Massive Virginia Fish Farm Pushes Back Launch, Changes Species.
Pure Salmon has abandoned plans to raise Atlantic salmon at its large-scale aquaculture facility under development in Southwest Virginia, opting instead to produce steelhead trout as inflationary pressures continue to reshape the project.
Executives from Pure Salmon told a meeting of the Russell County Board of Supervisors earlier this month that construction delays, increased costs, and shifting market dynamics had led the company to revise its strategy, according to a report from Cardinal News.
Steelhead trout is typically less expensive to raise and retails at a lower price point — a factor the company believes will resonate with inflation-conscious consumers.
The project, sometimes referred to as “Project Jonah,” spans approximately 200 acres behind Southwest Virginia Community College. The facility will raise fish in large land-based tanks, with on-site processing. Pure Salmon, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, had previously estimated the project’s total cost at $300 million but now describes the investment only as “hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Construction has already faced significant hurdles. A critical access road to the site, intended to accommodate heavy trucks needed for infrastructure work, has been delayed by nearly a year, though county officials now expect work to begin within 30 days. An $850,000 Economic Development Access Grant from the Virginia Department of Transportation, coupled with local funding, will help finance the road construction.
Meanwhile, water and wastewater infrastructure improvements — essential for the site’s operation — have also been postponed. Tazewell County, which initially expected to complete this work by now, now anticipates awarding construction contracts this summer, with work beginning in the fall. The cost of the water and wastewater project is expected to exceed $10 million.
Originally planned as a tilapia farm, the facility was later reimagined for salmon before the latest shift to steelhead trout. Local officials in Russell and Tazewell counties have indicated support for the change, stressing that the focus remains on job creation and investment targets. The facility is expected to create more than 200 jobs.
Despite the series of revisions, Pure Salmon executives said they remain committed to the project, now targeting a full opening in late 2028 or early 2029 — roughly 18 months behind the previously announced schedule.