Only the best for the salmon

Raising salmon in water, also known as aquaculture, is a bit of a science. The conditions must be just right for the salmon to develop as they should, and then it must also be done in a sustainable way.

One of the companies in Denmark that does this is Nordjuyske Danish Salmon, which is located near Hirtshals. Here, 2,700 tonnes of salmon are produced per year of high quality, in terms of taste and texture. To ensure this quality, the company has just gone all in on the good conditions for the salmon, where one of the most important things is the lighting.

-When raising salmon, they must have constant lighting. Otherwise, they sexually mature too early, and if this happens, the salmon become inedible. And of course we can't sell them, says Kim Lyhne, CEO at Danish Salmon.

Therefore it was about finding a partner who could ensure the right lighting for the company's domain in 2021. That partner found Danish Salmon through their electrical installer, Elektrikeren Nord in Vrå, who sells RN-Solutions, agricultural and industrial lighting, as well as "salmon lighting".

-They requested both basic lighting for the halls and special lighting for the tanks. The basic lighting must be able to hold up to a certain extent due to moisture and salt, but our lighting has a special coating that makes it able to hold up. And then we have sold them special lights from Signify for the vessels, says Rune Qvist Nielsen from RN Solutions.

The quality shines through
The “Freshwater” special lights from Signify, formerly known as Phillips Lighting, are specially designed for salmon in the rearing phase. Rune Qvist Nielsen explains that the technology is about the different colors in the light.

-The idea is that different colors can activate the animals so that they grow better and become less stressed. The special light can then emit the right colors for the animals, says Rune Qvist Nielsen.

In relation to salmon, the research shows, according to Rune Qvist Nielsen, that shades of blue and green should be particularly effective in that connection. However, the most important parameter for Kim Lyhne and Danish Salmon is that the quality of the lighting must be top notch.

-It is clearly the best lighting we could find for our salmon. It's exactly as promised quality that holds up to the conditions, says Kim Lyhne.

And that quality is definitely necessary. Because it is not just the quality of the product that suffers if there is trouble with the constant lighting. It is also to a large extent the welfare of the salmon.

-The salmon can injure themselves if the light suddenly goes out. Because then they swim into the sides of the tub. Fortunately, all the lights will probably not go out, but just the fact that they are flashing can stress the salmon. So it just has to work from the start, says Kim Lyhne.

However, you don't have to be afraid of that with RN-Solutions lighting. Rune Qvist Nielsen explains that the lights have both backup batteries and generators, which ensure constant lighting.