Cermaq transferred smolt into its new closed containment system in Horsvågen, Norway, at the weekend, in a first step towards developing closed farming technology.

The closed containment system is built to provide maximum bio-security and fish welfare, said the company.

Water will be pumped into the pen from a depth of 13 meters, preventing sea lice from entering. Additionally, the tarp wall is made of strong and flexible composite, which minimizes the risk of escapes.

This is the world’s largest closed cage using flexible walls, said Cermaq.

"We have been working on this project for a long time, and we are happy that we now are ready to put fish into the pen," said Frode Holmvaag, manager seawater Nordland at Cermaq Norway.

"This is new technology to us, and it will be very interesting to follow the growth and development of the fish in the new containment system," he said.

The new closed containment system, which has been constructed in partnership with Botngaard and Serge Ferrari, is certified for locations with a significant wave height of two meters, and can be used at most existing sea sites.

Botngaard has a lot of experience with various construction projects for the aquaculture industry, while Serge Ferrari developed the membrane wall that makes the containment system flexible and safe.

Cermaq said it would continue to cooperate closely with groups of scientists to optimize the new closed containment system.

"There are still a lot of things we don’t know about closed containment systems," said Harald Takle, R&D manager farming technology at Cermaq Group.

"We see that closed containment systems in the ocean can play an important role in the aquaculture industry in the future, but it still requires further development," he said.

Cermaq has applied for development licenses with its FlexiFarm concept, which takes closed containment systems a "giant step further" as it will include cost-effective water treatment against infections and allow harvest size production in more exposed areas.

Aquaculture

Cermaq starts production with new closed containment system