Development of intensive farming methods for lobster in re-circulated seawater
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Norwegian Lobster Farm AS initiated in 2000 the first project in Norway aiming at commercialising land-based lobster farming. The project has been conducted in close co-operation with the Institute of Marine Research, Stavanger University College, RF-Rogaland Research and the Norwegian Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ltd. Moreover, several private companies contributed to the project. The R&D project included activities on technology development, market trends, consumer behaviour, biology, growth, family variation, feed conversion ratio (FCR), respiration and excretion rates, communal rearing vs. single cage rearing, water quality monitoring, health management, veterinary training and feed development. Moreover, Norwegian Lobster Farm AS managed a project focusing on the establishment of a national network for coordinated business development among companies and institutions involved in lobster rearing in Norway (separate fact sheet is available).
Norwegian Lobster Farm AS has through this project become the first commercial plate sized lobster producer in Norway, and the first in the world to have produced lobsters from hatching to plate-size solely on a formulated feed. The results from the project have generated an exceptional opportunity to establish a new niche in the Norwegian aquaculture industry, and to commercialise land-based lobster farming abroad. Norwegian Lobster Farm AS received the Research and Innovation Award 2002 for Rogaland County in 2002. Rogaland Regional County, RF-Rogaland Research and NHO-Rogaland awarded the price.
Project information Corresponding contacts Geographic area: Kvitsøy, Rogaland, Norway
Client: Norwegian Lobster Farm AS
Duration: 2000 – 2004
Project Manager: Asbjørn Drengstig
Project co-workers: RF-Rogaland Research
Institute of Marine Research
HOBAS Tropical Aquaculture AS Stavanger University College
Procean Technology AS Norw. Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Reports: 39 reports/publications are available
Asbjørn Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 32 59 00 Fax: +47 51 32 59 01 Cellular: +47 90 19 67 31 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com Tore S. Kristiansen Telephone: +47 56 18 22 44 Fax: +47 55 23 63 79 Cellular: +47 90 94 07 73 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.imr.no
Global market potential and culinary results for farmed plate-sized lobsters
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Annual trends in price for lobster in Norway
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The Culinary Institute tested for the first time in Norway farmed lobsters produced under controlled environments using solely a formulated feed (Cod feed from DanaFeed).
A significant effort has been done during the project in order to be acquainted with the relevant market potential for European lobster (annual catches, farm-gate prices, export and import prices and quantities).
The target markets were identified as the so-called emerging markets in Europe and Asia, but most of the work was concentrated on local, regional and domestic markets. The base line market information was collected from various international databases, literature, Norwegian fishery statistics prepared by the Norwegian Trade Council and the Norwegian Seafood Export Council.
All market research demonstrates that portion-sized lobster has a substantial market potential. The farm-gate price for live or fresh lobster to farmers or fishermen in Norway has for the last decade been varying between 180 – 240 NOK/kg (US$ 25 – 35). The market potential may be summarised as below:
Frozen plate-sized lobster: 50,000 MT annually
Fresh, bigger lobster: 1,000 MT annually
Live lobster: 70,000 MT annually
Norwegian Lobster Farm AS has also conducted culinary tests at the Culinary Institute in Stavanger with good results. However, new tests will be conducted to evaluate the taste, texture and pigmentation after using the new lobster feed developed by Norwegian Lobster Farm AS.
Project information Corresponding contacts Geographic area: Kvitsøy - Stavanger
Client: Norwegian Lobster Farm AS
Duration: 2001 – 2003
Project Manager: Asbjørn Drengstig
Project co-workers: Øystein Hatteland, HiS Students at Stavanger University College
Reports: 2 reports are available
Asbjørn Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 32 59 00 Fax: +47 51 32 59 01 Cellular: +47 90 19 67 31 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com
Evaluation of new technology for land-based farming of the redclaw crayfish in Israel
Isra
el
The redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) are successfully farmed and marketed all over the world. In most countries the species is farmed in extensive, improved extensive or semi-intensive systems (pond culture). However, the redclaw crayfish are slightly cannibalistic by nature and needs to be reared in separate compartments to obtain the best production results.
Israel has a few established farms using hot springs as water source for culturing the redclaw crayfish. The Israelis are also recognised as being one of the world’s leading experts on water recirculation systems.
