STIM partnered with Salmofood to supply the Chilean market with its feed-based smoltification solution, SuperSmolt FeedOnly.

“We are pleased to have found a professional local partner to produce SuperSmolt FeedOnly for the Chilean salmon industry and look forward to a great collaboration in the years to come,” said Eduardo Hofmann, general manager of STIM Chile.

SuperSmolt FeedOnly was launched in Norway in 2015 and soon became the preferred method for smoltification. It produces bigger smolts, faster, as there is no need for the growth-inhibiting winter period. Furthermore, the method makes it easy to ensure synchronized smoltification, so that every fish has robust seawater tolerance at the point of transfer. This has been the major fault associated with traditional smoltification methods, resulting in reduced fish health and welfare for millions of fish each year. The innovation also translates into major economic benefits for salmon producers as they get healthier and significantly faster-growing fish post-transfer.

STIM, previously Europharma, acquired the global rights to the original SuperSmolt method in 2008 and soon started extensive R&D efforts to develop what was to become SuperSmolt FeedOnly.

“This was a big challenge and one that the previous patent holders had not been able to solve. When we finally succeeded, we were able to provide a method of smoltification that was superior to all pre-existing methods. SuperSmolt FeedOnly has been a true game-changer in salmon farming, proving the massive importance of innovation. It makes a real difference with regards to fish health and welfare and at the same time increases productivity and production economy,” said Hofmann.

STIM has so far been granted a patent for SuperSmolt FeedOnly in Europe, China and Russia. In Chile, the process is still at the “patent pending” stage.