on our tried-and-tested vertically integrated concept; an endeavour which must be pursued sustainably and with environmental responsibility. It is a tremendous honour for Finnforel to embark on this exciting journey of prospective growth with ADQ.”

Mitsubishi money

Last month Finnforel said it planned to accelerate new projects globally following an investment from Japanese industrial heavyweight Mitsubishi Corporation, which owns the world’s third largest Atlantic salmon farmer, Cermaq.

Viljakainen said at the time that the Finnish company’s mission is to save the seas and feed the planet, a task that required strategic partners and shareholders with Finnforel could deploy its technological and operational knowledge to all continents.

“I believe that in future RAS will play a crucial role in enhancing food security by enabling efficient, sustainable, and reliable production of fish where excess nutrition and waste will not end up in the seas. That is why we developed our Finnforel Gigafactory with 0% waste policy, to be implemented there where the consumers are,” he said.