A study was conducted in Israel with the aim to evaluate whether or not there existed technology available in the market that could be used to farm the European lobster under intensive levels. One R&D site and one commercial farm was visited that uses technology based on single cage rearing recirculation principles. This technology enabled a higher density under more controlled environmental conditions, than traditional culture practices.
The study revealed that the technology used for juvenile production (artificial polyethylene strings) were not suitable for farming lobster juveniles. Moreover, the technology for on-growing could be used for farming lobster, however, the investment costs, and the need for labour and land area were higher than recommendable for lobster farming.
Project information Corresponding contacts Geographic area: Israel
Client: Norwegian Lobster Farm AS
Duration: 2001 – 2001
Project Manager: Asbjørn Drengstig
Project co-workers: Tormod Drengstig Terje Ollestad
Reports: 1 travel report is available
Asbjørn Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 32 59 00 Fax: +47 51 32 59 01 Cellular: +47 90 19 67 31 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com Tormod Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 83 20 25 Fax: +47 51 83 17 50 Cellular: +47 93 88 55 33 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com
Development of technology for single-cage rearing of the European lobster
No
rway
Today, Norwegian Lobster Farm AS is the only company in Norway producing lobster juveniles and plate-sized lobsters. The company also manages an extensive R&D project on development of land-based solutions for lobster farming. Due to the lack of available, adequate and cost effective technology for farming lobster in intensive systems, the project had to include testing
and development of various technological solutions to pursue a commercially acceptable farming concept. In the past, several different methods have been developed for culturing lobsters individually. All of them attempt to provide a separate compartment for each lobster, a constant supply of oxygen saturated seawater to each individual, a method of providing food and removing solid and dissolved wastes, and in general an environment that will promote rapid, uniform growth and high survival. However, none of these attempts have reached commercial success. Altogether a total of five different technological farming solutions were tested in the present project (single trays, car-o-cells, vertical and horizontal circular units, stacks, artificial polyethylene). All technologies were manufactured and tested in small scale. The trials revealed a lot of new knowledge and practical experience on rearing lobsters in single containers, however, none of these systems incorporated all features necessary for industrial production. Further, the concepts revealed several risk factors that discriminated them from commercialised.
Project information Corresponding contacts Geographic area: Kvitsøy, Rogaland, Norway
Client: Norwegian Lobster Farm AS
Duration: 2001 – 2003
Project Manager: Tormod Drengstig
Project co-workers: Asbjørn Drengstig Rudolf Svensen Ivar Kollsgård
Publications: 5 scientific reports/publications (Rogaland Research; Institute of Marine Research)
Asbjørn Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 32 59 00 Fax: +47 51 32 59 01 Cellular: +47 90 19 67 31 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com
Tormod Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 83 20 25 Fax: +47 51 83 17 50 Cellular: +47 93 88 55 33 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com
Testing of a new feed especially manufactured for the European lobster (Homarus gammarus L.)
No
rway
An experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the necessary astaxanthine content in formulated feed diets to obtain natural pigmentation in lobsters. The lack of an adequate and cost-effective formulated diet is one of the major impediments to lobster culture today. Thus, the investigation also comprised monitoring of FCR, survival, growth and culinary qualities in the European lobster. Initially the lobsters were fed marine fish feed, without astaxanthine, and after five months the lobsters became almost transparent in colour. None of the available commercial dry fish feeds in the market has both high protein content and the needed levels of astaxanthine to ensure natural pigmentation of lobster. The production of lobster juveniles has so far been limited to R&D purposes, and natural feeds (Artemia, Krill, Mysids, frozen fish, etc) have fulfilled the required quantity and quality.
Further feed development must consider both the nutritional value and the physical aspects of a dry diet. A fully automated farming concept requires a formulated feed that can be portioned in exact amounts to each lobster in each cage in order to avoid excessive feeding and feed wastes. It is also important that the feed is resistant to the farming environment (20°C and 33‰) without dissolving too fast. According to Wickens & Lee (2002), no one had ever reared lobsters from metamorphosis to commercial size in 2 – 3 years solely, or even largely, on a compounded diet.
