A barramundi farm with a 10,000-tonne capacity in northern Bali is closer to realization with NewSeas signing a memorandum of understanding with Skretting.
As told to The Fish Site, NewSeas is planning pilot production which will reach up to 400 tonnes per year of barramundi, with a start date of early 2022. At the same time, the first 3.000-tonne grow-out site will begin construction off the northwest of the island. Included in the project will also be an integrated hatchery and nursery.
“Bali is an ideal site for barramundi with excellent logistics, deep clean water with a good current to maximise fish health, calm seas with no typhoons and stable annual temperatures that are perfect for barramundi growth,” explained Rob Garrison, founder of NewSeas.
“NewSeas is heavily oriented towards proven, robust systems so we can focus on success, sustainability, and scale: Given the site profile, including sea state and good current that keeps our water circulating cleanly for a best-practice footprint, a floating net pen system meets these criteria perfectly,” he added.
As with previous NewSeas projects, there will be an element of a community venture. Past schemes have included seaweed aquaculture, which has bought both economic benefit and contributed to IMTA environmental synergies.
The investment in Bali is targeted at US$40 million, which would allow the facility to reach the 10,000-tonne capacity. “We’re on target towards our first close around year-end for $18 million. That will cover the first 3,000 tonnes, including the R&D activities,” Rob explained.
Two more sites will need to be developed to reach the planned production capacity, both of which have already been identified. Local communities have also been engaged to ensure smooth development.
Rob has been farming fish in Bali since 2007, working for a large US company. His experience tells him there is great potential in the sector. “Barramundi is an ideal fish for farming here: it really is the
‘salmon of the tropics’
and is perfectly poised to play a huge role in expanding production of more global and responsible aquaculture, Rob said.
Fauzan Bahri, sales director of Skretting Indonesia, added, “Indonesia has a tremendous potential in cultivation as it’s the backbone for food security in Indonesia, and it is our ambition that this partnership will support sustainable ocean barramundi farming.”
“NewSeas plans to expand sustainable barramundi production throughout the tropics and Skretting’s proven ability to provide efficiently, sustainable feed is an important contribution to realise this vision,” added NewSeas’ co-founder Rob Pettit.