Benguela Blue Aqua Farming, a fish farming start-up which has secured N$350 million in its first round of financing, has obtained permission to produce Atlantic salmon in net pens off the coast of Namibia.
The farm, which will be located eight kilometers offshore Luderitz, will raise its fish using Innovasea’s submersible SeaStation pens, underwater grid infrastructure, and proven open ocean technologies.
“We are proud to be the first company to bring sustainable aquafarming to Namibia,†said Johannes Aldrian, co-founder and executive director of Benguela Blue Aqua Farming, adding that “the area has excellent water conditions and enormous potential, and we’re optimistic that Namibia’s stable governance will encourage other companies to follow our lead to help create a thriving fish farming industry.â€
The farm plans to commence operations in the second quarter of 2024, with its initial harvest estimated at 100 tons.
Langley Gace, Innovasea’s senior vice president of business development, expressed excitement about collaborating with Benguela Blue Aqua Farming on this critical project to introduce open ocean aquaculture to southern Africa.
“The company has a strong business vision and has worked closely with authorities in Namibia to develop a smart, realistic plan to safely raise healthy fish and create good-paying jobs for the local economy.â€
Benguela Blue used Innovasea’s advisory services to obtain the permits needed to run a trial operation consisting of up to four SeaStations, as well as a permit to raise up to 35,000 tons of fish annually.
Benguela Blue estimates that the water conditions at the site are suitable for salmon raising, but strong surface currents and wave heights that frequently exceed two meters necessitate the use of submersible pens that can be submerged to avoid most of the wave energy.
“The open ocean is the future of fish farming and provides a healthier, more natural environment for fish by reducing their exposure to pathogens, but it requires robust equipment like the SeaStation and our submerged grids to withstand the day-to-day punishment of the sea,†said Gace.
Innovasea claims its SeaStation is “the world’s toughest fish pen†and has a proven track record of surviving hurricanes, typhoons and other significant storms unscathed over the last 28 years.
Benguela Blue Aqua is currently looking for additional investors to help fund the project in Namibia, preferably with a background in offshore salmon farming. The Brief/Under Current
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