Development of Offshore Aquaculture in Europe

More that 30% of Ireland’s farmed salmon production comes from Class 3 offshore sites. In northern Europe, Irish salmon farmers have pioneered finfish production in these sites, with a wave height of 1 – 2 m and moderate exposure to the full rigors of the North Atlantic Ocean’s winter weather. The experience, gathered over 30 years of operating in this harsh environment, has led to developments in cage design, feeding technology, and husbandry practice. More recently, offshore cage farming has developed in the Mediterranean, where the culture of sea bass, sea bream, and bluefin tuna occurs in offshore sites in a number of countries.