Kirkenes Charr has been given a licence to produce 2.5 million smolts annually. The company is now working on a long term strategy to expand their production. Located just outside the Norwegian-Russian border town of Kirkenes, the Russian market is an important part of their business plan.
“Presently there is an unmet demand for salmon smolt in the border areas, so Russia is of course an interesting market for us”, says Frode Stålsett at Kirkenes Charr.
His company has been developing fish farming across the Norwegian-Russian border for several years. Last year the two aquaculture companies Kirkenes Charr and Russian Salmon announced a cooperation plan for salmon smolt.
“The enterprise is a unique child of the Barents Cooperation with Norwegian and Russian owners. The owners have been working on a long term development of the enterprise and are now aiming at developing smolt deliveries for the border area” says Stålsett.
Kirkenes Charr believes this new business will make way for increased bilateral cooperation between Norway and Russia within aquaculture in general. The ambition is to attract more Norwegian and Russian investments to their projects.
Kirkenes Charr was originally established for fish farming on Arctic Charr under the brand “Finnmarksrøye”. In November 2009, the Norwegian Minster of Fisheries awarded “Finnmarksrøye» the prize: «The best Norwegian raw-material from the Sea».
“We are sure that the development of salmon smolt in addition to Arctic Charr, will strengthen the company, says Stålsett.
