Thailand has launched its first research project to farm Atlantic salmon domestically, with scientists using a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) to assess whether commercial production is feasible in the tropical country.
The project is being led by the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University in partnership with PTT LNG. Researchers are studying salmon growth, nutrition and the economics of production to determine whether a domestic industry could be established.
The first phase of the project began after 20,000 fertilised Atlantic salmon eggs were imported from Chile in early May.
The RAS facility uses residual cooling energy from PTT’s liquefied natural gas regasification process to maintain the low water temperatures required for Atlantic salmon while reducing energy consumption.
According to researchers, Thailand imports salmon worth up to THB 8 billion (€210 million/$245 million) annually, making it one of the world’s largest import markets for the species. The project aims to assess whether local production could reduce reliance on imports.
