Deep-sea breeding of Atlantic salmons begins production phase in Qingdao, east China's Shandong

Early morning on April 16, Atlantic salmons raised in the net cage of a fully submersible deep-sea fish farming equipment were fished at a fish farm located 120 nautical miles from the coast of the Yellow Sea of China in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province.

Photo shows Atlantic salmons raised in the net cage at a deep-sea fish farm 120 nautical miles from the coast of the Yellow Sea of China in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. (Photo courtesy of Shandong Marine Group Ltd. )

Atlantic salmons are primarily distributed in high latitude areas in the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean. For a long time, China's demand for Atlantic salmon largely relied on imports. In July 2018, the "Deep Blue No. 1" submersible deep-sea fish farm started operating. Today, it has achieved large-scale deep-sea breeding of Atlantic salmons in low latitudes.

"The Atlantic salmons we harvested this time have an average weight of over 5 kg and can meet the European Union (EU)'s export standards. The harvest season is expected to last until the end of the month," said Wu Jihong, chief operating officer of Shandong Deepsea Green Breeding Co., Ltd. under Shandong Marine Group Ltd.

A ship harvests Atlantic salmons at a deep-sea fish farm 120 nautical miles from the coast of the Yellow Sea of China in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, on April 16, 2023. (People's Daily/Zhang Xiaopeng)

"From the time they are harvested, Atlantic salmons can reach dinner tables within 12 hours," Wu said.

The 'Deep Blue No. 1' has a diameter of 60 meters and weighs 1,400 tonnes. The breeding space is 50,000 cubic meters. With the application of many technologies, including floating and sinking control and devices that keep sharks away from the Atlantic salmons, as well as the use of cameras and sensors, they have built an intelligent breeding control and management system, said Wu.

A worker freezes an Atlantic salmon after being harvested on April 16, 2023. (People's Daily/Zhang Xiaopeng)

"The harvest of Atlantic salmons at the 'Deep Blue No. 1' means the deep-sea fish farm has moved into the production phase from trial operations," said Zhao Yingmin, director of the marine development bureau of Xihai'an New Area of Qingdao.