SalMar has launched an ambitious research and development initiative to help safeguard the future of farmed salmon.
Salmon Living Lab aims to bring together everyone in the salmon supply chain to share best practice at its innovative R&D centre and reverse the fortune of one of the world’s most popular fish.
“Our aquaculture industry is at a crossroads,” said Gustav Witzøe, founder and chair of SalMar.
“We have celebrated significant achievements in the past. We have succeeded in bringing large quantity of much sought-after salmon to customers and consumers worldwide. Now, we must acknowledge that we face greater challenges than we have done before.”
Official statistics show that key performance indicators are trending in the wrong direction, says SalMar, with increasing fish mortality, challenging welfare and a rising feed conversion ratio.
The company expects to invest around NOK500 million (€44.5 million) in the initiative with partners also asked to contribute. The decision on where to site the new centre has not yet been made.
Global food corporation and key supplier to SalMar, Cargill, is the first to come on board. “This first of its kind end to end research collaboration will help us bring the expertise of two world-class companies to the table in a way that’s never been done before to solve some of the biggest challenges facing our industry,” said Helene Ziv-Douki, Cargill Aqua Nutrition president.
All partners will retain their autonomy, sharing only data and information that is not commercially sensitive. Collaboration will also be within the boundaries of competition authorities.
