First Mt Fuji salmon harvest ‘ just a month away’

Proximar Seafood said today it is ready to slaughter the first batch of salmon at its plant, near Japan’s Mount Fuji, within the next month.

Presenting its second quarter and half year results, the Norwegian-owned land-based fish farming business has reported marking the quarter with a stable and good growth conditions and the first sales agreement with a high-quality customer in place.

CEO Joachim Nielsen, said: “Proximar is the first producer of Atlantic salmon in Japan, years ahead of the competition.

“We have proven great production capabilities and fish growth, also now commercially validated through the first sales agreement. We are ready to start harvesting in about a month from now.”

Proximar operates a RAS (recirculating aquaculture system) facility in Oyama, set up to produce Atlantic salmon for the Japanese market.

Among the second quarter highlights, Proximar reported continued growth in fish stock with a total biomass of 360 metric tonnes by the end of the period, up from 112 metric tonnes at the end of Q1. It will have 530 tonnes by this month.

It also confirmed stable and good biological conditions, supporting a healthy biomass development with no significant incidents.

Proximar, which now has 45 employees, has also increased operational activity in the post-smolt grow-out building. By the end of Q2, six batches had been transferred into the two operating modules (and this will be seven by mid-August).

The first sales agreement is now in place with a “quality customer”, the company said. It is also close to completing two of the last modules in the grow-out building, with NOK 30 million (£2.1m) in extra capital expenditure expected for some improvements and to secure the installation schedule.

CEO Nielsen stated: “We see strong interest from high-end buyers, and we expect that the ongoing sales dialogues will materialize in new contracts over the following months, as we are the only company that can deliver fresh, domestic Atlantic salmon to Japanese consumers.”

Proximar’s grow-out facility, Oyama