DENMARK
Hjarnø Havbrug is experimenting with mussels and seaweed
Research and development to reduce environmental impact The Danish aquaculture sector is seeing some potentially far-reaching changes in regulation that could result in a substantial increase in production. The sector will also develop niche products rather than trying to compete head-on with the major producers of salmon and trout.
D
anish aquaculture is currently focused primarily on the production of trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) which is raised in different production systems – earthen ponds, concrete raceways, recirculation systems, and model farms. In addition, some fish are on-grown in sea cages, where they increase rapidly in size in a very short space of time. These sea-reared trout are often used for the production of roe, which is exported, in particular to Japan, where it is considered a delicacy.
Scientific selection of broodstock Hjarnø Havbrug was founded in 1952 by Alfred Pedersen and today is headed by his grandson Anders Pedersen, who took over the reins from his father Lars in 1986. The company produces seagrown trout which are cultivated for their roe. The fish are slaughtered at sea to ensure absolute freshness, the egg sacs removed intact, and the roe is then mixed with salt and stored for five days. As this product is intended for the Japanese market the whole operation is closely supervised on site by Japanese sushi chefs, says Malene Mølgaard, the project leader at the company. Fulfilling the Japanese’ demanding www.eurofishmagazine.com
Anders Pedersen, the owner of Hjarnø Havbrug.
requirement has called for the adoption of a highly scientific approach to the production that goes back all the way to the broodstock. Special lines of broodstock are selected for the quality and quantity of roe that they produce and their eggs are used to breed the fish that in turn produce the roe. The broodstock are kept at a hatchery, where the eggs are hatched and the fry are grown to about 100 g. These fry are then moved to other sites more appropriate to their size, where they are allowed to grow
to a size of between 600 and 800 g in earthen ponds. All the company’s sites are located within a few hours drive of Juelsminde, near Horsens on Jutland. The company has its grow-out facilities in the Horsens Fjord. The fish are introduced into the sea at 600-800 g and at Hjarnø since the main product is the roe they naturally prefer females. All the fish are therefore closely monitored and the males eliminated early on in the life cycle. Once in the sea the fish grow very rapidly reaching 3-4 kg in six months.
Strong opposition to farming industry in some quarters The aquaculture industry in Denmark faces strict regulations regarding the protection of the environment. This applies both to inland as well as marine farms. Most sea cages are located close to the coast, where the water is shallow and currents are weak and pollution from the cages in the form of uneaten feed and faecal matter tends to accumulate on the seabed. Sea cages are also
Eurofish Magazine 5 / 2013
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