General Operations

No. Nordic engaged renowned Tsunami expert Dr. Gary Chock to assess the site and make recommendations on how to build a safe, structurally sound and escape proof facility. Study results confirm that a 2,500 year tsunami event will not overtop or breach our fish tanks or result in the escape of any fish from the facility.

Nordic will be raising all fish inside buildings in closed tanks on land. Nordic uses recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) that treats water from the fish tanks so it can be reused within the tank. Nordic raises the fish in sea water in its grow-out tanks. This dramatically reduces the amount of freshwater required to produce salmon at the facility.

RAS features:

• All production takes place indoors.
• Water is recirculated and continuously treated to maintain good water quality for the fish.
• Water exchange is maintained through intake and discharge of moderate volumes of water per pound of fish.
• Feeding, light, water quality, and temperature are constantly monitored and optimized.
• Production staff have close contact with fish to monitor health and welfare.
• Back-up systems ensure reliable operations.

While lights are used inside the facility to create a stable environment for our fish, the facility does not include windows or skylights that allow light to escape at night. Walking paths will be lit with downward facing lights for employee safety. Most entrances and walking paths are in between buildings.

Humboldt County is uniquely positioned with infrastructure necessary to support RAS and other aquaculture facilities – presenting an opportunity to grow this important industry cluster on the West Coast.

The North Coast offers:

• Clean, abundant fresh and sea water
• An existing industrial water line that can deliver fresh water from the Mad River directly to the project site
• Existing sea water intakes (sea chests) that can be utilized to deliver sea water to the Nordic facility
• An existing outflow pipe that can be utilized to discharge filtered, disinfected effluent water into the ocean 1.5 miles off shore
• The community has a strong fisheries heritage, academic institutions and interest in environmentally responsible emerging technologies and innovation.
• California has a good reputation of quality, sustainability and food safety.

No. Fish tanks are clean and omit no odors. Waste products are stored indoors in sealed containers to prevent odors.

Nordic will encourage carpooling, cycling and bus transportation, and will seek to incorporate electric vehicle charging stations on-site and more to reduce traffic impacts. Shift work at the facility will allow for a stable bus route off and onto the peninsula increasing opportunities for the general public to utilize bus service to the peninsula.

Nordic operations will require less than 15 truck trips per day, which is less than 5% percent of current traffic and is not anticipated to impact the peninsula’s residents or recreational visitors.