Landbased farming of European

lobster (Homarus gammarus) usinggeothermal energy

Dr. Ragnheidur I Thorarinsdottir, Asbjörn Drengstig and Soffía K Magnúsdóttir

SummaryThe objective of the project is to developlandbased farming of European lobster(Homarus gammarus) using geothermal energy.The project is based on collaboration betweenSvinna verkfrædi ehf in Iceland, the innovationcompany Norwegian Lobster Farm AS in Norwayand the University of Iceland. NorwegianLobster Farm AS has since 1999 developed land-based farming of European lobster incollaboration with a broad team of researchersin Norway. In 2013 the European Lobster Centreof Excellence was established now representingresearchers and innovation companies from sixEuropean countries.

European lobsterEuropean lobster (Homarusgammarus), is closely related tothe American lobster (Homarusamericanus). European lobsterlives in the eastern Atlantic Ocean,Mediterranean Sea and parts ofthe Black Sea. Compared to otherlobsters, the Homarus species areconsidered very robust with asimple and abbreviated larvalperiod. They feed readily onnatural and artificial feeds, areresistant to disease and exhibitrapid growth in warmed water.European lobster can reach sizes of250-300 g in 24-30 months as longas constant 20°C is provided.

Figure 2 European lobster imported from Norway in April 2014

Culture system designBecause of large growth variations and high losses due to cannibalism andinjuries when kept communally, the cultured lobsters have to be kept inindividual containers. This provides huge challenges for culture system design.The system needs to be relatively inexpensive to construct and operate, simpleto maintain and based on automatic feeding and self-cleaning. Also, the waterquality conditions need to be maintained to obtain high survival and thesystem should allow easy access to the livestock for inspection and control.Norwegian lobster farm has developed a patented concept as the onlysuccessful design so far for landbased lobster farming.

Next stepsEuropean lobster has beenimported from the National LobsterHatchery in Padstow, UK and theInstitute of Marine Research inNorway. Growth rate andmetabolism studies will be carriedout in the summer 2014 and usedfor further development of theculture system design andtechnology.The project includes training andcompetence building and if theresults are successful a lobsterfarming company will beestablished in Iceland. However,some critical questions regardingsurvival rates, other biologicalchallenges, as well as the overalleconomy of the system designneeds clarifications before furthersteps towards commercializationare taken.

Site selectionThe selected locations for geothermal lobster farming in Iceland are based onaccess to geothermal energy, clean sea water, land space, minimal transport andother infrastructure. Iceland has got incredible opportunities to increasesustainable food production with the access to clean water, land and renewableenergy.

Aquaculture of new high valued species is maybe the biggest opportunity, butalso a challenge as the land is small and relatively far from the main markets. Theaim of this project is to import European lobster to Iceland and build upcompetence and know-how in collaboration with European partners.

The project will answer questions about the competitiveness of Icelandcompared with other European countries to start up the first commercial land-based lobster farms. Iceland exhibits many suitable sites for aquaculture wheregeothermal heated water is readily available. It is of great interest to furtherinvestigate their aptitude for farming crustaceans in contained systems, sincegeothermal energy represents a competitive edge for Iceland.

Figure 4 European lobster fromNorwegian labster farm AS

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Figure 3 European lobster needs single cages

Figure 1 Reykjanes Geothermal Power Plant

AcknowledgementsThe project is supported by Rannis – TechnologicalDevelopment and Innovation Fund since 2013 andthe Nordic Innovation Fund will support furthertrials and collaboration with DTU-Aqua inDenmark.

Market valuePresently, there is a huge global gap between supply and demand for Europeanlobster, with a correspondingly increasing demand and prices. The wild catcheshave been dramatically reduced the last few decades, and thus, wild stocks arealready in danger.Due to the fact that wild catches lobster catches have been varying betweenapproximately 400 - 500 NOK/kgof European lobster are very small there are nospecific statistics for this species (only general crustacean statistics). However,Norwegian Lobster Farm has investigated different information from varioussources. During the last decade, the consumer prices for wild caught lobstercatches have been varying between approximately 400-500 NOK/kg.