Gentle salmon farming

Skagen Salmon is a land-based salmon farm. The method is called Recirculation Aquaculture System and the newly built facility in Skagen is the latest version of the technology.

The salmon tanks are filled with water from Skagerak. The water is constantly circulated through both biological and mechanical filters and back to the salmon tanks again. A small proportion of the water is returned to the Kattegat after final treatment in our treatment plant. In the process, we have removed more than 90% of all nitrogen and phosphorus. This ensures minimal environmental impact.

Through the treatment process, sludge is separated and used to produce clean energy in the biogas plant across the road.

The plant is closed and therefore there is no risk of salmon escaping into the sea. From traditional sea farms, there are occasional escapes, e.g. due to storms. Escaped farmed salmon compete with wild salmon for food in the area.

A closed system provides environmental benefits

- No pollution of the ocean. More than 90% of all nitrogen is removed.

- No fish escape the farm and therefore no risk of competition for food with wild salmon.

- No salmon lice. This means better living conditions for the salmon and no need for chemicals to control lice.

- The technology enables farming close to the market. Therefore, we can eventually eliminate the significant global transportation of salmon.

- Less feed consumption, no parasites, no predators.

Good salmon welfare is the big goal

Four times a year, we receive a new shipment of eggs from Iceland. Initially, the salmon are born in freshwater, just as wild salmon are born in the fresh water of the river. After about 11 months, they have reached a weight of around 100 grams and their genetic compass drives them towards the sea. Therefore, they are now moved to saltwater where they stay until they reach the desired slaughter weight after two years.

The system allows the fish to live in a very stable and controlled environment. The circulation of water means that they always swim against the current and the bigger the salmon get, the stronger the current. This ensures a strong salmon, with a firm structure in the flesh and a low fat percentage.

Every day, the fishing master and the team keep an eye on the salmon. Making sure they are thriving, measuring water quality, oxygen and pH values and controlling the amount of feed.

Happy salmon eat well and grow fast, so good salmon welfare is everyone's main goal.

Thank you for the trust

We are both happy and proud that the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the Danish Fisheries Agency found our project so visionary that they chose to support it. This was an important boost in the start of the project.

Thank you.