Aquaculture research center to be organized in Karelia's Arctic
PETROZAVODSK, April 18. /TASS/. The Karelia Region considers organizing an aquaculture research center – a biotech park in the Arctic Zone. The location may be the Belomorsky, Kemsky or Loukhsky District, the region's Governor Artur Parfenchikov said as he delivered an annual report to the local government.
"In order to meet the task to replace earlier imported products and the task of food security, it would be reasonable, together with our partners and businesses, to consider organizing in the region an aquaculture research center in the Belomorsky, Kemsky or Loukhsky District, a biotech park, to conduct comprehensive scientific and applied research in salmon breeding and in creation of new breeds," the governor said.
He called promising seaweed extraction and cultivation due to the region's access to the White Sea. Presently, about 14 companies and entrepreneurs are harvesting algae there - more than 1,000 tons of algae a year.
"According to the scientific community estimates, in the White Sea water area, it is possible to extract about 50,000 tons of seaweed," he added.
A major project in the area is about to be launched in the current year - the Biomedical Innovative Technologies Company will make baby and sports nutrition, dietary supplements from the White Sea algae.
Earlier, the governor ordered the regional government to create an industrial techno park for deep processing of algae and for making a wide range of products for the food, pharmaceutical and other industries.
