ARK, a small land-based aquaculture device company, starts selling the new product REF-V1 and grouper aquaculture package

Integrated aquaculture using AR K-V1 + REF-V1 for micro aquaculture businesses

ARK Inc. (hereinafter, ARK) is pleased to announce that it has begun selling the "REF-V1" (hereinafter, REF-V1)*3, a new product following the "ARK-V1" (hereinafter, ARK-V1)*2, a completely closed recirculating land-based aquaculture system (CRAS) for micro aquaculture businesses*1, and will also begin offering grouper aquaculture packages*4 using ARK's product lineup.

With the global population growing, there are concerns that a "global protein crisis" will occur by 2050, in which the demand for edible protein will exceed the supply. In addition, in the 2020s, environmental issues, the spread of infectious diseases, and frequent conflicts around the world have led to increased interest in food security due to disruptions to the global supply chain. In order to solve these social issues in a sustainable way, ARK has set its mission as "Decentralization of Aquaculture" and has been working to research, develop, and popularize small-scale, decentralized land-based aquaculture systems.

We will start selling the refugium-type aquaculture device "REF-V1" (hereinafter referred to as REF-V1) capable of cultivating algae from Monday, February 19, 2024. Based on the results of joint research with the University of the Ryukyus, ARK has established a method of integrated aquaculture of groupers (Yaitohata, Grouper, etc.) and seaweeds (Kubilezuda, etc.) using ARK-V1 and REF-V1 (IMTA: Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture, hereinafter referred to as IMTA*5). REF-V1 can be operated directly connected to ARK-V1. The realization of IMTA using ARK products is an effective means of simultaneously solving the problems of improving the profitability of land-based aquaculture businesses and strengthening the filtration capacity of the equipment to increase the aquaculture density.

Groupers that can be farmed at the IMTA in ARK are designated as a new strategic aquaculture item in the "Comprehensive Strategy for the Growth and Industrialization of Aquaculture" enacted by the Fisheries Agency, and it is expected that the scale of farming will expand in the future. In addition, they grow quickly, are relatively easy to raise, and can be expected to fetch a high market price, making them a suitable fish species for entry into land-based aquaculture.