In the new project called 'Future Born from Water', the company started to grow sea bass and sea bass in the same system with the aquaponics method. Metro TurkeyThis initiative led by; It offers greater control over factors such as water quality, temperature and disease management. Metro Türkiye in this project; HATKO Aquaculture, based in Denmark Alpha Aqua and its partners in Turkey Nordic Agreed with.
Metro Turkey, which has achieved many firsts in sustainable fishing in our country where it has been serving for approximately 35 years, has implemented another initiative that will lead the sector. With its new facility investment, where the Aquaponics method, which combines aquatic products and aquatic plant cultivation, is applied, and with its new project called 'Future Born of Water', Metro Turkey started to produce sea bass and sea bean in the same system. The system offers greater control over factors such as water quality, temperature and disease management, thus contributing to sustainable fishing and increasing productivity and product quality. With the system, the breeding time for a sea bass, which usually takes up to 14-15 months, is reduced to 9 months. Metro Türkiye brought together 3 important business partners within the scope of this project. For the design and supply of the new and state-of-the-art facility designed with a closed circuit aquaculture system (RAS), Denmark-based Alpha Aqua and its partners in Turkey, Nordic, and HATKO Aquaculture, our country's leading fish producer with its deep-rooted experience, collaborated.
Stating that they have implemented many studies and projects with the understanding of sustainable fishing so that future generations can eat rich seafood. Deniz Alkaç, Member of the Board of Metro Turkey Responsible for Purchasing, “As Metro Türkiye, we see fish as a value that should be left to future generations, rather than worrying about it being a commercial product. We have been keeping sustainable fishing at the center of our purchasing policy since 2010 in order to protect marine fish stocks and species. "Not only the fish in our seas but also the fish grown in farms need to be handled with a sustainability approach," he said.
Plants Are Grown with Rich Water from Fish Tanks
Stating that they have taken another pioneering step in sustainable fishing and started to produce sea bass along with sea bass through the aquaponics system. low, “In this project, which we call Future Born of Water, plants are grown with rich water coming from fish tanks. This creates a mutually beneficial relationship between fish and plants, resulting in a closed-loop ecosystem. As the pioneer of sustainable fishing in our country, we started to produce sea bass and sea bass with this system. In the facility built in Muğla, we will use feed with reduced sea fish content and algae oil in the production of sea bass, as in the 'What He Eats, What He Does Not Eat Tomorrow' project. With this special feed, we contribute to healthy nutrition by producing fish richer in Omega-3. "After the facility is completed in a short time, we plan to have the first fish harvest within 9 months and to put our first products on the shelves with our Metro Premium brand in the first months of next year," he said.
“A Necessary Step for Sustainable and Healthy Protein Production”
Talking about the benefits of closed circuit aquaculture technology Alpha-Aqua Global Commercial Director and Nordic Co-Founder Yasin Kasa“This method, which offers high production efficiency thanks to high fish welfare, precise water quality control, automatic feeding based on fish appetite and waste management, is suitable for sustainable and healthy protein production in the future, as it performs better than traditional aquaculture methods in terms of resource use and sustainability.” A necessary step. Closed-loop aquaculture systems, which significantly reduce water use, minimize environmental impact through closed waste treatment, and increase biosecurity through design, are vital for sustainable aquaculture. "Closed circuit aquaculture system technology also provides a lower carbon footprint in terms of transportation," he said.
Provides Fish Welfare and Productivity
Pointing out that in closed circuit aquaculture systems, all physical and chemical values that affect the health and welfare of fish are constantly measured. Hatko Executive Board Member Dr. Metin Albukrek He noted: “Thanks to high-level automation, the necessary corrections are made immediately, automatically, before they reach alarm levels. Thus, the welfare and productivity of fish are significantly increased and fish losses are reduced. In aquaponic systems, there is no need to establish a farm on the limited sea surface. This process can also be successfully applied on land, using very little sea water. In addition, the water in the fish tanks enables the production of plants in the same cycle; The environmental effects of fertilizer production and consumption are eliminated. As Hatko, we are pioneering a new production technology by establishing and operating the facility ourselves.”
Increases Quality and Efficiency
With the system, which offers more control over factors such as water quality, temperature and disease management, the safest and healthiest environment for fish to grow is created by constantly monitoring the water in the tanks, while the risk of microplastics can be prevented. Thanks to the system, traceability is ensured in terms of quality and food safety in fish and plant production. Aquaponic systems also offer water efficiency in plant growing, as they require only a fraction of the water used in traditional soil-based agriculture.
Source: HORECA Trend and Metro Turkey