Stolt Sea Farm (SSF) recently celebrated the ten-year anniversary of its warm seawater operations in Iceland, a unique approach to sustainable seafood production which is fast gaining interest with other eco-friendly producers.
The aquaculture park is part of HS Orka’s geothermal power plant on Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland. In 2011, while sourcing locations for sole production, SSF recognised the potential to leverage the facility’s unique natural resources – including geothermal heat from HS Orka’s sustainable power production and arctic cold seawater filtered through lava – to cultivate its high-quality sole.
James Hall, SSF’s Aquaculture Development Manager, explained: “We tested the water quality, and it was quite unique. It was at a stable temperature of 32ºC and sterile, as it had been filtered through the lava and ash bed under the surface. This warm water could be mixed with cold seawater, giving the perfect temperature for sole of 22ºC all year round. At the same time, there is huge opportunity for diversification, as water temperatures can be kept at different profiles.”
In 2012, SSF began its collaboration with HS Orka to develop the unique, high-tech low-energy aquaculture facility. The fundamental objective was to take an otherwise unused resource and use it for the profitable and sustainable production of fish. The Icelandic authorities accepted the proposal and construction began in 2012. The first harvest was taken in 2014 and SSF has maintained steady production ever since.
In 2022, SSF invited other companies to share its infrastructure and leverage its experience for their own sustainable seafood production. Aurora Abalone and Icelandic Sturgeon accepted and a third company, specialising in seaweed cultivation, is likely to join soon.
During the earthquakes in 2024, Aurora Abalone moved its broodstock to the Reykjanes aquaculture park to make sure it was safe. The company is now preparing to move all ongoing activities to the site. The move to Reykjanes enables Icelandic Sturgeon to further expand its operations in Iceland, while upholding its insistence on sustainable caviar production methods.
Jordi Trias, President of Stolt Sea Farm, said: “We are excited that highly innovative companies have come together to harness this pristine environment in a sustainable way and reinforce Iceland’s reputation for quality food products. The park offers great potential to cultivate species such as sturgeon, caviar and abalone using natural resources, minimising waste and energy and optimising taste and quality. I was pleased to promote this project at the recent North Atlantic Seafood Forum in Norway, where I emphasised the need for the aquaculture industry to innovate through collaboration. The aquaculture park in Reykjanes is a great example of this.”
Jón Ásgeirsson, HS Orka’s EVP of Strategy, Improvement and the Resource Park, said: “We are pleased to see more aquaculture companies coming together and this is fully in line with the sustainable and cascaded use of resources which our Resource Park stands for. Together with the land-based salmon farm project of Samherji fiskeldi this is a testament to the value of geothermal energy and the unique conditions HS Orka has to offer."
The Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland is one of the world’s most geologically active areas, known for its volcanic and geothermal activity, which enables the production of highly sustainable and renewable energy.
