Despite cold sea temperatures, Arctic Fish, based in Westfjords in Iceland, achieves excellent growth results, with genetics from Benchmark Genetics.
About Arctic Fish
- Company: Arctic Fish HF, Iceland
- Client role: Customer on salmon genetics
- Industry: Farming of Atlantic salmon in Iceland
Arctic Fish is an Icelandic salmon farming company with headquarters, smolt facility and sea locations in the Western fjords. They currently have licenses to produce 17.100 t MTB, all sites being certified according to the ASC standard. Looking forward, Artic Fish plans to expand their business to reach a market share of 31% of the Icelandic production. The company is marketing its products under the brand, Iceborn.
Challenge
The farming conditions in the Western fjords of Iceland are very rough, with very low temperatures during the winter and spring. There are several risks associated with low temperatures, including the challenge to obtain good growth of the fish. To succeed, genetics plays a key role.
Solution
Benchmark Genetics Iceland (former StofnFiskur hf) has run a breeding program for Atlantic salmon in Iceland since 1991. It supplies the entire Icelandic industry with salmon ova from its biosecure facilities on the island’s southwest coast.
The industry in Iceland has far fewer challenges with disease and lice than, for instance, Norway, and Benchmark has developed a special product concept with a significant genetic weighing on growth in the sea for its Icelandic customers.
For us, it is essential with adequate follow-up, service and access to a knowledgeable discussion partner, and we get this through the team at Benchmark Genetics Iceland. Besides, they deliver a documented high-quality product
Stein Ove Tveiten, CEO of Arctic Fish
Impact
The salmon Artic Fish slaughtered in October 2020 spend only 16 months in the sea but reached an average weight of 6.5 kg and had a TGC of 3.38 at the end of production. The smolts were 270-gram on average when put to the sea on 28 May 2019, and Benchmark Genetics delivered the salmon ova.
With the new product concept by Benchmark, SalmoBoost, launched in Iceland in 2019, farmers like Arctic Fish can even expect a significant improvement in growth for their next generation of harvest.
We have experienced a production time between 16 and 24 months during the last three generations of production, but the trend is clear – growth is improving year by year. We have an excellent collaboration with Benchmark Genetics Iceland and feel lucky to have a local player like them to support the development that is now taking place in Iceland
Svein Ove Tveiten, CEO Arctic Fish
