Can tuna be farmed? Next Tuna says yes – with its floating marine RAS

In the historic Mediterranean port town of Castellón, Spain, a potential revolution in aquaculture is quietly taking shape. 

Led by co-founders CEO Andrew Eckhardt and CTO Dr. Paul-Daniel Sindilariu, Next Tuna's journey began four years ago with a clear, albeit highly ambitious, objective: to farm Atlantic bluefin tuna.

So, how did this fish farming venture end up inventing a whole new RAS system along the way? 

Andrew and Paul are the first to admit that their multi-faceted project can be difficult to get one’s head around. Getting the biology of tuna aquaculture right is already a “massive undertaking”, Andrew points out. But in order to actually farm the fish, the Next Tuna team also had to take on another daunting task: developing the right aquaculture infrastructure in which to grow them.

That meant Next Tuna needed to become not only a fish farming company, but an aquatech firm – and the team are keen to explore the potential for their closed containment floating RAS technology in partnership with producers of other species, such as salmon.

Next Tuna are now preparing to deploy their innovative floating Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) for the first time, intending to pilot with established aquaculture species.    

Next Tuna's floating RAS system, developed jointly with Seafarming Systems from Norway and filed for IP there, distinguishes itself from traditional land-based and marine aquaculture setups, Paul explains. 

Paul, a RAS specialist with extensive experience in the Norwegian, European and Canadian aquaculture industry, is Next Tuna’s Chief Technology Officer. He explains that the goal of farming tuna presented some unique technical challenges that demanded the team think outside the box. 

“Tunas are fast swimmers, and tuna juveniles grow very fast and become very big - so you need big tanks, big infrastructure. You need to be able to control water temperature and water quality, especially when the fish are young. If you do this all land-based, it becomes very, very expensive," he says.

That’s where the idea of a floating system came in, with collaboration with engineering experts from Norway. 

"Our system is much larger than land-based RAS, fully enclosed, and built and fitted out in a shipyard before being transported to the site as a plug-and-play solution," Andrew explains, noting that this modular approach ensures ease of construction and installation, significantly reducing the typical challenges associated with building such infrastructure on land. 

Next Tuna's immediate plan is to install their first system within the existing port hub infrastructure in Castellón, with the project led by a dedicated local team. Initially, they will test the system with an established aquaculture species, such as kingfish, to validate its functionality.

Paul emphasizes the system's modular nature, which allows for scalability and flexibility. "We can start with one system. In terms of space, we believe we can put up to three systems within the same hub if needed – and subject to permits," he said. 

The team argues that their floating RAS offers numerous advantages over traditional systems. First of all, the technology requires lower capital expenditure than land-based RAS facilities – and it is also easier to operate.  

“I've never seen two land-based RAS systems which are the same. They are sometimes alike, but never the same," Paul adds, noting that Next Tuna’s modular system takes this element of risk and customization out of the equation. 

Additionally, the system's fully enclosed nature ensures no pollutants are released into the marine environment – and no fish escapes are possible, addressing environmental concerns often associated with sea-based aquaculture projects. 

Indeed, this was a crucial element in securing the permit from local authorities, the team points out. “Once they understood that there's nothing going into the sea from this system, it got much easier,” Andrew explains. 

Beyond the initial goal of farming tuna, Next Tuna's floating RAS has broader implications for the industry, the team believe. "We want to showcase this system to other fish farmers and stakeholders," Andrew said. "It's an interesting solution not just for tuna but for other species like salmon." 

The system's ability to control water temperature and environmental conditions makes it resilient to climate change and extreme weather events, providing a stable and sustainable farming environment, he explains.

“We want to enable others to benefit from the advantages of this floating system, because it can solve a lot of issues that we see in the open net pen industry. You can decouple your farm from extreme events and become much more resilient to sudden changes in the outside environment,” he adds. 

In collaboration with partners like German applied research organization Fraunhofer and long-term partner Seafarming Systems, Next Tuna is also exploring the development of remote operating systems to enhance precision farming using its RAS system. The team says that this technological integration aims for a more data-driven and efficient approach to aquaculture. 

While the path to success is promising, it is not without its challenges. Securing the necessary funding remains a hurdle, albeit one that Andrew and Paul are determined to overcome.  

"We are making progress, but like everyone else in the industry, it's been more challenging than expected," Andrew admits. However, with a dedicated team and strategic partnerships, they are poised to navigate these obstacles, he says. Most importantly, the team believes that the fact that the Floating RAS is cheaper to build and to operate than land-based alternatives, should convince investors. 

Paul says Next Tuna’s long-term vision involves using the floating RAS for various growth stages before transferring the fish to open net pens or directly to market.  

Now, the team are working on finalising their first system, with the aim of proving the concept and securing further investment. 

"This first system is crucial. It opens up numerous possibilities and capabilities, paving the way for a more sustainable and efficient future in aquaculture,” Paul affirms. 

“We started as a farmer, then became a tech company, and we want to end up as a farmers again," he says.  

“It's like we need to go through this keyhole, which then opens up an entire new ecosystem around this new farming possibility, including the farming of tuna, which is still our goal.” 

At the moment, he explains, Atlantic tuna rearing is usually only achieved over a short term with wild-caught juveniles, which are placed into sea net pens for a period of several months to grow on for harvesting once they reach optimal size. However, increasing market demand is putting pressure on wild tuna stocks. 

Tuna aquaculture has thus been identified as a possible solution. But farming tuna over the entire breeding cycle is no easy task, and has been the subject of decades of research which is only now beginning to yield practical, commercial applications.  

Having worked in collaboration over the past four years with researchers from Spain’s Institute of Oceanography (IEO), who last year achieved the worldwide milestone of closing the bluefin tuna breeding cycle on land, and drawing on the expertise of their own tuna reproduction specialist, co-founder Jan Giebichenstein, the Next Tuna team say that their goal of full-cycle tuna aquaculture, from hatchery to grow-out, is now within reach technically.  

“The first successful operation of Next Tuna’s Floating RAS will evidence the commercial viability. As soon as that first system has been put into operation successfully, we plan to take the next steps," says Andrew.