The results revealed first and foremost that less than 50 mg astaxantine/kg is sufficient to ensure natural pigmentation for lobsters under controlled farming environments. Moreover, newly hatched larvae maintained natural pigmentation in addition to obtaining good growth rates and high survival (50%) during the pelagic stages. Also larger juveniles obtained sufficient growth and survival when fed the new feed. During the feed experiment, plate-sized lobsters were produced in 26 months from hatching solely on the formulated diet.
Project information Corresponding contacts Geographic area: Kvitsøy, Rogaland Norway
Client: Norwegian Lobster Farm AS
Duration: 2002 – 2003
Project Manager: Asbjørn Drengstig
Project co-workers: Tormod Drengstig, NLF Rudolf Svensen, NLF Ivar Kollsgård, NLF Tore S Kristiansen, IMR Asbjørn Bergheim, RF
Publications: Reports, posters and extended conference abstracts are available
Asbjørn Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 32 59 00 Fax: +47 51 32 59 01 Cellular: +47 90 19 67 31 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com Tore S. Kristiansen Telephone: +47 56 18 22 44 Fax: +47 55 23 63 79 Cellular: +47 90 94 07 73 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.imr.no
A national network for coordinated business development among lobster farmers in Norway
No
rway
Development of networks to coordinate future business expansions is becoming more and more common in the Norwegian aquaculture industry, and especially within development of new marine species (i.e. cod, halibut, turbot, blue mussel and scallop). Also when commercialising lobster farming it will be important to seek synergic effects through working against a common goal. The Norwegian Lobster Farming Association (NHI) therefore initiated a new project in 2002 with the aim to establish a national network for existing and future companies producing lobster. Norwegian Lobster Farm AS managed the project in cooperation with Norsk Sjømatsenter, Aegir Havbruk AS and the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen.
The overall goal was to initiate a process that should culminate in a joint arena were lobster farmers could exchange experiences, scientific results, and common future challenges and opportunities. Moreover, a strategic plan for ensuring a sustainable commercial frame for future business development was established. A questionnaire was send to all farmers, and companies with the intension of starting lobster farming, to investigate whether or not there are acceptable ratio between companies wanting to supply juveniles and companies that want to buy juveniles for sea ranching. Furthermore, the expected production of plate-sized lobsters was revealed and quantified. Finally, the industry’s need for skill enhancement on production methods, water quality, larval rearing, and plate-sized production techniques were highlighted.
The results clearly demonstrated a homogenous need for cooperation among farmers. The investigation also revealed possible ways to release public funding to companies in the transfer phase between research and commercial production.
The overall conclusion was that the future lobster farming industry needs a separate research programme with consequent and sufficient access to public funding for the necessary R&D activities. The responsibility for future work regarding management of the network was transferred from Norwegian Lobster Farm to the Norwegian Lobster Farming Association.
The project was partially financed by the Norwegian Industrial and Development Fund– Rogaland division (SND-Rogaland).
Project information Corresponding contacts Geographic area: Norway
Client: The Norwegian Lobster Farming Association
Duration: 2002 – 2003
Project Manager: Asbjørn Drengstig, Chairman - The Norwegian Lobster Farming Association
Project coworkers: Jørgen Borthen, Norsk Sjømatsenter
Tore Kristiansen, Institute of Marine Research
Per Jacobsen, Aegir Havbruk AS
Reports: 1 rapport utarbeidet (Norsk Sjømatsenter)
Asbjørn Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 32 59 00 Fax: +47 51 32 59 01 Cellular: +47 90 19 67 31 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com Jørgen Borthen Telephone: +47 55 55 48 80 Fax: +47 55 55 48 88 Cellular: +47 95 13 92 88 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.sjomat.no
Image processing in intensive lobster farming – classification of lobster juveniles
No
rway
One of the activities on a lobster farm is the sorting of lobster juveniles. After hatching, all juveniles are transferred to an upstream incubator where they spend their pelagic phase and moult three times to become IV- stage larvae. After reaching the 4th stage, they become benthic and settles on bottom substrate. At this stage it is crucial to provide enough substrate to the lobsters so they develop normal morphology with one crusher claw and one scissor claw. In the lobster farm, VI-stage juveniles are transferred to single cell compartments for on growing.
