Page 25 - Seafood, Fishing & Aquaculture 2017-2018

could be among the future research damaging many fi sh cages and triggering to 200,000 fi sh, totaling one million if all fi ve
projects. fi sh escapes. Testing at the Blue Revolution are approved. The directorate has pledged
Center would be even more relevant now to award free development concessions
“There are many interesting areas,” said as fi sh farmers push their cages farther for up to 15 years to projects that promote
Øystein Lie, NMBU dean, in an NMBU out into more exposed waters and harsh technology that can solve the environmental
article. “It could be relevant for example environments to avoid sea lice infestations. and acreage challenges facing the
to exploit new brood stock in these Moreover, it would take place on the fi sh’s aquaculture sector.
aquaculture facilities, and perhaps create premises in their natural environment.
locally sourced feed for the facilities.” The Beck enclosed cage system could
“The technology has to meet the biology potentially stop salmon escapes and reduce sea
The new research center could become a at some stage,” said Tveiten. “We don’t lice by submerging the fi sh to louse-free zones.
game changer for the development of new have salt water (at SINTEF Ocean’s lab in Sea lice typically thrive at the surface, which is a
and innovative aquaculture concepts. This Trondheim). The question is whether these problem for the more conventional farms closer
is a relatively new area for SINTEF Ocean are places where we have happy fi sh.” to shore. When biological conditions warrant,
at the Marine Technology Center, which the Beck cage sinks the fi sh lower to reduce lice
has primarily focused on development, Subsea Cages exposure. The cage can also be submerged for
verifi cation and advanced testing of oil and The Blue Revolution Center’s technology rough weather and wave conditions to protect
gas, offshore renewables, and maritime Research and Development licenses the steel and net structure.
concepts, according to Tveiten. are currently under consideration by the
Fisheries Directorate. Separately, Marine Marine Harvest hopes to have tested fi ve
The interest for advanced analyses and Harvest submitted an application for six Beck cages over a six-year period starting
model testing in the aquaculture industry development licenses last year for testing with a prototype in 2018. The company has
started a few years back after hurricane up to fi ve 100-meter long, spiral-shaped applied for four out of the more than 40
Berit pounded the west coast of Norway, Beck cages. Each steel cage would hold up submitted development license applications,
including the Egg, Marine Donut, and
converted dry bulk carrier. Marine Harvest
recently received an initial positive feedback
for its egg-shaped closed cage system
developed in partnership with Hague Aqua.

As of January, the directorate had fully
approved two concepts under the
development licenses: Salmar’s Ocean
Farming, a deep sea-farming concept that
resembles a fl oating petroleum platform, and
Nordlaks’ ship-shaped Havfarm.

Marine Harvest plans to test the subsea
Beck Cage for farming salmon.
© Marine Harvest

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