ARK Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Koyo Takenoshita) and University of the Ryukyus (Location: 1 Chihara, Nishihara-cho, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa Prefecture; President: Mutsumi Nishida) have signed a joint research agreement for the Japan Science and Technology Agency's Co-Creation Space Formation Support Program. Through this joint research, we will conduct experiments on the growth and transportation of various southern fish and shellfish that live in Okinawa, including grouper, in a completely closed circulation system. In addition, we will utilize the results of the joint research to further revitalize the land-based aquaculture industry.

 

<Research title>

Growth tests and technical tests related to shipping and transportation in the "ARK-V1" fully closed recirculating land-based aquaculture system (CRAS) for southern fish and shellfish

 

<Research objectives and content>

①Growth of southern fish and shellfish such as grouper

By conducting growth tests in the "ARK-V1" completely closed recirculating aquaculture system (CRAS) and acquiring and analyzing various parameters required for aquaculture, we will research aquaculture know-how that can expect stable growth. We will also research factors such as feed and light to improve aquaculture efficiency.

 

② Pursuing the potential of southern fish and shellfish as land-based aquaculture species

We are pursuing new methods, such as verifying technology and maintaining freshness, to distribute (package, transport, process, etc.) southern seafood grown in the completely closed recirculating aquaculture system (CRAS) "ARK-V1" as safe, secure, and delicious food.

 

<Research location>

National University Corporation University of the Ryukyus Senbaru Campus (Nishihara-cho, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa Prefecture) and ARK Shonan Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture)

 

<ARK-V1 installed at the University of the Ryukyus Senbaru Campus>

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National University Corporation University of the Ryukyus

 

The project "Global base for integrated agriculture and fisheries sustainable land-based aquaculture to realize a resource-circulating symbiotic society (Project leader: Professor Akihiro Takemura, Faculty of Science)" is part of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) Co-creation Space Formation Support Program (Co-creation field: Full-scale type) and aims to solve future issues in food production from the perspective of fisheries (food shortages due to population growth, sustainability of energy supply, the drawbacks of food loss and food waste, and difficulties in fishing management due to a lack of successors) with a new industry that removes the barriers between agriculture and fisheries, and to realize a circular society in which young people play a leading role in growing and providing food. We are working on research topics under three targets (establishing a foundation for creating an efficient circulation of "food," developing basic technologies to create a circulation of "energy," and developing technologies to enable advanced use of "information").

 

Address: 1 Chihara, Nishihara-cho, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa Prefecture

・President: Mutsumi Nishida

- Established: 1950

Faculties: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of International and Regional Studies, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture

・University of the Ryukyus website: https://www.u-ryukyu.ac.jp/

·Project name:

Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) Co-creation Space Formation Support Program (Co-creation field: Full-scale)

"A global base for integrated agriculture and fisheries sustainable land-based aquaculture to realize a resource-recycling, symbiotic society"

・Project official website: https://coinext2.skr.u-ryukyu.ac.jp/

・Project Leader: Akihiro Takemura (Professor, Faculty of Science)

Deputy Project Leader: Fumihiro Haga (Specially Appointed Professor, Co-Creation Center Management Division)

・Representative of the organization responsible for the overall management of the center: Kazuhiro Kogure (Director of the Research Promotion Organization (Executive Director and Vice President))

For inquiries, please contact: University of the Ryukyus Research Promotion Organization Co-Creation Center Management Division

Ryukyu University COI-NEXT Full-scale Project Office

coi-next@acs.u-ryukyu.ac.jp (Contact: Kono, Haga)

 

 

ARK Inc.

 

ARK's mission is to "democratize aquaculture" and to provide a system that allows "anyone to do aquaculture anywhere." ARK develops and sells "ARK," a small, distributed closed recirculating land-based aquaculture system called CRAS (Closed Recirculating Aquaculture System). It can be installed and operated in a parking space for one car, and unlike existing large-scale aquaculture systems, it allows you to start a distributed aquaculture business with small investments and operations. In addition, by utilizing renewable energy, it is possible to operate off-grid and significantly reduce energy costs and environmental impact. In addition to these hardware, we plan to provide services such as remote management applications, materials, and seedlings required for aquaculture businesses.

 

Representative: CEO Koyo Takenoshita

Date of establishment: December 23, 2020

Head office location: 1-7-20 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Shonan Manufacturing Co., Ltd.: 15-13-1 Higashi-Yahata 4-chome, Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture

Overseas base (ARK WORLDWIDE LTD): London, UK

Official site: https://ark.inc

Contact: hello@ark.inc