Local Ocean pushing forward on salmon RAS in France

Correction: The original story erroneously stated Local Ocean is based in Switzerland. Local Ocean first registered in Switzerland, but is based in France. The public comment period on the project also closed on 12 July, not 12 August. 

Local Ocean, a France-based start-up, is pushing forward on its plans to construct a salmon recirculating aquaculture (RAS) facility in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. 

The RAS, the company said, will produce just under 9,000 metric tons (MT) of Atlantic salmon each year in the port city. It is currently in the permitting process for the facility, and recently held public hearings to discuss the project, which media reports state will cost more than EUR 200 million (USD 221 million).

The company first announced the project in 2020, saying at the time it expected high domestic demand for its salmon in France. The announcement came soon after Pure Salmon  announced its own plan to build a USD 210 million (EUR 175 million) 10,000 MT land-based salmon farm in Boulogne-sur-Mer, but that project has since been relocatd to Verdon-sur-Mer, France. 

The comment phase for permitting on Local Ocean's project is ongoing, but the company said it is aiming to start work on the project – if it successfully obtains permits – this year. 

The company still needs building and environmental permits, along with authorization to use seawater for the company’s RAS operations. To gain those permits, authorities will must first review 3,500 pages of public comments, Radio 6 France reported. Critics of the project have said they are worried about the potential of the farm to cause algae blooms, but the company said that 99.5 percent of the system’s flow will be treated and reintroduced the tanks, and that just a small remainder of wastewater will be “thoroughly cleaned, filtered, and treated” prior to discharge. 

Image courtesy of Local Ocean