FISH FARMING TECHNOLOGY
The next generation of RAS aquaculture by Neder Snir, CTO, AquaMaof Aquaculture Technologies The increasing number of aquaculture facilities based on Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) technology, both already operating and under construction, is testament to the fact that this technology is proving to be highly advantageous. Neder Snir, CTO of AquaMaof Aquaculture Technologies, explores the advanced RAS techniques and technologies that will be employed in the next generation of land-based aquaculture installations, discussing the company’s unique, multidisciplinary approach to indoor fish production. Much has been written about the rapid increase in the number of onshore aquaculture facilities. This is due to several factors, among them increased demand for seafood due to population growth and a greater understanding of the nutritional benefits of eating fish; increased pollution of seas and oceans and overfishing, resulting in a decline in fish populations around the globe; and a growing awareness of the significant environmental advantages of closed-containment, RAS-based aquaculture technology. It is this last element that is the key to securing a sustainable future for aquaculture.
Advantages of RAS technology
RAS technology offers several significant advantages over other existing aquaculture methods. Growing fish in a land-based, closed and controlled environment reduces the risk of disease contamination; no antibiotics or disease treatments are involved in a normal production process, so the fish produced are healthier; and water motion in the rearing tanks allows the growers to
exercise the fish, which in some fish species results in a more natural fat and tissue composition. Since RAS technology is not entirely dependent on proximity to a specific water source, the facility can be built close to market, resulting in a shorter time from water to plate, and reduced transportation costs. Another advantage is that the advanced filtering capabilities of RAS significantly reduce water pollution from feed, faeces and chemical waste, making it a much more sustainable alternative to other aquaculture methods. In terms of efficiency and productivity, RAS enables continuous harvest all year round, and fish grow to commercial size faster when compared with other methods. Faster growth usually means better conversion of feed to fish mass, overall lower impact on the entire production chain and lower cost of production, thanks to the complete control of water temperature, and the ability of RAS to maintain optimum oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.
Leading the way to advanced RAS-based installations
Dozens of RAS-based installations are successfully operating around the world, and as seafood industry stakeholders and financial investors increasingly recognise the many significant advantages of RAS technology, we are seeing greater demand for these facilities. AquaMaof is a unique coming-together of aquaculture veterans and professionals, each competent in a broad array of sub-disciplines of aquaculture. Gary Myers, for example, is an aquaculture veteran with 40 years’ experience,
38 | March 2019 - International Aquafeed