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Aquaculture Project Bankability & RAS Feasibility Checklist
The 12 information blocks lenders, EPC partners and independent engineers request before serious engagement on any aquaculture or RAS project. Print it, work through it, and turn the gaps into an RFQ.
1. Species & production model
- Target species confirmed (shrimp, tilapia, salmon, sea bass, trout, other)
- Life-stage scope defined: hatchery, nursery, grow-out, integrated
- Production system: RAS, biofloc, pond, sea-cage or hybrid
- Justification for species/system fit with market and site
2. Production volume & phasing
- Annual production target (tonnes live weight) documented
- Ramp-up curve: expected volume in year 1, 2, 3 and steady state
- Number of cycles per year and stocking plan
- Buffer for biological ramp-up (12–18 months for RAS)
3. Water source & analysis
- Water source identified: groundwater, surface water, sea, reconstituted saline
- Full water analysis available (major ions, metals, alkalinity, hardness, contaminants)
- Water availability confirmed year-round with legal abstraction rights
- Makeup water requirement modeled at design point
- Discharge strategy defined and permittable
4. Site & climate
- Land secured or under option — with legal title clarity
- Zoning and land use compatible with aquaculture
- Access roads, port/airport distance, telecoms available
- Climate risks assessed: flooding, heat, cold, hurricanes, seismic
- Geotechnical study or planned before construction
5. Energy — cost & stability
- Grid connection capacity confirmed (≥ 1.5–2 MW for 500 t RAS)
- Electricity tariff modeled over 10 years with escalation scenarios
- Grid reliability documented (outage frequency, voltage stability)
- Standby generation and fuel supply planned
- Renewable / heat-recovery options evaluated
6. Feed availability
- At least two qualified feed suppliers identified
- Feed logistics and lead times acceptable
- FCR target and feed cost modeled (base / pessimistic / optimistic)
- Feed quality specifications aligned with species and life stage
7. Juvenile / PL supply
- Two or more qualified hatcheries / PL suppliers identified
- SPF or SPR certification available where required
- Transport protocol and mortality expectation documented
- Backup supply strategy in case of primary source failure
8. Market & offtake
- Target market segments defined (fresh, frozen, HORECA, retail, export)
- Price realization modeled with realistic size grades
- LOI or contract with at least one offtaker
- Logistics and cold-chain path to market mapped
9. Regulatory approval
- Environmental impact assessment status clear
- Water abstraction and discharge permits achievable in timeline
- Biosecurity and veterinary approvals identified
- Construction, building and operating permits scoped
- Import/export licenses if applicable
10. Operator experience
- Named operating team lead with relevant experience
- Technical manager identified for the specific system type
- Training plan agreed with technology provider
- Independent technical advisor (owner's engineer) engaged
11. CAPEX expectations
- Class-4 budget prepared (±30–50%)
- Class-3 budget planned via neutral RFQ before financial close (±10–30%)
- Contingency provision (10–15%) included in the funding request
- Owner's cost (permits, engineering, PM, IDC) included
12. Financing need & readiness
- Equity commitment documented and available
- Debt structure identified (senior loan, ECA, mezzanine, leasing)
- 10-year cash-flow model with base / pessimistic / optimistic scenarios
- Debt-service coverage modeled with realistic biological ramp-up
- Financing partner introduction requested via FishMatch Group
How this checklist is used
Complete as many items as possible before requesting quotes. The gaps become the workstream: what to source, what to model, what to permit. FishMatch Group's neutral RFQ then converts the technical scope into 1–3 comparable, budget-grade offers from project-matched international suppliers — with no listing fees and no obligation. Buyers never pay.
Ready to turn the checklist into offers?
Send us your filled checklist — or start the RFQ Builder and we will help you close the gaps.