Thor Salmon, based in Þorlákshöfn, will deliver approximately 300,000 smolt to Háafell in Ísafjarðardjúp this month and plans to deliver more than 400,000 smolt to additional customers in the second half of August. Smolt production at the company’s facility in Þorlákshöfn has progressed well since the first smolt were delivered in May.
Last week, 100,000 smolt, each weighing around 150 grams, were delivered to Háafell and transported by wellboat to Ísafjarðardjúp in Iceland’s Westfjords. The transport went very well, and the smolt have adapted well following the transfer. This week, a further 200,000 smolt are being delivered to Háafell in two additional shipments.
Once these deliveries are completed in August, Thor Salmon will have delivered approximately 1.5 million smolt this summer.
“It is very encouraging to see the strong progress in smolt production. We are producing and delivering smolt to customers while also rearing smolt for our own grow-out operations. This summer’s deliveries have gone smoothly and mark an important milestone in the development of our operations,” says Steinþór Pálsson, CEO of Thor Salmon.
Smolt facility fully operational
The smolt facility became fully operational around the turn of the year and has the capacity to produce four million smolt annually. At full capacity, Thor Salmon can produce enough smolt to support its own annual production of 20,000 tonnes of harvest-ready salmon.
From the outset, the facility was designed to serve two purposes during its initial years of operation: producing smolt for sale to other aquaculture companies and producing smolt for Thor Salmon’s own grow-out operations.
Grow-out is the next step
Alongside smolt production, construction is underway on the first phase of Thor Salmon’s grow-out facility in Þorlákshöfn. This phase will have an annual production capacity of 5,000 tonnes and is fully financed through equity and a loan facility provided by Arion Bank. The grow-out facility is scheduled to become operational towards the end of this year, with the first harvest expected approximately one year later.
Thor Salmon is currently seeking approval to increase its permitted annual salmon production capacity from 20,000 tonnes to 40,000 tonnes.
