On 2 October, the industry event at Nuntorp Gård attracted 85 participants, ranging from farmers and entrepreneurs to researchers and representatives from public authorities. The day provided opportunities to meet, exchange experiences and ask questions, as well as to visit the test and demonstration facility for small-scale landbased fish farming.
The programme covered the basics of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), fish health and welfare, new AI technology, environmental impact, energy use and feed, as well as product development and branding. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg, RISE and IVL took part, along with representatives from Saga Aqua and experts in marketing and fish processing. Swemarc and Innovatum Science Park also held a workshop to identify participants’ needs and ideas.
“One advantage of RAS is that the facility can be located almost anywhere and does not need to be close to a natural body of water. This means that production can be located closer to the market, reducing the need for transport,” says Kristina Snuttan Sundell, Professor at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Director of Swemarc and knowledge enhancement coordinator at Blue Food – Center for future seafood.
This also creates opportunities for fish farming on farms. Small-scale landbased fish farming could become a new or complementary business for farmers. On farms where pig or poultry production has ceased, there may already be unused buildings that could be used for fish farming.
“The idea is to have smaller farms that can complement existing agricultural activities or provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs who want to start on a smaller scale,” says Sundell.
Research is needed to develop the systems
At the same time, several challenges need to be addressed to make RAS as efficient and sustainable as possible. RAS is a technically advanced farming system that places high demands on water treatment and water quality monitoring, among other things. Water needs to be pumped through the system, which contributes to higher energy consumption than in open farming systems. On the other hand, nutrient emissions to surrounding waters can be controlled more effectively. The choice of energy source also affects the sustainability of the system, and sustainably produced electricity from sources such as biogas can be used to create more circular solutions.
Research has an important role to play in the continued development of RAS, including water treatment technology, water flow and tank design. Systems also need to be adapted to the needs of different fish species. Feed is another important area of research.
“Feed is one of the biggest challenges in fish farming, regardless of the farming system. This is because feed accounts for the largest share of the climate footprint of fish farming,” says Sundell..
Participants' needs will shape the next steps
An important part of the industry event was to identify the participants’ needs and ideas. In a workshop, participants discussed how they could use Nuntorp Gård for testing and development, who they would like to network with and what their training needs are. Many ideas and needs were raised, including funding, opportunities for study visits and internships, and more basic training. Several companies were also interested in being able to test equipment at the facility..
“We now have a lot of material from the workshop that needs to be sorted and compiled. It will provide a basis for how the project moves forward and what the next steps and activities will be,” Sundell concludes.
