Mowi faces difficult decision on conceptual “Egg” salmon cages

Mowi is considering dropping plans for a futuristic method of salmon farming.

Along with Hauge Aqua, Mowi has developed an ovaloid-shaped conceptual design, termed “The Egg,” which floating, self-supported, and closed salmon-farming cage that is described as “escape-proof.” The enclosure is designed to limit interaction between the farmed salmon on the inside and the wild salmon on the outside, and would prevent sea lice because it pulls in ocean water from 26 meters, which is a depth where the parasites are unable to exist, according to Marine Harvest.

However, in its second-quarter earnings report, Mowi said the company was struggling to keep the construction costs of the cage down, after the Norwegian government turned down its bid to build the structures out of steel. However, Mowi CEO Alf-Helge Aarskog said building the cages out of composite materials will be too expensive, according to Sysla – especially since Mowi received only six of the 14 development licenses it applied for, reducing its economies of scale.

“When we received less than half of the licenses applied for, we gradually saw that the production cost was too high,” Aarskog said. “It is unrealistic to build as the original plans suggested.”

Aarskog said Mowi will make a final decision about whether to proceed with the “Egg” concept after a meeting with Hauge Aqua in September.

For its part, Hauge Aqua announced it will be proceeding with the launch of a miniature version of an “Egg” cage to house post-smolt.

“We will meet Mowi in September, and together with them consider the way forward for the project,” Hauge Aqua CEO Cato Lyngøy told Sysla.

Photo courtesy of Hauge Aqua