Selected for its disease resistance, cold-water tolerance, and high market value, Atlantic halibut was the second of four, native finfish species we’ve raised at the offshore demonstration site.
While there is interest in halibut culture in North America, available space limits the development of this practice in nearshore waters. The halibut used in this project were purchased from a commercial fish hatchery in Digby, Nova Scotia. As three-inch juveniles, they were stocked in a Sea Station fish cage.
The fish were fed a chemical-free, formulated diet delivered from a support vessel to the cage, 40 feet below the surface. Initially, they were fed by hand, and later by an automated system that pumped feed from a surface buoy into the cages below. A rigorous monitoring program detected no measurable impact on the surrounding environment during the project.
After two-and-a-half years, the halibut were delivered to market at weights ranging from seven to nine pounds. The total harvest was approximately one-and-a-half tons, and was well-received by consumers, who praised its firm texture and delicate flavor.
The results from this experimental crop indicate that submerged, offshore cage culture of Atlantic halibut is a viable alternative to land-based, tank culture. Regulated, automatic feeding from the time fish are placed in offshore cages until their harvest will likely improve their growth rate in the future.