Salmon farming company AkvaFuture hopes to start closed-pen salmon farms in Ísafjarðardjúp in the Westfjords, RÚV reports. The company is applying for a licence to produce up to 6,000 tonnes of salmon annually.
Fish farming is a growing industry in Iceland. Open-net fish farms have been a topic of debate due to their impact on the surrounding marine environment. AkvaFuture CEO Rögnvaldur Guðmundsson stated in a press release that closed-pen farms reduce the environmental impact of fish farming as waste can be collected easily. He added that closed pens completely prevent salmon from being damaged by salmon lice. According to Rögnvaldur, the farms virtually eliminate the likelihood of fish escaping, which can only occur during transport or extreme situations.
AkvaFuture is a subsidiary of Norwegian company AkvaDesign which designs closed pens for fish farming and a sister company of AkvaFuture AS which operates closed-pen fish farms at three locations in Norway. “AkvaFuture ehf is engaged in developing sustainable and environmentally-friendly fish farming activities in Iceland,” the company’s website states.
