Hiddenfjord Salmon
Salmo salar
The environmental challenges we face today are significant and, in short, we all must respond with urgency and dedication. It is our collective responsibility to question our commitment to sustainability and our supply chain practices.
In an effort to lead by example, we are now offering fresh salmon from Hiddenfjord.
Hiddenfjord is a family owned and operated farm located in the Faroe Islands. The Gregersen brothers, Atli and Regin, tackle farming and business practices through a generational lens which has resulted in some very out of the ordinary decisions. First and foremost, they have vowed that their fish will no longer fly thereby vastly reducing their carbon footprint and global environmental impact.
Simply put, when foodservice providers feature Hiddenfjord salmon, they are driving innovation, accountability and progress by setting the sourcing bar at new heights.
The Faroe Islands: Home of the Atlantic Salmon
The Faroe Islands is an archipelago of 18 mountainous islands located halfway between Iceland and Norway in the North Atlantic Ocean. For thousands of years, the Atlantic salmon has migrated to the ocean around the Faroe Islands to feed and grow. This is its natural home.
The islands’ rough climate allows us to raise salmon in the most exposed farming conditions in the world. This pristine environment is characterized by stable year-round ocean temperatures between 42-52°F, high waves and strong currents. The Atlantic salmon has sought out and adapted to this natural environment, which provides the best living conditions.
Family Business: Generational Decision-Making
Hiddenfjord is a family-owned Faroese company founded in 1929. The owners are the brothers Atli and Regin Gregersen. This is important because family owned and operated businesses generally approach decision making with an eye towards the next generation instead of the next financial quarter. It is this long term approach that has led them to make impactful, long lasting decisions such as vowing to no longer fly their fish. It is the only 100% Faroese salmon farming company.
Salmon Should Swim Not Fly
On 10/10/2020, Hiddenfjord stopped using air freight.
By replacing this major contributor to global CO2 emissions with sea freight, they reduced their carbon footprint for overseas transport by 94%, or approx. 40,000 tonnes CO2, year on year.
Hiddenfjord is the first salmon producer in the world to rely purely on low-emission transportation of goods and is the first salmon producer in the world to stop all distribution by air freight.
Feed: The Second Highest Carbon Contributor
Fish In / Fish Out: Feed is the second-biggest contributor to the carbon footprint of salmon production, which is why Hiddenfjord has been constantly working on reducing the Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) as much as possible. In 2020, the FCR stood at 2.24 lb. of feed to produce 2.2 lb. of salmon, which is around 12% lower than the industry average.
Underwater Monitoring to Avoid Waste: Hiddenfjord uses innovative feeding systems with underwater cameras, sensors, and software for monitoring the feed pellet distribution in the fish pens. This has helped reduce feed waste to an absolute minimum.
Ingredients: High-quality salmon feed not only contributes to better fish health and quality but is also a major element of responsible aquaculture. Hiddenfjord salmon´s feed contains high-quality marine and vegetable ingredients. All raw material used is GMO-free and follows strict quality standards. All soy protein used in the feed is Proterra-certified.
Fishmeal: Most fish species used for fishmeal, such as blue whiting and mackerel, originate in salmon’s natural environment, the North Atlantic Ocean. Fishmeal used in the feeds from Skretting, Havsbrún and Biomar are not derived from any of the same species that they provide feeds for.
Changing to a Customized Recipe: A large majority of the feed used for farming at sea is from Skretting. In January 2022, they started using a customized feed recipe that is high in marine ingredients rather than high in vegetable ingredients. It contains 40-50% marine ingredients.
Feed conversion ratio (2020-2022)* is 1.14%.
*Economic FCR. Industry average: 1.2% – 1.5% (GSI)
Location, Location, Location
Hiddenfjord salmon is raised in pens placed in exposed sites with high waves and strong currents that provide the perfect natural living conditions for the Atlantic salmon. The farm chooses exposed locations for the salmon pens in order to obtain optimal animal welfare and the best environmental sustainability.
The Water: The ocean surrounding the Faroe Islands, the natural habitat for salmon to grow, is the perfect place to raise salmon. The water’s temperature is steady, between 42-52°F throughout the year, which supports a natural and consistent growth of our salmon.
