Nordic Aqua Partners' land-based RAS Atlantic salmon farming operations in Gaotang Island, Ningbo, China.
Photo: Nordic Aqua Partners.
China's first commercial-scale RAS Atlantic salmon farm, Nordic Aqua Partners (NOAP), yesterday presented its Q2 2026 operational update in which it announced that during this second quarter it has reached another milestone with production at full run-rate for Phase 1+2 combined.
According to the statement to the stock exchange, since the company has already successfully transferred the fish to all the recirculating aquaculture systems grow-out units—the first transfer of fish into Phase 2 grow-out units occurred last October—Phase 2 is close to completion and, as already announced in its Q1 2026 operational update, the first harvest of fish from this second stage is expected to take place in September 2026.
The company, which closed 2025 stating that the good biological performance and excellent fish health and welfare at its land-based facility on Gaotang Island, Ningbo, China, at the end of the year, as well as the execution of strategic agreements that strengthened its financial platform, provided a "clear path" to 20,000 tons, is coming off a first quarter in which its larger-fish strategy paid off, something that seems to continue in Q2.
In this second quarter, with the harvest volume concentrated towards the end of the period, the commercial harvest reached 1,362 tons head-on gutted (HOG), representing a 76.65% increase compared to the previous quarter. As in Q1 2026, the average harvest weight was again 4.4 kg HOG, this quarter equivalent to 5.3 kg live weight (LW), with a superior quality rate of 96%.
Thus, the commercial harvest for the first half of 2026 was 2,133 tons HOG, with an average harvest weight of 4.4 kg HOG, equivalent to 5.3 kg live weight (LW), and a superior quality rate of 95%.
Regarding production, while in Q1 it increased to 2,161 tons, bringing the total biomass to 4,991 tons, close to full operating capacity for Phases 1 and 2 combined, as mentioned above, in Q2 2026, Nordic Aqua has managed to reach that full capacity for Phases 1 and 2 combined.
Specifically, production during the second quarter of 2026 was 2,294 tons, bringing the total biomass to 5,644 tons. Meanwhile, at the end of the period, production for the first half of 2026 amounted to 4,455 tons.
In its statement, Nordic Aqua Partners said that, overall, biological performance remains solid, with good fish health, no significant maturation, and high survival rates.
The land-based Atlantic salmon farming company operating in China closed its release saying that the full report for the second quarter of 2026 will be published on August 27.
