Land-based fish farming is coming to South Carolina, courtesy of Israeli RAS tech innovator Pure Blue Fish (PBF).
PBF has announced plans to begin development of its first U.S. facility in Orangeburg County, SC before the end of this year, marking the Israeli company's first foray into the US market.
PBF claims that its RAS technology, based on over 25 years of research and development and already implemented in its fully-operational farm in Israel, is "the world's first proven commercial RAS that is 100% closed and disconnected from environmental effects."
According to the company, their zero-discharge system utilizes specialized biological water treatment solutions to enable complete self-sufficiency, enabling fish to be farmed far from natural water sources, and without depending on sewage systems or discharging fish waste into the environment.
Over the past decade, the company has been refining and scaling up this technology for commercial use, creating a highly efficient and cost-effective alternative to traditional or even current advanced aquaculture systems.
"This represents a new phase in RAS technology within the aquaculture industry," the company said in a statement.
PBF will begin construction of its South Carolina operation during the fall of 2023, and estimates the facility will take approximately 12 months to complete.
The company plans an annual capacity of 4,600 tonnes of fish, ramping up production over multiple growth cycles, and focusing on "premium fish species" including Kingfish and Croakers.
PBF said it chose to build its first US operation in South Carolina due to the state's "favorable business climate and strong state support for the project". The central East Coast location also provides a strategic and logistical advantage, providing easy access to major urban markets across the Southeastern U.S. within a six-hour drive. This, the company says, alignts with its distribution strategy to be located in close proximity to its customers.
However, PBF's ambitions do not stop there, with the company announcing it plans to eventually open additional US facilities, with its self-contained RAS technology meaning facilities will not be reliant on coastal locations or proximity to large water sources.
