For decades, the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) has highlighted aquaculture as a potential business that can help diversify the Islands’ economy that is currently heavily reliant on the traditional fishing industry.
Aquaculture now supplies more than half the seafood to a growing world population, helping to supplement the global demand for fish and shellfish that cannot be met by wild seafoods alone.
Salmon farming has developed over the last 60 years in places like Norway and Britain to become the leading aquaculture sector in the world.
It takes about three years to grow an Atlantic salmon to marketable size – spending about one year in land-based recirculating aquaculture systems before moving to ocean pen enclosures.
The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) – the only salmon in the Atlantic Ocean – is the most suitable species to farm due to its docile nature. It is also a top choice for consumers worldwide thanks to its cooking versatility and healthy nutritional profile.
Previous growing trials around the Falkland Islands have shown that the sea conditions are favourable for raising Atlantic salmon. However, there are many questions yet to be answered – and a robust Environmental Impact Assessment is the only way to answer many of these questions in a Falkland’s context.
Unity Marine – a partnership between the local fishing company Fortuna and the Danish company F-Land Aps – has expressed interest in carrying out an environmental impact assessment of commercial-scale salmon farming for FIG to review and consider as it undertakes a science-based and informed decision-making process.
Would the development of salmon aquaculture be beneficial to the Falkland Islands?
Economically yes, but what are the other considerations? Let’s have a look.