- Nordic plans to produce 25-27,000 metric tons of fish annually
- This is approximately 15 percent of the demand anticipated for the west coast by 2030
- Fish will be processed onsite into head-on-gutted (HOGs) fish and filets
- Fresh (not frozen) fish will be distributed to west coast markets
Fish Related Questions
Will your fish or discharge water spread disease to the local fish populations?
In addition to all the biosecurity measures in place to ensure that the facility remains disease free, all water leaving the fish production areas including floor drains and processing will undergo extensive treatment of ultrafiltration through 0.04 micron filters equivalent to 1.5748e-6 inches in size before passing through UV disinfection at 300mJ.
Why are you planning to produce Atlantic Salmon rather than a west coast species?
Nordic plans to target/displace existing consumption of Atlantic salmon on the West coast currently imported from overseas by airplanes and not compete with local fisherman. About 50% of salmon already consumed in California is imported Atlantic Salmon.
The Atlantic salmon used in Nordic’s facility are from breeding programs purposely designed to provide fish which thrive in a tank farming environment. No West Coast species of salmon has this level of domestication.
There exists decades of science on Atlantic salmon that allows us to understand specific nutritional and health requirements for farming this species. This does not exist for West coast species.
Are your fish vaccinated to prevent disease?
Nordic uses immunization through a vaccination program combined with veterinary monitoring and testing to ensure our fish are healthy without the need for employing antibiotics or medications.
Eggs are sourced from pathogen free broodstock, disinfected prior to entering the farm, and placed under quarantine until they pass a certified health inspection. Every cohort of fish is tested for all pathogens of concern before being released from quarantine.
Incoming water is filtered to such an extent that bacteria, pathogens, parasites, and viruses are removed; water is further sterilized using ultraviolet light before contact with fish.
An accredited veterinarian will work with us to check all fish in the facility on a regular basis and all staff will be trained in fish behavior and to rate appearance to identify any issues the moment they appear.
Bio-security measures prevent movement of pathogens onto the farm via people, feed, equipment, pests, or other vectors.
Can fish escape?
The facility is designed to be escape-proof.
- All fish are raised inside secure buildings
- Fish are never outside. They are moved through dedicated underground pipes preventing their escape as they move from one building to another
- The facility has numerous physical barriers specifically employed to prevent fish escapement
- The wastewater treatment facility is impassible by fish.
- All pipes for moving fish are contained on the farm and none terminate at the ocean or bay.
- Even a 2,500 Tsunami event will not over-top tanks
- Security measures to include 24/7 on site staffing, video surveillance, and key card access doors, prevent any manual (human) removal of fish from the facility
What do the fish eat?
The nutritional requirements of the fish can be met with a broad range of ingredients that are derived from crops, agricultural byproduct, and sustainable fisheries. More innovative break-through ingredients include fermented single cell proteins, insect meals, and algae oils.
Currently, feed contains approximately 10-15% marine ingredients that are primarily sourced from fisheries processing byproduct such as heads, trimmings, and viscera with the rest coming from sustainably managed fisheries.
Feed manufacturing for aquaculture is an innovative, and sustainable-minded industry. Nordic will be working closely with the feed producers to refine our formulations that prioritize the inclusion of non-marine derived proteins sources.