Namibia pursuing lucrative salmon fishing industry
Rewritten Article:
Ready to shake up Africa's aquatic scene, Namibia is planning to establish not one, but two salmon farms! The aim is to stamp a mark on the continent's aquaculture industry and become the leading salmon producers.
The wheels were set in motion back in 2024, at Lu derived from Lüderitz, where the initial project, Benguela Blue Aqua Farming (BBA), was conceived by the ingenious Austrian entrepreneur, Johannes Aldrian.
According to Aldrian, operations at this site could be up and running within the next decade. The ultimate goal? To acquire nearby land and achieve an annual salmon production capacity of 35,000t for both exports and local markets at Lu derived from Lüderitz.
Another player in the salmon game, the Norway-based African Aquaculture Company (AAC), has been in operation for two years now. They're eyeing an annual production of 51,000t! Their permits were approved a year ago.
BBA is all set to construct a jetty, offices, storage areas, hatching zones, and processing units. Aldrian explains that salmon farming is a multi-staged process, involving both onshore and offshore activities, each requiring diverse resources, facilities, and equipment.
The initial hatching process, performed onshore, necessitates desalinated water. Once the fishes weigh around 150g, they are transported to spacious well-boats, each accommodating 1,000m3. From there, they're pumped into massive tanks and transported offshore to a self-sufficient facility resembling an oil rig.
While the region's focus on sustainable marine resource management, as reflected in the EU Delegation to Namibia’s Blue Benguela Current Action[2], may indirectly influence the development of aquaculture in Namibia, specific details about the operations of BBA and AAC are not readily available in the search results. For comprehensive and up-to-date information, interested parties might refer to Namibia’s Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, industry sustainability reports such as SFP’s Sector Sustainability Updates[1], or direct company disclosures.
- Namibia aims to be the leading salmon producers in Africa's aquaculture industry with plans to establish two salmon farms, one being Benguela Blue Aqua Farming (BBA).
- The BBA project, initiated by Johannes Aldrian in 2024 at Lu derived from Lüderitz, targets an annual salmon production capacity of 35,000t for both exports and local markets.
- Meanwhile, the Norwegian-based African Aquaculture Company (AAC) aims for an annual production of 51,000t.
- In the coming years, BBA will construct various facilities, including a jetty, offices, storage areas, hatching zones, and processing units, for the multi-staged process of salmon farming that involves onshore and offshore activities.
- Investing in Namibia's aquaculture industry, particularly in BBA, may foresee opportunities in finance, energy, technology, and the broader business sector, given the region's focus on sustainable marine resource management.
- For detailed and updated information on the operations of BBA and AAC, interested parties can refer to Namibia’s Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, industry sustainability reports, or direct company disclosures.
