Timeline
The Founders’ story
The Company today
Arne Jensen, together with his son Jack Jensen, established cod farming in Gisundet at Vika Bay in 1991. This marked the beginning of a 14-year cod adventure – initially intended as a hobby and side activity to keep Arne and the boys occupied during their upbringing.
The idea of trying cod farming emerged when Arne retired from his position at Troms Kraft, and his son Jack, who worked as a fisherman, felt the quotas were too small. In 1991, they applied to Lenvik Municipality for permission to establish a facility for live capture and feeding of cod. Two or three A4 pages with a brief project description and a simple map were enough to secure a 4,000 m³ permit just a few months later.
The investments were modest, consisting of a simple wooden cage and net from Refa, which were assembled in Vika Bay on Senja.
The boys started staining the wooden cage down by the shoreline in the summer of 1992.
The investments were modest, consisting of a simple wooden cage and net from Refa, which were assembled in Vika Bay on Senja.
The boys started staining the wooden cage down by the shoreline in the summer of 1992.
The cage was moored with a net and bird protection mesh and was ready for fish by late summer 1992.
Jack, using his fishing boat Kliptind, caught cod with cod traps that were placed in the cage and fed with herring, capelin, and small shrimp – basically anything they could get their hands on at a reasonable price.
When Jack was away fishing, the boys were responsible for feeding the fish – it became a true family effort where everyone had to pitch in.
Inger Svendsen – Jack’s wife and mother of the boys.
Inger Svendsen – Jack’s wife and mother of the boys.
Following an accident in the autumn of 1992, Arne passed away at the age of just 72. The driving force behind the project – the one who was to oversee operations while Jack was out fishing – never got to experience the time he had looked forward to.
This placed greater responsibility on the boys, especially the eldest, Ørjan, who was only 12 years old at the time. But they quickly rose to the challenge.
In 1994, the first fish were harvested and delivered to the fish plant in Botnhamn.
Due to the excellent quality, they received as much as NOK 22 per kilo – not a large volume, but still, it was income.
In 1994, the first fish were harvested and delivered to the fish plant in Botnhamn.
Due to the excellent quality, they received as much as NOK 22 per kilo – not a large volume, but still, it was income.
They continued using wild-caught fish in the wooden cage until the year 2000. That year, the family company Jensen Fisk applied for permission to operate conventional cod farming. On May 16, 2001, they became the first and only cod farmer in Northern Norway. The permit was still a modest 4,000 m3.
The cage, now made of plastic and 50 meters in circumference, was acquired from Bjarkøy from a salmon farmer who had recently gone out of business. The fry came from Lofilab in Lofoten – fish hatched in a tidal pond and raised to 60–70 grams before transfer.
The fish from Lofilab were of excellent quality.
Because of its wild origin, the fish grew slowly.
They only rarely had to pick out a dead fish from the cage.
The fish from Lofilab were of excellent quality.
Because of its wild origin, the fish grew slowly.
They only rarely had to pick out a dead fish from the cage.
In November 2002, 10,000 cod fry were stocked in the cage. It was upgraded with an automatic feeder for pellets, and the boys fed and tended the fish several times a week. Ørjan, who was 22 at the time, had the main responsibility for operations.
Plans were made for continued development, but education and other commitments could not be combined with daily operations, and the business was discontinued in 2004/2005.
The final batch of fish was sent to Botnhamn in 2004.
NOK 38 per kilo was a good price and a fitting end to the project.
The boys went their separate ways, and it would be 16 years before KIME Akva was established.
The final batch of fish was sent to Botnhamn in 2004. NOK 38 per kilo was a good price and a fitting end to the project.
The boys went their separate ways, and it would be 16 years before KIME Akva was established.
On May 19, 2020, Ørjan Jensen established the company KIME Akva AS.
And the search for suitable sites and partners began…
On May 19, 2020, Ørjan Jensen established the company KIME Akva AS.
And the search for suitable sites and partners began…
Yngve Myhre, now Chair of the Board, took an early interest in the initiative and played a key role in developing the business plan and securing initial financing.
His brother, Joakim Jensen, later joined the venture, and together they refined and expanded the company’s plans.
The application for the first site – Forså in Ibestad Municipality – was submitted in December 2020, and it would take almost two years before approval was granted.
