Nordic Aquafarms Facility to Create 60 High Skill Jobs In Belfast

A Norwegian company announced plans today to build one of the world's largest land-based salmon farms in Belfast.

Nordic Aquafarms says it will invest $150,000,000 at first, creating 60 high-skill jobs, to provide fresh Atlantic salmon to the regional market.

They say access to both fresh and ocean water resources makes Belfast a perfect fit for the facility.

It will be built on the outskirts of Belfast on 40 acres of land owned by the water district and a private landowner.

The project will be done in phases beginning in 2019.

A company spokesman said, "We are hoping to have permits in place by the fall of 2018. That means we could be in first stage of construction in 2019, first half of 2019. We can be in early production in 2020. we could potentially sell our first fish by the end of 2021."

When fully built out over several years, we're told the facility will represent a more than $450 million investment.

It's expected to eventually employ more than 100 people and produce 66 million pounds of salmon a year.