Start-up brings new hybrid flow-through fish farm to market
A Finnish start-up has launched a modular and scaleable system that it says significantly expands the possibilities of hybrid flow-through technology for land-based fish farming.
Paras Aqua Oy’s automated and decentralised Precision Hybrid Flow-Through System (Precision HFS) is said to minimise use of new water, which enables cost-effective control of water temperature even in Finland’s extreme weather conditions.
Precision HFS does not use any biological water treatment, which offers a number of advantages, including a substantial reduction in the farm’s oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production and investment costs, says Paras Aqua. It adds that the precision control system it has developed for HFS farms gives a higher level of control.
Decentralised technology
“The Precision HFS allows water quality to be controlled at the tank level according to actual demand and more accurately than before,” said Paras Aqua founder Tapio Kiuru in a press release.
“The consistency of water quality improves fish welfare and allows more intensive water use. In the absence of centralised biological water treatment, there is no need for a water connection between the tanks. Decentralised technology thus enables the effective management of technical, biological and fish welfare risks.”
Paras Aqua said Precision HFS technology has been developed and tested for several years with excellent results. Both experimental and production-scale tests on rainbow trout and European whitefish have shown that the fish grow very well, mortality is low, and the feed conversion ratios are excellent. The system’s chemical-free wastewater treatment also ensures efficient nutrient recovery. Production costs are further reduced by the absence of the need for depuration before the fish are sold.
“In addition to low mortality, other preliminary findings on fish welfare, such as fin health, have been very promising and have encouraged the introduction of this technology into production,” said Jani Pulkkinen, chief research officer at Paras Aqua.
“We firmly believe that with the right technological choices, production efficiency, environmental benefits, and ethics can be combined.”
Precision HFS was launched at an aquaculture forum in Finland last week, two years after the company won an innovation award at the same event. An international launch will take place at the Aqua Nor aquaculture trade show in Trondheim, Norway, in August.
“After years of development, our technology is finally ready for production,” said Paras Aqua chief executive Kalle Sinisalo. “We are proud to be able to offer a new alternative to environmentally friendly fish farming.”
