The design of Matorka’s flow-through system is unique.  When asked about the key principles that guided him during the design process of Matorka’s farm, Matorka’s advisor (prev. COO), Svenbjörn, emphasized simplicity and adaptability. “Keep it as simple as possible,” he said, “but leave room for further improvement and a higher level of technology once the staff base allows for that.” This approach allowed Matorka to achieve impressive results while remaining open to future advancements. 

Naturally filtered, low-salinity water is delivered to a series of tanks after which solids are removed before partially reusing the water (more than 90% before discharge). The water is pumped only once, with gravity taking care of moving the water through the production units. No additional heating or cooling of water is required as the source water is geothermal and naturally at the optimal temperature for Arctic char. Oxygen is added to the production units. This system is energy efficient, less complex and thus easier to manage making it ideal for Arctic char production. 

For more about aquaculture in Iceland, take a look at this insightful report: The State and Future of Aquaculture in Iceland.  

The advantages of Matorka’s hybrid flow-through system: 

The hybrid flow-through system is the best of both worlds, combining the benefits of traditional flow-through and recirculating systems. What are the advantages? 

• Best suited for our native species – Arctic char. 
• No chemicals are required to manage pH. 
• Simplified water quality management due to a less complex system. 
• Minimal risk of escape events.  
• Medium energy consumption/kg produced. 
• Year-round stable production and optimal growing conditions. 
• Lower operational costs. 
• Lower capital investment is required.