WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • MARCH 2024 25 PHOTO 9. The AquaPri intensive RAS farm. Producing 8,700 tonnes of pikeperch per year. Photo courtesy of Per Bovbjerg Pedersen. Aqua A/S. In 1962 and 1964, respectively, these two companies began producing pelleted fish feed and have developed considerably over the past 60 years. This development was originally based on the immediate access to fishmeal and fish oil from numerous Danish factories as well as processed agricultural products from the well-developed Danish agro-industry. Since then, the fish feed producers have obviously expanded and although the dependence on national raw materials has more or less disappeared, there is still important trade and mutual benefits for both sectors. The agro-industry, associated companies as well as more recent players in the sector are also important for the provision of ingredients and other components of fish feed. Farming Equipment With a relatively small, but highly technically advanced aquaculture production, Danish suppliers cover the full range of farming equipment, from tanks and pumps to filtering and water purification systems. Denmark aims to be one of the global green leaders with strong positioning in water technology, the maritime sector, and in energy efficiency. This means that Denmark has many companies in these sectors as well as skilled engineers and other technical and digital experts to keep developing solutions for global industries. Many of these solutions are directly, or with only minor modifications, transferable to the aquaculture industry, meaning that many companies have been able to expand their activities into this industry. Energy efficiency and sustainability is what the Danish solutions generally revolve around. It could be pumping or control systems consuming less energy or advanced monitoring systems ensuring optimal operation or water quality. Knowing that optimal farming conditions gives a higher production, every piece of equipment should contribute to an optimized and energyefficient system. Turnkey System Providers Since the start in the early 1980s when eel farming in closed, recirculating systems was initiated, Denmark has been involved in recirculation technology and the further development of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Based on this early research and the subsequent establishment of commercial RAS for eel farming, Denmark became home to a number of equipment providers as well as major RAS turnkey providers (Photo 9). These companies developed the skills and knowledge to take care of the entire process from initial project design to project engineering and the installation of the entire aquaculture system. With the fast development of RAS farms, larger and larger systems are being built, and the need for larger companies with a strong capital base has led to the internationalization of companies, often owned by larger corporate interests. Nevertheless, the activity and employment within the area still has significance in Denmark. Danish companies have delivered RAS to countries all over the world, and working closely together with farmers abroad is considered a way of staying on top of the needs of global aquaculture. Concluding Remarks Under present conditions, with access to water and space and an efficient regulatory framework as key enabling conditions for growth, the production of fish and shellfish in Denmark is not expected to dramatically increase in the coming years. However, the strong position of Danish companies in the aquaculture supporting industry, including feeds/goods, equipment, technology, and service providers will be maintained and probably enhanced. Notes Per Bovbjerg Pedersen*, DTU Aqua, Technical University of Denmark and Mette Kristensen, Danish Export Association. With thanks to Brian Thomsen, Danish Aquaculture Producers Organisation, for input and data. * Corresponding author: pbp@aqua.dtu.dk Footnotes 1 Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, EUMOFA, 2020 2 ASC-aqua.org 3 Statistikbanken.dk (AKREGN1) 4 Punktkilder 2022, The Danish Environmental Protection Agency 5 Strategy for a sustainable aquaculture sector 2021-27, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries 6 EU aquaculture policy, European Court of Auditors 7 Concepts for a sustainable EU food system, Joint Research Centre, 2022 8 Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture for 2021 to 2030, COM(2020) 236 final 9 European Union, 2018. Towards a Sustainable and Competitive European Aquaculture Sector. Current States and Future Challenges, Committee of Fisheries, The European Union, Brussels 10 EUMOFA. The EU fish market, 2018. https://www.eumofa.eu/ 11 Towards a strong and sustainable EU algae sector, COM(2022) 592 final 12 ‘Our Baltic Conference’ Ministerial Declaration, 2020 13 Policy guidelines for the implementation of mussel cultivation as a mitigation measure for coastal eutrophication in the Western Baltic Sea, DTU Aqua report no. 362-2020. 14 Modeldambrug: Specifikationer og godkendelseskrav (in Danish). Pedersen, P. B. et al. 2003. Report DMU, No. 183. 15 Modeldambrug under forsøgsordningen. Faglig slutrapport for “Måle- og dokumentationsprojekt for modeldambrug” (in Danish). Svendsen, L. M. et al., 2008. DTU Aqua-rapport; No. 193-08 16 Account statistics aquaculture, Statistics Denmark
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