The County Municipality of Møre and Romsdal (Møre og Romsdal fylkeskommune) has granted Purecod AS a license to farm cod in closed pens in Røneset, Storfjorden, Norway. The permit is the first of its class and allows them to farm Atlantic cod in closed pens with a maximum standing biomass allowance of 3,120 tons. This license eases the way for Purecod to become the world's first cod farmer using closed pens, which significantly reduce emissions.
"This is an important milestone for Purecod, and we believe it is also a gamechanger for the industry", said Mikael Rønes, CEO of Purecod, and a pioneer in cod farming in Norway, having co-founded Norcod in 2018. "Cod farming is now at a crucial moment of development, and for us to be using cleaner, more responsible farming methods at this early stage is a very significant move in the right direction".
The enclosed pens are equipped with a waste collection and transport system that allows for the safe collection of organic matter. This feature significantly reduces the environmental impact of farming, as waste sedimentation on the sea bottom is avoided. Exploring different solutions to process sludge is part of Purecod's sustainability strategy. Moreover, the closed pens consist of a double containment barrier that minimizes the risk of fish escapes and drastically reduces the possibility of direct interaction with the surrounding environment. By farming this way, they ensure that the fish grow optimally in their natural environment, free of stressors such as predators or parasites, and at suitable temperature all year round.
Purecod AS was established in 2020 for the purpose of farming cod in closed cages and is fully owned by Blue Future, a privately owned company with several strategic shareholders, of which Global AS and Amar Group AS are the largest shareholders. The license is equivalent to an annualized production capacity of 5,000 tons per year, so the company will continue to consider different strategic and long-term partners.