These processes of transferring large amount of juveniles have been major labour intensive in the past and contributed to reducing the profitability in commercial farms due to high labour costs. To be able to transfer large quantities of lobster juveniles under highly intensive rearing conditions, automatic transfer and recognition of IV-stage larvae is required. This project was therefore initiated with the aim to develop a robot for selection and classification of lobster juveniles. Lobster juveniles that have reached the IV-stage have a size and characteristics that clearly separates them from the earlier stages. Intuitively, this yields the length as a discriminating feature. Likewise, the area that is covered by a juvenile in the acquired images is another discriminating feature.
Each juvenile is siphoned out of the incubator and into a small transparent rectangular chamber, where a camera capture an image snapshot. The image is then analysed, and if it is a IV-stage juvenile it is transferred to the next unit in the lobster farm. If not, it is transported back to its siblings in the incubator. A prototype of the robot was built and tested in 2003 with successful results, and an industrialised unit is now constructed and being tested. Project information Corresponding contacts Geographic area: Kvitsøy, Rogaland, Norway
Client: Norwegian Lobster Farm AS
Duration: 2003 – 2003
Project Manager: Tormod Drengstig
Project co-workers: Hjørdis Høimyr, Stavanger University College
Reports: 1 report and 1 publication is available
Asbjørn Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 32 59 00 Fax: +47 51 32 59 01 Cellular: +47 90 19 67 31 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com Tormod Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 83 20 25 Fax: +47 51 83 17 50 Cellular: +47 93 88 55 33 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.his.no
Water quality dynamics in a recycling system producing European lobster
No
rway
Today, there is a general lack of knowledge on the metabolic waste production of the European lobster and the implications of these excretion products in closed and controlled aquaculture
systems. Furthermore, few studies have focused on quantifying the respiration rates during different stages of development for lobsters. However, respiration and excretion rates are important dimension criteria for land-based recirculation lobster farms, and it is essential to know the ranges of these parameters for lobster (optimal as well as limiting water quality conditions). Keeping these parameters within acceptable levels will also contribute considerably to uphold a stable rearing environment throughout the production cycle.
The present trial was therefore initiated in order to highlight the water quality dynamics in the only operating lobster hatchery in Norway. Consequently, sampling of dissolved oxygen, pH, ammonia (TAN), temperature, salinity and suspended solids were carried out at several points in each of the two recycling loops throughout a 3-month period.
The present trial at Kvitsøy turned out successfully indicating a high growth rate and feed utilisation of the lobsters in a well-operating re-circulation system. At no time the water quality was below the recommended optimum levels for lobsters. Moreover, it was documented that use of fluidised bed biofilters (i.e. Kaldnes medium and BIOFISHTM) are highly suitable for producing lobsters at intensive levels.
Project information Corresponding contacts Geographic area: Kvitsøy, Rogaland Norway
Client: Norwegian Lobster Farm AS
Duration: 2002 - 2004
Project Manager: Asbjørn Drengstig
Project co-workers: Tormod Drengstig, Norwegian Lobster Farm
Asbjørn Bergheim, RF-Rogaland Research Knut Vangen, Procean AS
Reports: 2 scientific reports (Rogaland Research)
Asbjørn Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 32 59 00 Fax: +47 51 32 59 01 Cellular: +47 90 19 67 31 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com Asbjørn Bergheim Telephone: +47 51 87 53 31 Fax: +47 51 87 51 98 Cellular: +47 95 08 71 63 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.rf.no
Biofilter
Screeningfilter
Seawater intake
Heatingelement
Ejector
Equilibrium tank
Image processing in intensive lobster farming – classification of plate-sized lobsters
No
rway
An important aspect of farming plate-sized lobsters in land-based systems is to keep track of each individual during the entire production. It takes approximately 2 years to reach 21cm/300g from hatching. Not only is it important to control growth (moulting frequency) and
survival, but also it is crucial to know when each lobster is ready for harvest. Growth occurs when the lobsters shed their external shell with subsequent uptake of seawater before the new shell hardens. Thus, if the time of the last moulting is unknown, harvest could be done premature and the producers might sell lobsters filled with seawater instead of meat. Premature harvest of lobsters with soft shell would also inflict on the welfare of the lobsters. Furthermore, by having technology to monitor the lobsters during culture, farmers will also be able to predict the number of lobster were claws have been lost or other deformities which will inflict on the farm-gate price. A project was initiated in 2002 with the aim to develop a software program for tracing these features during the entire production. A prototype set-up was built and preliminary testing and documentation of this unit was done. Using this software tool, it is possible to obtain good and exact growth curve estimates under various environmental conditions. A rough time delay after the latest moult to ensure proper filling degree with meat before harvest was estimated. The results were successful and an industrial prototype was developed and tested.
