Proximar signs agreement with Hamada City to explore land-based salmon farming.
Japanese aquaculture firm Proximar has signed a cooperation agreement with Hamada City in Shimane Prefecture to begin research and feasibility studies for a potential land-based salmon farming operation in the area.
The agreement was formalised on 22 May at a signing ceremony held at Hamada City Hall, attended by Proximar Executive Vice President Yoshihito Ito and Hamada Mayor Seiji Kubota, according to national broadcaster NHK.
Proximar, headquartered in Yokohama, has been farming Atlantic salmon on land in Shizuoka Prefecture since 2022. The company is now assessing whether to expand its operations to western Japan.
Under the agreement, Proximar and the city will cooperate on studies and research related to the proposed project. The company expects to make a final decision on whether to proceed with the Hamada site within the next fiscal year.
Commenting on the agreement, Ito said: “We hope to revitalise the area by working with local stakeholders. Demand for salmon is increasing both domestically and internationally, and we aim to expand our business accordingly.”