Food miles represent the distance food travels from production to consumption. Reducing these miles is essential for sustainable seafood, as conventional fish often travels thousands of kilometers before reaching your plate. This long-distance transportation increases carbon emissions, reduces freshness, and contributes to food waste. At Finnforel, we’ve developed an innovative solution that brings fish production closer to consumers through advanced Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), providing fresher, more sustainable seafood while significantly reducing environmental impact.
What are food miles and why do they matter in seafood production?
Food miles are the distances food products travel from where they’re produced to where they’re consumed, and they’re particularly problematic in seafood production. The average seafood product travels over 8,000 kilometers before reaching consumers, generating significant carbon emissions from refrigerated transportation while reducing product freshness and nutritional value.
The environmental impact of these extensive supply chains is substantial. Long-distance seafood transportation relies heavily on fossil fuels for refrigerated shipping, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, extended transportation times necessitate preservatives and packaging that create waste and potentially affect product quality. As seafood moves through multiple handling points across countries or continents, food waste increases when products spoil or are damaged during transit.
This challenge calls for innovative solutions that bring production closer to consumption. Discover how Finnforel’s sustainable approach to fish farming addresses these challenges through localized production that dramatically reduces the distance from farm to table.
How does RAS technology reduce food miles in fish production?
Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) reduce food miles by enabling fish production in controlled indoor environments near urban centers, eliminating the need for long-distance transportation. This land-based technology recirculates and purifies water continuously, allowing fish farming virtually anywhere regardless of natural water bodies.
The core components of RAS technology include advanced filtration systems that remove waste, biological filters that process ammonia, oxygenation systems, and temperature control mechanisms. These elements work together to create optimal growing conditions while recycling up to 99% of water. Unlike traditional aquaculture that requires specific coastal or riverside locations, RAS facilities can be strategically positioned near population centers.
Finnforel’s implementation of RAS technology in our Varkaus Gigafactory demonstrates this principle in action. Our facility produces approximately three million kilograms of rainbow trout annually, processing and packaging fish on-site and delivering fresh products to stores the same day. This integrated approach minimizes transportation distances while maximizing freshness and sustainability.
What environmental benefits does local fish production provide?
Local fish production through RAS technology delivers multiple environmental benefits, primarily through a 75-90% reduction in transportation-related carbon emissions compared to imported seafood. This significant reduction in food miles directly translates to a smaller carbon footprint for each fish produced.
Water conservation represents another crucial environmental advantage. RAS facilities recycle up to 99% of water used, dramatically reducing consumption compared to traditional aquaculture. Additionally, closed-system production eliminates waste discharge into natural water bodies, preventing the nutrient pollution that commonly occurs with sea-based fish farms.
The land-based approach also protects marine habitats by removing pressure from wild fish stocks and eliminating the ecosystem disruption associated with open-net fish farming. Finnforel’s production methodology incorporates solar energy, with our roof-mounted panels providing more than a third of our energy needs at optimal times, further reducing our environmental impact.
Learn more about how our sustainable fish farming practices are setting new standards for environmental responsibility in seafood production.
How does Finnforel’s approach compare to traditional seafood supply chains?
Finnforel’s integrated production chain differs fundamentally from traditional seafood supply chains by controlling the entire process from eggs to fillets in one location, rather than fragmenting production across multiple facilities and countries. This consolidated approach reduces transportation needs by up to 90% compared to conventional seafood distribution.
In traditional seafood supply chains, fish typically change hands multiple times—from fishing vessels or farms to processors, distributors, wholesalers, and finally retailers. Each transfer point adds time, cost, and environmental impact. By contrast, our complete production chain houses breeding, growing, processing, and packaging under one roof, eliminating these inefficiencies.
Time-to-market represents a particularly striking difference. While imported seafood may spend 7-14 days in transit before reaching consumers, Finnforel’s locally produced fish can reach stores the same day it’s processed. This rapid delivery preserves nutritional quality and flavor while extending shelf life for consumers and retailers alike.
What quality advantages come from reducing seafood transportation distances?
Reducing seafood transportation distances delivers significant quality advantages, most notably same-day freshness that preserves the fish’s optimal flavor profile and texture. Short supply chains mean fish reaches consumers within hours rather than days or weeks after processing.
This proximity to market eliminates the need for extensive preservatives or freezing that can affect taste and texture. Research shows that fresh fish maintains higher levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients compared to products that undergo extended storage and transportation.
The shelf-life extension resulting from reduced transportation time creates practical benefits for both consumers and retailers. Consumers enjoy fresher products that last longer in their refrigerators, while retailers experience less waste from spoilage. This improved freshness cycle contributes to both customer satisfaction and reduced environmental impact through decreased food waste.
How is sustainable local fish production contributing to food security?
Sustainable local fish production strengthens food security by creating reliable protein sources that operate independently from global supply chain disruptions. RAS facilities provide consistent production regardless of external factors like weather events, international conflicts, or transportation challenges that frequently affect imported seafood availability.
This localized approach reduces dependency on seafood imports, which currently account for over 70% of fish consumption in many developed countries. By producing fish domestically in controlled environments, countries can ensure stable access to nutritious protein sources year-round without seasonal limitations.
Climate change increasingly threatens traditional fishing and aquaculture through warming waters, changing migration patterns, and extreme weather events. Land-based RAS facilities offer protection from these challenges by creating consistent growing conditions regardless of external environmental factors. This resilience is becoming increasingly valuable as food security concerns grow globally.
Are you interested in learning more about sustainable fish farming and how it’s reshaping the future of food production? Contact our team at Finnforel to discuss how our innovative approaches to aquaculture can help build a more sustainable and secure food system.
