Gangwon Province and Salmon Evolution Hold Research Institute Visit and Tour
Discussing Mutual Research Cooperation
On January 15, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Kim Jin-tae) announced that executives from Dongwon Industries and Salmon Evolution, a Norwegian company specializing in Atlantic salmon aquaculture, would visit the research institute to hold concrete discussions on establishing a domestic mass production system for Atlantic salmon.
A panoramic view of Gangwon Provincial Government Building. Provided by Gangwon Provincial Government.
This visit will be attended in person by Trond Hakon Schaug-Pettersen, CEO of Salmon Evolution, and Ingjarl Skarvøy, COO, who are making their first entry into Korean salmon aquaculture from Norway.
Together with K-Smart Farm (KSF), a joint venture with Dongwon Industries, they plan to detail technical cooperation measures for the aquaculture complex currently being developed in Yangyang.
Salmon Evolution possesses its proprietary Hybrid Flow-through System (HFS), an innovative technology that purifies and reuses 65% of the rearing water and replenishes the remaining 35% with fresh seawater, stably maintaining an optimal water temperature of 12-13°C for salmon growth.
Notably, the Yangyang complex in Gangwon will introduce ultra-large tanks with a diameter of 28 meters and a height of 13 meters, identical to those used in Norway.
Each rearing tank can hold approximately 5,000 tons of water and incorporates advanced ICT technology, applying an innovative method that more than doubles the growth rate compared to traditional offshore cage farming and enables rapid growth to market-size salmon weighing 5 kilograms in a short period.
Based on this, KSF, a subsidiary of Dongwon Industries, plans to produce about 20,000 tons of Atlantic salmon annually, aiming to localize the domestic salmon market, which has so far relied entirely on imports.
As part of its 'Smart Agri-Fisheries Innovation'-one of its seven core strategies-the province has designated Atlantic salmon as a strategic species and continues to provide comprehensive support to foster the salmon industry as a future strategic sector.
Efforts are currently underway to establish a smart aquaculture cluster, operate a testbed utilizing the Smart Salmon Research Institute, introduce eco-friendly smart aquaculture technologies, and conduct breeding research to develop strains suitable for domestic conditions.
Building on the successful attraction of the National Institute of Fisheries Science's East Sea Specialized Aquaculture Center, the province is also focusing on attracting a 'seafood cluster' that integrates production, processing, distribution, and R&D, with the goal of establishing Korea's first full-cycle management system for Atlantic salmon aquaculture.
Choi Minjae, Director of the Smart Salmon Research Institute, stated, "Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province's proactive approach will contribute not only to regional industrial development but also to national food security and the enhancement of global fisheries competitiveness," adding, "The Smart Salmon Research Institute will take a leading role so that it can become the hub of the K-Salmon industry."
Meanwhile, Salmon Evolution is successfully operating a facility with an annual capacity of 10,000 tons in Indre Harøy, Norway, and is accelerating the expansion of its global production network, starting with Yangyang and moving into North America and other regions.
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