Project information Corresponding contacts Geographic area: Kvitsøy, Rogaland, Norway
Client: Norwegian Lobster Farm AS
Duration: 2002 – 2002
Project Manager: Tormod Drengstig
Project co-workers: Students at Stavanger University College
Reports: 1 report is available
Asbjørn Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 32 59 00 Fax: +47 51 32 59 01 Cellular: +47 90 19 67 31 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com Tormod Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 83 20 25 Fax: +47 51 83 17 50 Cellular: +47 93 88 55 33 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.his.no
Utilisation of warm wastewater from the oil industry for land-based farming of lobster in Hammerfest
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ern
No
rway
Hammerfest El. verk explored possible aquaculture projects for utilisation of wastewater from the future oil and gas drilling in Hammerfest. Land-based farming of lobsters in Leirvika (oil base area) was considered interesting to evaluate closer. HOBAS Water Engineering AS was contacted and engaged to do a feasibility study for future utilisation of the enormous wastewater sources from the future oil activity. The wastewater will inhabit the following characteristics:
90 m3/min with 20°C water
240 m3/min with 12°C water
Ambient water temperature at 6°C
The wastewater will not be affected by different processes from the oil and gas activities and may thus be used directly in production of lobsters. A prerequisite is however some degree of water treatment and proper water management in all parts of the production.
Norwegian Lobster Farm AS prepared in cooperation with HOBAS Water Engineering AS a smaller feasibility study report where focus was set on consequences if it was decided to establish a commercial land-based lobster farm in Leirvika. The following topics was emphasized during the project:
the need for space
infrastructure inside the buildings, production area and adjacent areas
total production capacity/yield
water management
investment frame, economic profitability and pay-back time for invested capital
The study revealed a large economic potential and the overall conclusion was therefore to initiate a more comprehensive preliminary study in cooperation with a relevant client and/or investor.
Project information Corresponding contacts Geographic area: Hammerfest
Client: Hammerfest El. verk
Duration: 2004 – 2004
Project Manager: Asbjørn Drengstig, NLF
Project coworker(s): Torbjørn Ringberg, HOBAS Bjørn Blix, Hammerfest El. verk
Report(s): 1 report
Asbjørn Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 32 59 00 Fax: +47 51 32 59 01 Cellular: +47 90 19 67 31 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com Torbjørn Ringberg Telephone: +47 77 01 37 41 Fax: +47 77 01 37 32 Cellular: +47 90 06 25 62 E-mail: torbjø[email protected] Web: www.hobas.no
OLJEBASEN
Development of a harvesting robot for lobster juveniles and market sized lobsters
No
rway
An important aspect of farming plate-sized lobsters in land-based systems under intensive conditions is to harvest the lobster efficiently and gently from the cages to the packing section. Since the lobsters will be sold live it is important not to stress the individuals, and to keep them in perfect shape with no loss of any extremities. Harvesting should also be done continuously year-round since this will increase the average farm-gate price. A project was therefore started in cooperation with Stavanger University College in 2004 with the aim to develop a harvesting robot suitable for industrial conditions.
