Pukyong National University

Korea’s First Smart Salmon Farm Established at Pukyong National University’s Fisheries Science Institute

-On the 20th, the Completion Ceremony of the Busan Smart Aquaculture Cluster… Atlantic Salmon Farming of 500 tons annually

Korea’s first smart salmon farm has been established at Pukyong National University (President Bae Sang-hoon) Fisheries Science Institute.

On December 20th, Pukyong National University, Busan Metropolitan City, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and GS Construction held the ‘Busan Smart Aquaculture Cluster Completion Ceremony’ at the Fisheries Science Institute site(Dongbaek-ri, Busan).

The completion ceremony was attended by Pukyong National University President Bae Sang-hoon, Busan Deputy Mayor Kim Kwang-hwe, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kang Do-hyung, and GS Construction CEO Heo Yoon-hong.

The Busan Smart Aquaculture Cluster, which broke ground in 2022 and was completed with two floors above ground and one basement level, is an eco-friendly farm that can produce 500 tons of Atlantic salmon annually using smart technology. The operation is managed by ‘Eco Aqua Farm,’ a subsidiary of GS Construction.

This aquaculture facility, which farms Atlantic salmon on land rather than at sea, uses a recirculating filtration system that reuses more than 99% of the water. It incorporates advanced technologies such as sensors, communication and data storage devices, and a smart aquaculture platform. After a two-year farming period, the first shipment of Atlantic salmon is expected in 2026.

The Busan Smart Aquaculture Cluster, which was selected for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ Smart Aquaculture Cluster Development Project in 2019, officially began operation following its completion, marking a significant milestone in the collaboration between Busan City, GS Engineering & Construction, and Pukyong National University, and becoming a representative example of successful government, industry, and academia cooperation.

Bae Sang-hoon, the president of Pukyong National University, stated, “With the completion of the Busan Smart Aquaculture Cluster, we now have a strong foothold for technological independence and the development of advanced, eco-friendly aquaculture technologies. We expect this facility to significantly elevate the level of advanced marine technology in Busan.”

Meanwhile, the ‘Smart Aquaculture Cluster Development Project’ is a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries initiative aimed at transforming Korea’s labor-intensive aquaculture industry into a digital industry by incorporating advanced technologies like information and communication technology (ICT). The project is being developed across five regions, including Busan, Jeonnam, Gangwon, Gyeongbuk, and Jeju, with Busan being the first to complete the facility and begin full-scale operations. <Pukyong Today>