Atlantic salmon provides one of the most efficient forms of protein in terms of edible yields, carbon footprint during the production process, water consumption and land usage.
Demand growth in Asia is amongst the fastest in the world, but significant supply constraints and transport costs from traditional producing regions are halting faster consumption expansion; current estimates suggest a salmon supply deficit of 585k metric tons (MT) in Asia, and growing.
The past several years have seen huge advances in salmon production technology and knowledge, including for indoor Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS).
RAS technology allows for the creation and control of optimal production conditions for salmon, opening up the entire world as potential production locations, including the tropical climates of Southeast Asia.
This disruptive technology offers huge potential for the region: increased environmental sustainability of both production and the supply chain, supply of fresh salmon fillets to major consumption centres with lower transport costs and carbon footprint, and the introduction of a new and exciting technology which can spark an entirely new industry for the region.
However, RAS technology and salmon projects are not without risk: economies of scale for production mean that only larger-scale production facilities are viable, with high upfront investment costs; furthermore, whilst the technology allows for increased control over the production, managing advanced systems, and producing non-native species in the region requires a highly skilled workforce.
Understanding the operational risks around managing salmon RAS production are critical in ensuring the long-term viability of the projects.