The robot comprises a PLS, a vacuum pump, a pneumatic cylinder and a transparent tank. The robot functions as follows:
the pneumatic cylinder closes the tank
the vacuum pump starts and creates a vacuum within the container
the harvesting hose (the end is shaped according to compartment size) is manoeuvred into position into the cage
the lobsters are siphoned up from the cages and into the tank
the pneumatic cylinder opens the bottom of the tank and releases the lobster on a conveyer belt
The system is used to harvest lobster juveniles and plate size lobsters from the single cage system designed and patented by Norwegian Lobster Farm AS (see separate fact file). The system is easy to move around, and can be used to harvest up to 4 lobsters per minute. A prototype was developed and tested under commercial conditions
Project information Corresponding contacts Geographic area: Kvitsøy, Rogaland, Norway
Client: Norwegian Lobster Farm AS
Duration: 2004 – 2004
Project Manager: Tormod Drengstig
Project co-workers: Students at Stavanger University College Asbjørn Høie, Stavanger University College
Reports: 1 report is available
Asbjørn Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 32 59 00 Fax: +47 51 32 59 01 Cellular: +47 90 19 67 31 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com Tormod Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 83 20 25 Fax: +47 51 83 17 50 Cellular: +47 93 88 55 33 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.his.no
New technology for land-based aquaculture of cannibalistic crustaceans
No
rway
The best system for rearing lobsters individually should be relatively inexpensive to construct and operate, simple to maintain, based on automatic feeding and self-cleaning of tank and cages, maintain optimum water quality conditions, enable high densities, conserve water at high temperatures, ensure good survival and welfare of the stock and permit easy access to the livestock for inspection and feeding. No successful attempts have been made in the past that incorporated all of these features into a single design. Thus, it was of utmost importance in the project to develop a commercially viable farming technology for the European lobster. The lack of adequate technology made it necessary to start the development from scratch.
The new technology inhabits all the required features in one single design in addition to include image processing software, larvae selection robot, harvesting robot and feeding robot. Thus, Norwegian Lobster Farm has, through the present project, solved most of the technological challenges from the past. The company has now developed, tested and patented a new farming technology with excellent results. The test included
technical aspects, biology (growth, survival etc.) and water quality dynamics (i.e. oxygen, total ammonia (TAN, NO3), temperature, pH, salinity, total organics carbon (TOC), total suspended solids (s-TS), etc.). Moreover, economic analysis proves that this system has lower investment costs and generates a higher profit than any other known production technologies available for lobster today (higher density on lesser land area). Project information Corresponding contacts Geographic area: Kvitsøy, Rogaland, Norway
Client: Norwegian Lobster Farm AS
Duration: 2003 – 2005
Project Manager: Tormod Drengstig
Project co-workers: Students at Stavanger University College Asbjørn Drengstig Rudolf Svensen Ivar Kollsgård
Reports: 2 reports (Rogaland Research and Norwegian Lobster Farm)
Asbjørn Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 32 59 00 Fax: +47 51 32 59 01 Cellular: +47 90 19 67 31 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com Tormod Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 83 20 25 Fax: +47 51 83 17 50 Cellular: +47 93 88 55 33 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.his.no
Feasibility study - using new technology for land-based farming of crustaceans in Egypt
Eg
yp
t
Norwegian Lobster Farm AS has received several inquiries regarding establishments of land-based lobster farms in the Middle East (i.e. Oman, Tunisia, Egypt, Israel, Morocco). An investigation has already been conducted in 2002 to Israel, but that study focused on applying the new technology for farming freshwater crayfish.
The Middle East area represents an interesting market segment for farming crustaceans, and it was decided to undertake a minor investigation to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. The study evaluated the possibilities to establish commercial land-based farms by applying Norwegian Lobster Farm’s patented technology.
Egypt has the earliest recorded history of fish farming in Africa, superseding even carp culture in the Far East. In 1994, the industry accounted for about 48% (by quantity) of total aquaculture production from Africa. The production peaked at 61,815 MT in 1995, whereof the total culture area, excluding illegal establishments, was about 160,066 feddans (67,255 hectare).
Today there are both public and private shrimp farms in Sharm el-Sheikh producing Penaeus japonicus and Macrobrachium. However, due to severe user conflicts for land and water use, establishments of new aquaculture farms are difficult at this stage. On the other hand, the study revealed that could exist possibilities to conduct smaller R&D projects in cooperation with local expertise.
Project information Corresponding contact Geographic area: Sharm-el Sheikh, Egypt
Client: Norwegian Lobster Farm AS
Duration: 2004 – 2004
Project Manager: Rudolf Svensen
Project co-workers: Asbjørn Drengstig
Reports: 1 travel report is prepared
Asbjørn Drengstig Telephone: +47 51 32 59 00 Fax: +47 51 32 59 01 Cellular: +47 90 19 67 31 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com Rudolf Svensen Telephone: +47 51 86 13 29 Cellular: +47 99 01 44 07 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.norwegian-lobster-farm.com