SalmoBreed Salten AS, owned by Benchmark Genetics, reached a new milestone with the delivery of 100 million eggs since its inception. The land-based broodstock and egg facility in Sørfjorden, Norway, which was officially opened in May 2019, is the most advanced of its kind in the world. Since May 2019, there has been a gradual increase in the production volume and the company’s goal is to eventually reach an annual production of approximately 150 million eggs, which is the maximum capacity for the facility.

“The way we produce broodstock here in Salten is unique”, said Kristian Sørmo, production manager at the facility. The facility is designed to maintain a steady production of eggs throughout the year, in contrast to traditional broodstock and salmon ova production facilities that use broodstock that has been in the sea.

“This is something that Norwegian salmon farmers appreciate. In recent years, the industry has invested large sums in advanced RAS facilities for smolt, which is the first phase in the production of salmon. These facilities need to be supplied with salmon eggs throughout the year, also outside the salmon’s natural spawning season. This is now possible through the production method used in Sørfjorden,” Sørmo explained.

The egg number 100 million was delivered to Blom Settefisk AS and it was a batch specifically selected for resistance to sea-lice. “We belong to the British group Benchmark, and they are world leaders in aquaculture genetics. This means that customers who receive eggs delivered from Sørfjorden not only receive deliveries whenever they want throughout the year but also product traits such as increased resistance to sea lice and several fish diseases. This way, we are contributing to a more sustainable salmon farming industry,” said Kate F. Stenerud, regional manager for sales in southern Norway.