Aerial view of Gigante Salmon's flow-through farm in Rødøy, Norway. At the time the photo was taken, the pool at the bottom, No. 3, was in full operation. Now, No. 2 - top right - is also completed.
Photo: Gigante Salmon.
Norwegian land-based salmon farming company Gigante Salmon has announced that this fall it will release approximately 2.2 million smolt, thanks to increased production at its land-based facility located in Rødøy municipality.
Already in March, the salmon company confirmed the completion of production basin No. 2 out of a total of 3 basins, marking a new milestone in line with the previously communicated project plan.
Additionally, it has already started a large-scale stocking operation this fall, receiving the first of several smolt deliveries from smolt producer Grytåga Settefisk. Thus, the facility is entering the final phase of expansion toward full capacity.
"We are very pleased to be able to put a larger part of the facility into operation, and we are seeing that the smolt is of high quality," expressed Kjell Lorentsen, CEO of Gigante Salmon.
Gigante Salmon, which completed its first stocking in January 2024, expects to reach its full capacity of 16,000 tonnes HOG (head-on gutted fish) annually by 2028. Furthermore, more than 90% of the fish delivered was classified as superior quality.
"The results we are seeing now provide a solid foundation for further operations and growth into 2026. With a well-equipped farming facility and skilled employees, everything is in place for successful production," concluded Lorentsen.
In April, the company's Board decided to appoint Kjell Lorentsen as CEO of Gigante Salmon. He had already served as Chief Executive Officer from the company's inception until September 2021, and from then until assuming the position of interim CEO, he was a member of the Board of Directors.