An investor's view on investments and financing in aquaculture

摘要

When an investor looks at fish farming, he has to make sure that the possible returns are high and outweigh the risks fish farming has. The investor will then look for possible species to farm, evaluating price, availability of juveniles, farming technology and markets. As production increases, will the pricego down? Site selection is important,and the investor will look at factors like environmental conditions, infrastructure, legal conditions, the application process, taxes, stability and labour costs (which are not important). It is important for investors in cage farming that fallowing and site rotation is possible, as this makes the investment sustainable. The application process for sites should be simple and fast Rights for sites should be transferable and for long periods, 15 years or more with rights of renewal. Fish farming is difficult to finance, but fish stock insurance and transferable sites make it easier to do. The Norwegian salmon farming industry was funded by 50 percent government guarantees for working capital loans, and this was the basis for fast growth of the industry in the 1970s and 1980s. For new species, investors may have to finance 100 percent of the capital requirements with equity.