In January 2022, the administration moved into new offices in Finnsnes.
In January 2022, the administration moved into new offices in Finnsnes.
Recruitment of key personnel for the company’s start-up and growth phase began – including an Operations Manager, fish farm technicians, Head of Site Development, Production Manager, and Quality Manager.
In February 2022, the company completed its first capital raise.
Shortly thereafter, a co-farming agreement was signed with Norcod.
By May 2022, the Forså site had been fully established, certified, and made ready for stocking.
A total of about 1.5 million smolt were stocked in eight units.
Forså is the first permanent commercial cod farming site operating north of Helgeland since the cod farming efforts of the 2000s.
By May 2022, the Forså site had been fully established, certified, and made ready for stocking.
A total of about 1.5 million smolt were stocked in eight units.
Forså is the first permanent commercial cod farming site operating north of Helgeland since the cod farming efforts of the 2000s.
In the autumn of 2022, a new capital raise was carried out to finance production through to harvest, and the Board of Directors of KIME Akva was established.
The company entered into a five-year agreement with Akvaplan-niva to realize the FISK Center at Kraknes outside Tromsø, where cod are hatched and reared to a size of 2 grams.
KIME Akva’s feed center was established in Finnsnes.
In 2023, KIME Akva acquired a majority ownership in Tomma Rensefisk in Nesna Municipality and received approval to convert the facility to cod smolt production.
The company at Tomma changed its name to KIME Akva Tomma.
Plans are in place to upgrade production capacity to six million smolt per year.
In 2023, KIME Akva acquired a majority ownership in Tomma Rensefisk in Nesna Municipality and received approval to convert the facility to cod smolt production.
The company at Tomma changed its name to KIME Akva Tomma.
Plans are in place to upgrade production capacity to six million smolt per year.
I 2023 overtok KIME AKVA eiermajoriteten i Tomma Rensefisk i Nesna kommune og fikk godkjent konvertering til settefiskproduksjon av torsk.
Selskapet på Tomma endret navn til KIME Akva Tomma.
Her er det planlagt oppgradering av produksjonen til 6 millioner settefisk årlig.
In August 2023, the FISK facility at Akvaplan-niva was completed, and the first eggs from Nofima hatched shortly thereafter.
That autumn, the facility at Tomma was also made ready to receive fish.
In October, harvesting of fish from the Forså site began at the processing plant of Vesterålen Havbruk.
And in January, shore power was finally established at the Forså site – an important milestone in the company’s sustainability efforts.
In October 2023, the company was granted its second site – Hallarnes in Alta Municipality.
Operations are scheduled to start in the spring of 2025.
In October 2023, the company was granted its second site – Hallarnes in Alta Municipality.
Operations are scheduled to start in the spring of 2025.
In March 2024, KIME Akva gained access to the Fagerhamn site in Frøya Municipality through a commercial partnership with Uttian Kystfiske. The site has a maximum allowed biomass of 3,120 tonnes.
The plan is to stock fish at the site in early winter 2024.
In April 2024, KIME Akva carried out a capital raise, securing NOK 52 million.
This provides the company with capital to execute planned investments across the value chain and support continued growth.
In April 2024, KIME Akva carried out a capital raise, securing NOK 52 million. This provides the company with capital to execute planned investments across the value chain and support continued growth.
I april 2024 gjennomførte KIME Akva emisjon og hentet 52 millioner kroner. Dette gir selskapet kapital for å gjennomføre planlagte investeringer i verdikjeden for videre satsing.
Although existing shareholders contributed significantly to the capital raise, it is also very exciting that Nergård AS – one of the largest players in the cod industry – joined as a major shareholder. This brings valuable networks and opportunities for synergies for KIME Akva, particularly related to landing and market activities.
KIME Akva also acquires the Gryllefjord site on Senja.
Start of operations – spring 2024.
KIME Akva also acquires the Gryllefjord site on Senja. Start of operations – spring 2024.
After nearly two years in operation, the Forså site is scheduled for harvest during the summer of 2024. The biological performance and results have been strong, providing great confidence for the planned scale-up the company will embark on over the coming year. After the harvest, the site will be fallowed before new fish are stocked in the autumn.