CHINA - On the 21 October 2013, Norwegian companies Futurama and AquaOptima signed an agreement with Lim Shrimp Organization to create 'Aquapolis', the world's first land based fully intergrated salmon and cod farming facility in Hainan, China. Lucy Towers, TheFishSite Editor reports.

The aquaculture complex will cover the production of cod and salmon from egg to market size in a demonstration farm and smaller grow-out units will be run and managed by individual farmers.

The farming system will be an indoor temperature controlled recirculating aquaculture system (RAS), with multiple stack in one building, thus increasing the productivity and shortening the length of culture, Djames Lim, CEO of Lim Shrimp Organization, told TheFishSite.

Futurama and AquaOptima will be responsible for supplying fingerlings to the farms and for selling the fish to market.

With China's population currently standing at 1.3 billion and growing, the Aquapolis will provide Atlantic cod and salmon to meet the increasing demand for fish, especially from the growing middle income families.

"If we start growing Atlantic Cod and Salmon in China, we will be at the door step of the huge market, thus reducing the cost of production and fish importation," said Mr Lim.

The first phase of the project is to build 70 hectares and the first trial unit is expected to be completed in six months time. Once the facility is proven successful, at least 100 units of each species will be built.

Mr Lim told TheFishSite that other species will also be grown in Aquapolis, as individual farmers will have their own factory unit in which they can grow their species of choice. Other species to be grown will most likely be sea cucumber, crab, grouper and polychaete.

Individual farmers will also be given training and technical know-how to help guide them through to harvest. 

The Lim Shrimp Organization is a non-governmental livelihood programme developer which uses aquaculture as the instrument to create livelihood, helping many poor families become aquapreneurs.

- See more at: http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/21663/salmon-and-cod-aquaculture-complex-to-be-built-in-china#sthash.tMAwncTn.dpuf