Swedish aquaculture developer Ravdu has secured an environmental permit to build a land-based fish farm in Sunderbyn, near Luleå, clearing the way for annual production of up to 10,000 tonnes of Arctic char.
The permit was granted by Sweden’s Land and Environment Court following a regulatory process that began in 2018. Ravdu, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hushållningssällskapet Norrbotten-Västerbotten (the Norrbotten-Västerbotten Agricultural Society), plans to develop the project in phases, beginning with a production capacity of 3,000 tonnes before expanding to full capacity.
“We finally have the environmental permit in our hands, and this is a huge day not only for us but for all of Norrbotten as a food-producing region,” said Mikael Kivijärvi, project manager at Ravdu AB.
The facility will occupy approximately 6.5 hectares of land and is expected to create around 60 direct jobs. While the initial focus will be Arctic char, the environmental permit also covers the farming of Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout.
According to the company, the project is notable for meeting some of the most stringent environmental requirements yet applied to a fish farming facility operating in Arctic conditions. The court’s approval includes strict nitrogen purification standards, with Ravdu claiming the facility will be among the first in the world to use technology capable of meeting these requirements at scale.
Ravdu believes the project could play an important role in strengthening domestic food production in Sweden at a time when food security is receiving increased attention.
“Our fish farm will take a leading position in the market because it will be the first in the world to use the new technology that meets these stricter environmental requirements,” said Jörgen Ericsson, chair of Ravdu.
“In the long term, our goal is to build more facilities in the county and also farm other species such as salmon and rainbow trout.”
With environmental approval now secured, the company’s next priority is attracting the investment needed to begin construction and move the project into its development phase.
