Joint venture will establish land-based production in Japan

Japanese giant Mitsubishi Corporation has agreed with seafood company Maruha Nichiro Corporation to establish a joint venture company to specialise in the land-based production of salmon. Their company, Atland, will be based in Nyūzen, Japan.

Mitsubishi is investing 51 percent in the project to Maruha Nichiro's 49 percent. The land-based facility will have a capacity of 2500 tonnes with the aim of beginning operations in 2025 and performing the first delivery in 2027.

The project has been in the works since March 2021 and is expected to develop a sustainable and stable land-based production system, efficient tech-based operations, local production for consumption and progressing towards decarbonisation.

The majority of salmon is produced in Norway and Chile due to the requirements of farming salmon being low seawater temperatures, mild weather and wave activity. Global demand for animal protein will continue to increase, which can be met by establishing land-based facilities for local consumption.

Kurobe River in Japan.

By establishing local production in Japan's salmon industry, the facility is expected to produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared with importing salmon to Japan by air. Land-based aquaculture using recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) is also compatible with technologies which are able to control and manage the farming environment.

In addition, Atland's facility uses water from the Kurobe River and seawater from Toyama bay, which is known for its cleanliness and stable temperature, making it possible to reduce the amount of energy required to create an environment suitable for land-based production. Utilising special technologies means water will be circulated in and out of tanks where the fish are being raised, which is treated, removed of waste and cleaned before it is pumped back into the tanks.

For more information on Mitsubishi Corporation visit their website, HERE.

For more information on Maruha Nichiro Corporation visit their website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists

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