This project will develop a closed-loop aquaculture system for the sustainable production of shrimps in inland locations in temperate countries. If successful, this will lead to the first commercial inland shrimp farm in Europe.
The system may use renewable energy or recovered waste industrial heat to heat the shrimp tanks. Effluent from the shrimp tanks is treated in aquaponics (the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics) and composting systems to produce food for the shrimps as well as plant crops. The system recirculates water and has no net effluents or wastes.
Because of the minimal input requirements and a small footprint, the Flo-Gro system would be suitable for food production in almost any UK location and it avoids the high energy and environmentally damaging inputs needed by conventional food production. In particular, the system could be used to supply the 85,000 tonnes of shrimp currently imported and consumed by the UK (source: www.marinemanagement.org.uk), whilst avoiding the pollution and resource use of conventional shrimp farms and the ecosystem damage of wild shrimp harvesting. If fully deployed, the system could provide up to 17,000 UK jobs and contribute to the nation’s food security.
The Flo-Gro system is adaptable and can be integrated with other environmental technology businesses such as anaerobic digestion, energy generation and other food businesses. It could also be adapted to produce other aquaculture products.
The Flo-Gro shrimp system is an enhancement of similar proven closed loop aquaculture systems that the project team has been developing for 12 years. Three potential commercial partners have expressed an interest in deploying the technology at full scale on 18 separate sites following final feasibility and pilot trials.