Year-on-Year Growing Demand for Farmed Salmon
While global demand for marine products continues to increase, wild-catch volumes have reached their limit. Aquaculture is stepping in to meet this rising demand.
Salmon is no exception--according to the Fisheries White Paper 2023 published by the Fisheries Agency, global farmed salmon and trout production reached approximately 4 million metric tons in 2022, with volumes increasing year after year. Various salmon species are now being farmed worldwide.
Nissui's Salmon Aquaculture business in Japan and Overseas
The Nissui Group conducts salmon trout, coho salmon, and masu salmon aquaculture business in Japan and around the world. In Chile, South America, Group company Salmones Antártica S.A. produces salmon trout and coho salmon under the "FIVE STAR" brand.
FIVE STAR brand salmon is farmed in waters carved by glaciers, where expansive fjords create ideal conditions for aquaculture. The company has established its own integrated production system encompassing every stage from breeding parent fish, spawning and hatching to freshwater and marine farming, product processing and sales, and even the manufacture of formula feed.
The FIVE STAR brand truly earns its five-star rating through quality that has been developed through repeated trial and error from various perspectives, including production systems and environmental considerations. Using feed independently developed by Nissui results in salmon with excellent fat content and rich umami flavor that can be enjoyed not only as sashimi but in a variety of culinary applications.
In Japan, Group company Yumigahama Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. conducts salmon aquaculture--including coho salmon--at three locations: Sakaiminato, Sado, and Otsuchi. Water temperatures of 12-15°C are essential for raising salmon. As a result, growth periods vary by location, and harvest timing is optimized at each farm to ensure the delivery of premium-quality salmon.
"Sakaiminato Salmon" is farmed in Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture, facing the Sea of Japan. The juveniles are raised in mineral-rich groundwater flowing from Mt. Daisen, then transferred to offshore cages where they mature in dynamic ocean conditions. The fish are characterized by firm flesh with excellent texture.
"Sado Salmon" and "Sado Masu Salmon" are farmed on Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, surrounded by the rich cycles of the seasons and unspoiled natural environment. Juveniles are raised at a freshwater farm in Tainai City using "Dokkon-sui" spring water from the Tainai River, then transferred to marine sites as they grow. Raised in the rough waves of the Sea of Japan, these salmon get abundant natural exercise, resulting in firm flesh with perfectly balanced fat content.
"Iwate Otsuchi Salmon" and "Iwate Otsuchi Salmon Trout" are farmed in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, located in the heart of the Sanriku coast. Raised in the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the North Rias coastline of the Tohoku region, these salmon develop moderate fat content and firm flesh.
These salmon are individually processed using the ikejime technique (killing fish immediately prior to cooking) immediately after harvest, ensuring fish that are free from fishy odors and perfect for sashimi.
In November 2023, Nissui began trial salmon farming in Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture, in collaboration with the local Hirota Bay Fisheries Cooperative Association. The company is conducting studies of fishing ground conditions and production methods for coho salmon, aiming for an early transition to full-scale aquaculture business. This initiative is expected to contribute to industrial development in the prefecture while expanding the scale of domestic salmon aquaculture business.
SHARE
