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[Japan] Land-based fish farming attracts interest
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Japan
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Fish
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Production
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2001.11.28
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Domestic fish farming is a growing industry, but has a long way to go
before it catches up with levels in other Asian countries, or becomes an
industry comparable with salmon farming in Europe, North America and
Chile.
For this reason, a key component in developing a successful domestic
aquacultural sector is water treatment technology, and one company,
Matsushita Electric Works, has specialised in this area.
The company has decades of expertise in water treatment, especially for
sewage and drinking water. It is maybe more known as a major manufacturer
of building materials and lighting equipment.
Last year Matsushita founded the Research Institute of Land Aquaculture
Technology in response to the increased competition the water treatment
industry was facing. In October last year, the company established a
research facility called Omi Fish Farm in Shinasahicho, Shiga Prefecture.
The farm is raising flounder in a water tank six metres in diameter where
water is circulated between the tank and a water treatment facility, with
no need to drain or refill it. Both the tank and treatment facility are set
up in an area 15 metres long and eight metres wide.
The seawater inside the tank is "man made," as elements of seawater such
as sodium chloride and magnesium chloride have been added to regular
freshwater to simulate the necessary environment for saltwater fish.
One of the reasons the institute chose to cultivate flounder is that it is
essentially an immobile groundfish. This lack of movement is an essential
factor in increasing the density of items in a water-tank. The company's
philosophy is "the more flounder in a tank, the higher the profit."
Also, the species is known as an expensive delicacy and is good as sashimi
or deep-fried. At Tokyo's fish market, the highest grade of wild flounder
sells for more than JPY 10,000 per kg and farm-raised items go for less,
but still fetch between JPY 2,000-3,000 per kg.
The cost of building this land-based aquaculture system has been high and
only a few species of farmed fish can bring in enough at market to make it
worthwhile. The incentive is the belief that demand for fancier foods,
thought to be quite high, makes the risk quite small.
With an eye to applying its expertise in water treatment and in
anticipation of an expansion of the market for expensive fish products
cultivated in a land-based aquaculture system, Matsushita began extensive
research in 1998.
Together with Yoshikazu Tanaka, who pioneered the country's closed
environment aquaculture of flounder, Matsushita built the farm utilising
the latest water treatment technology. Each tank at the farm is capable of
cultivating about 2,500 items and inside the six-meter tank, saltwater is
collected and piped to the treatment facility adjacent to the tank. The
collected water, which includes leftover feed and fish waste, is processed
with purifying microorganisms.
The company found that the species consumed more food at a water
temperature of 20”ĘC. It is therefore possible to control growth by
changing the temperature of the water, which is important in avoiding
shipment of cultivated specimens during peak natural catch seasons.
In October last year, 2,500 small flounder, each seven centimetres long
and weighing 3.5g, were placed in a tank at the Omi Fish Farm. Over the
period of one year, the specimens grew to more than 40cms long and weighed
more than 500g each.
Flounder farming in Japan is not without potential problems. One possible
problem in land-based aquaculture systems is finding a source of small
healthy items, according to Matsushita. Flounder are highly vulnerable to
the spread of disease that can easily infect all water tanks via the
treatment facility.
Another obstacle, and probably the biggest, is the high cost of building
the system. With current prices for flounder having decreased following an
increase in imported fish, mostly from South Korea, return on investment
will take much longer and is therefore perceived as riskier.
The company is hoping to be able to sell its systems for less than JPY 10
million.
FIS(2001-11-28)
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