Moving: For decades, Hiddenfjord has moved the salmon pens regularly to more exposed locations with stronger currents and higher waves. Today, their salmon is raised in the harshest weather conditions compared to other salmon farmers worldwide, with the strongest currents and the highest waves. This ensures optimal animal welfare, superior quality salmon and prevents seabed pollution.
Benthic Tests: They regularly gather water quality and seabed measurements to ensure optimal farming conditions. To guarantee the quality of the seabed, the Faroese Environment Agency performs inspections of the seabed for every production cycle.
Density: Regulations require that the maximum density in the pens should not exceed 1.56 lb./ft3. To enhance fish welfare and to ensure that the salmon have ample room to thrive and grow, they have an internal maximum value of 1.25 lb./ft3 at all times. They also gather regular oxygen measurements to secure optimal fishwelfare. As a result, this farm has some of the best survival rates in the industry. In 2021, the fish mortality rate stood at around 5%, compared to a global industry average of around 15%.
Natural Sea Lice Management: Sea lice are a natural part of a wild salmon’s life, but also a big problem for most salmon farmers. Since 2010, the Hiddenfjord team has done significant research and invested heavily to increase the size of the fresh-water salmon (smolt) before moving them into pens in the ocean. The aim of this innovative project was to reduce the time with sea lice exposure. As of today, they have managed to increase the smolt size from the initial 2.8 oz. to 21.1 oz.
In 2014, Hiddenfjord implemented the use of lumpfish in all pens as a natural way to fight sea lice. The lumpfish eat the sea lice in a natural symbiosis with the salmon. They employ dedicated marine biologists and veterinarians working on lumpfish welfare, efficiency and developing new strategies. This work has been both ground-breaking and highly successful, and they have initiated several research projects about lumpfish that have received worldwide recognition.
Rest Periods: Another vital part in protecting the salmon´s environment is the “all-in, all-out” strategy. Each production site is limited to only one generation of salmon. Between each generation, all equipment must be dismantled, thoroughly cleaned, and approved by the Food and Veterinary Agency. Thereafter, sites are required to lie fallow for a minimum of two months before a new generation can be raised in the area.
Faroese Veterinarian Act on Aquaculture: In 2003, the Faroe Islands implemented one of the most comprehensive and stringent veterinarian regulatory regimes for aquaculture in the world, the Faroese Veterinarian Act on Aquaculture. Hiddenfjord was the initiator and main driving force of the process that led to this new legislation. Today, they report having the safest fish production environment regarding diseases in the world.
The Faroese Veterinarian Act on Aquaculture has provided inspiration and guidance for the implementation of sustainable aquaculture standards around the world. Hiddenfjord is committed to continue to utilize our experience in sustainable practices through ongoing active initiatives for the improvement of sustainability standards within the industry and for advocating appropriately strict, albeit not destructive, farming regulations.
“In order to preserve our planet for future generations, we must take action. That is why for us, sustainability is more than just a buzzword – it is a top priority in everything we do.”
Stress Free Harvesting
Harvesting salmon is a delicate process from fish pens to packaging and if it is not done under the proper conditions all the care and hard work that was put into raising superior fish can be lost.
No Well Boats: They carefully move pens from the farming sites to the harvesting area, where the fish gently swim into a harvesting pen. By using the harvesting pen, they can divide the fish into batches. Then, gently but swiftly, they can harvest one small batch at a time, securing a stress-free harvest. They are one of very few salmon farmers that do not use well-boats for harvesting. Their experience and tests show that our unique stress-free harvesting concept, which utilizes the salmon’s natural instinct to swim against the current, has an important effect on the quality of the resulting salmon products. It gives a better taste and a longer shelf life.
Consistent Supply: A stable year-round harvest coupled with transport by ocean means customers can count on a consistent supply every week of the year.
Fast + Controlled = Longer Shelf Life: After harvesting, the salmon is packed and sealed in our factory and remains in an unbroken cold chain until it reaches customers. The temperatures are controlled at all times, ensuring the salmon is fresh and has a longer shelf life. In fact, the salmon is packaged three hours after harvest. Quick production results in higher quality salmon and longer shelf life.
Arrivals: Weekly
Format: Whole Dressed
Sizes: 6/7 kg, 7/8 kg, 8/9 kg