Mussel Aquaculture

Northlight Seafood will cultivate blue mussels with rafts and process it, both as fresh or frozen. The processing technique is well known, but doing it with rafts is new and has been developed past few years. We have an experimental licence in Skötufjörður, Iceland, for three years.

The market for blue mussels is big and growing, specially for a frozen and a value-adding product which we target on.

We look for adventure investors for the first steps of the project and professional investors for long the long run.

Please call Mr. Gunnar Hólm (tel. +47 906 52 637) for further information about this project. You can also sign up for further information and operating budget, or send us an email to kdadason@northlightseafood.is.

Aquaculture

Blue mussel farming as a cultivation process is nothing new. In fact, it has been done since the 13th Century. The business proposed here differs from others in its new "raft culture" approach. Its novelty lies in the engineering of its raft structures and harvesting process. The rafts float on the ocean surface; they are designed to imitate the colour of the ocean surface. The larvae sticks to breeding lines underneath the rafts, where they grow for two years before harvesting.

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Process

The containers filled with the blue mussels are transported to a land-based facility. There, the containers are placed on a ramp and cleaning of the mussels begins. Pumped seawater from a close-by source is purified with filters and UV light before being pumped into the containers to secure highest wholesomeness and quality. The containers are flushed with the purified water continuously until the water is clear and all mussels are clean from traces of algae. Constant monitoring of algae is a necessity since algae at certain seasons is poisonous and unfit for consumption.

Once the mussels have cleaned themselves the containers are brought to the factory building, where they are emptied and processing of the shells starts.

Market-ready shells undergo an intensive comb treatment until all hair and other particles are removed and only the grooves on the outer shell are visible. After the treatment the mussels reach a sale-ready state as fresh product. Here, the mussels could be packed as shell-on product if the buyer requests it. Such packaging could include i.e. net bags or airtight plastic wrap.

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The estimated size for 12 rafts is 215.000-220.000 m2 (21-22 hectares). (February 22nd 2013 Á.Þ.V.)

Location

Estimated area for 12.000 rafts for an aquaculture is about 216.000 square meters (21,6 hectares) in Hestafjörður and Skötufjörður (the dark areas on the map). The ship lands the mussels in Langeyri (Súðavík in �lftafjörður) for cleaning and process. The aquaculture area is clear and cold sea which is good for the mussels. In this conditions, it takes about 24-28 months to growth the mussel in a suitable size for the market. We have an experimental licence in Skötufjörður.

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Marketing

The global total consumption of seafood is increasing and has nearly doubled since 1961. Overall consumption is, despite several recession periods, rising. The world market for blue mussel is big. Europe alone has a great tradition of blue mussel consumption. Total consumption has increased from 1.3 million tons in the year of 1992 to 2.3 million tons in 2007.

The mussels have maintained their worth despite turbulence in the market. It is worth pointing out that the decline in production quantities of blue mussel is taking place at the same time as world consumption of seafood is increasing. There is more demand for mussels in countries like Belgium, Chile, France, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Canada, New Zealand, Spain og UK.

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Investors

We look for adventure investors for the first steps of the project and professional investors for long the long run. Please sign up for further information and operating budget, for the five years ahead. Including budget for factory, ship, equipments etc.

Please call Mr. Gunnar Hólm (tel. +47 906 52 637) for further information about this project. You can also register or send us an email to kdadason@northlightseafood.is.

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