HPEI has a 12 large tank grow-out located next to the nursery that has a capacity to produce 70 tonnes of 3 kg. market fish annually. Juveniles are transferred to the grow at 200 grams and fed for 2 years.
The water system for the grow-out recirculates 80% of the water used For the total HPEI operation (hatchery, nursery and grow-out) water is drawn from 4 deep salt water wells. The water is abiotic which means the fish can be grown without the use of antibiotics
A drum filter and tanks of plastic beads remove the waste and clean water is returned to the grow-out tanks. The waste is pumped into a tank and provided to a local farmer for fertilizer for the land.
The 3 kg market fish are sold as a fresh head on gutted product that is marketed locally and nationally. HPEI has a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) registered processing plant as part of the HPEI operation in Victoria that allows the Company to market its products nationally or internationally. HPEI’s products have OCEAN CHOICE certification.
The nursery and grow-out have 4 staff that have a University or Community College education. All staff are put through an intensive one-year training program when they start work.
HPEI is working with several communities with access to good salt water wells to establish more grow outs in Atlantic Canada that would purchase 200-gram juveniles coming out of the HPEI nursery.
