Salmon Evolution and Benchmark Genetics Norway have entered into an agreement on collaboration on genetics, ova, product deliveries and expertise development related to salmon farming on land.

“We’re building up a sustainable industrial chain with a high level of biological performance from ova to harvest-ready fish,” says Håkon A Berg, CEO of Salmon Evolution.

“Our collaboration with Benchmark Genetics will ensure a stable year-round supply of high-quality genetic products, and thereby a steady and predictable production of salmon to the highest quality standards.”

Benchmark Genetics offers a broad range of technical genetic services for comprehensive and complex breeding programmes. It maintains three Atlantic salmon strains in Norway (Salmobreed), Iceland (StofnFiskur) and Chile (Benchmark Genetics Chile).

Benchmark Genetics

The seven years agreement, lasting from 2020 to 2027, makes Benchmark Genetics the main supplier of ova to Salmon Evolution during this period. The contract also includes collaboration on research and development projects for breeding and land-based aquaculture.

“We’re very pleased to have signed this agreement with Salmon Evolution, which confirms our strong position as a genetics supplier to land-based fish farming worldwide,” says Commercial Director Geir Olav Melingen at Benchmark Genetics.

“Last year, we opened SalmoBreed Salten, the most modern and advanced land-based broodstock facility in the world. Being designed to keep the nucleus of our broodstock on land throughout its life cycle, it provides the highest standard of biosecurity in the industry. Our production model gives full control of the breeding season and puts us in a position to deliver ova according to customer orders every week of the year. ”

Through its collaboration with Benchmark Genetics, Salmon Evolution will develop salmon genetics optimised for land-based farming with the emphasis on growth, robustness and properties such as fat content, colour and fillet quality.

“As land-based farming doesn’t need to take into account the challenges faced in the sea, our focus will be on achieving the best possible fish health, optimal water quality and implementing strict standards of quality feed with a sustainable origin. Combined, we believe they will give our customers a first-class salmon,” says Berg.

Further information from

Salmon Evolution AS
Håkon A Berg
CEO
+47 411 92 257

Benchmark Genetics
Geir Olav Melingen
Commercial director
+47 92 24 45 11

Salmon Evolution in brief

Salmon Evolution is a land-based salmon farming business with its first production facility under construction at Indre Harøy in western Norway. This initial phase has an annual capacity of 9 000 tonnes of fish, rising ultimately to 36 000 tonnes

The company is transferring the best preconditions offered by the sea to farm fish on land. Location, technology and industrial/technological expertise form the basis for sustainable production.

Dongwong, a world leader with seafood production based in South Korea, became a Salmon Evolution shareholder in July. The companies plan to establish a partnership to build a land-based fish farm in South Korea utilising Salmon Evolution’s chosen technology.

They will also jointly assess future opportunities for scaling similar projects in other Asian markets as well as in North America. Salmon Evolution’s medium- to long-term expansion plans envisage a total annual output of roughly 70 000 tonnes.

Choice of technology

The technology utilised by Salmon Evolution, which is based on large supplies of fresh seawater, ensures the best possible water quality for the fish while providing very low operational and biological risk. This approach is cost-effective in terms of both the level of investment and production costs.

Investment in the first construction stage at Salmon Evolution’s Indre Harøy site

About NOK 1.3 billion

Annual production volume at the Indre Harøy site

Construction stage 1: 9 000 tonnes of salmon (round weight)