A Norwegian salmon company, Norwegian Mountain Salmon (NMS), is proposing the construction of one of the largest land-based fish farms in the world on the remote island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. The farm is estimated to have the capacity to produce 90,000 metric tons of fish per year. Through a local Stornoway Gazette article, the fact came to the public that a presentation for an investor was conducted.
The envisioned farm, located at Mealista amid a pristine area on the NMS side of the island, aims to mimic the trial in which NMS is currently working on the Norwegian island of Utsira. The newly appointed Norwegian Mountain Salmon (NMS) chief executive, Bård Hjelmen, emphasized how essential close cooperation with local residents is for the successful operation of both venues.
The Lewis farm is envisaged to have 224 fish tanks where deep sea-filtered water will be employed on a large scale to keep the pathogen risks at a low level. The newspaper indicates that the development is expected to create around 200 jobs and attract more than £581 million in investment. It will be situated at the foot of the mountain and draw water from depths of 50 meters.
The emerging technology is expected to have lower energy consumption rates than conventional safety methods, which also bring sustainability and security. In the early stages of the Lewis venture, NMS aims to replicate the success of its initial Norwegian project as its second priority.