Antibiotic-free quality shrimp and prawn farming aquaculture
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NPC is diversifying into production of other marine species that can adapt to the local living conditions. Currently the company is focused on producing one high value species of fish, the Greater Amberjack (Seriola dumerelli) a species, which at present is new to aquaculture. Other locations interested in producing this species are in the Mediterranean and Mexico.

Amberjack are indigenous to the Northern part of the Red Sea where they form a minor part of the total catch from the fishery and are predominantly consumed in Saudi Arabia and the region.


NPC has selected this species because of its high growth rate, current and potential future market demand and adaptability to be grown on land. NPC is investing in a state of the art on land production system that will provide the fish ideal growing conditions in closed containment systems and at the same time protecting the delicate local coral reef environment. This system will enable the company to grow product to market size in barns in which all environmental parameters are controlled. At a projected initial production of 5,000 tons, this farm is the largest land based fish production facility in the world.

Once production of Amberjack is consistent and the company is able to meet its market obligations then the company may diversify production into other fish species which include Asian sea bass, (Lates calcarifer) and Red snapper( Lutjanus spp.) , which the company already holds and are conditioning and which are compatible with its facilities.

In addition to fish production the company has invested in commercial production of sea cucumber. The dried product is known as Bêche de Mer in the market, the primary ones being in Japan and China. Market demand for these products outstrips supply as worldwide fisheries have been devastated by over harvesting, a situation that is becoming increasingly severe as demand has climbed with incomes in China. There are few high value species in the market. However, production technology has so far only been really well established for one warm water species, Sandfish, (Holothuria scabra), which is indigenous to the Red Sea coastal waters of Saudi Arabia. The fishery for this species is banned in Saudi Arabia, however NPC holds a collection permit for broodstock. The company has collected 2,500 individuals that form the central part of its spawning stock. NPC is currently gearing up for its first hatchery production run of sandfish.

Sea cucumbers grow naturally in shallow sediment rich areas of the coastline where the shore line is protected. NPC has vast areas of this type of environment in its farm, consequently sea cucumber farming is an excellent complementary activity to its shrimp farming production cycle, uses the same infrastructure of ponds and makes use of many other areas in the shrimp farm that are not productive, such as waste canals and effluent treatment ponds where they not only grow rapidly on the organic matter in the ponds but also act as natural filters, improving the effluent water quality.

     
     

Antibiotic-free quality shrimp and prawn farming aquaculture