Question 1

How much does a shrimp farm cost?

Accepted Answer

Semi-intensive lined ponds: roughly $150K–$400K per hectare CAPEX, plus land, permits and working capital. Super-intensive and shrimp-RAS are 3–10× higher per hectare but produce 10–50× the yield. Use our Commercial CAPEX and Shrimp Yield calculators for a project-specific estimate.

Question 2

How much does a commercial RAS cost?

Accepted Answer

$8,000–$25,000+ per tonne of annual capacity, depending on species, climate and specific energy target. A 500 t/year RAS typically ranges $4M–$12M. Use our RAS Sizing and Commercial CAPEX calculators.

Question 3

How much land is required for a fish farm?

Accepted Answer

Pond systems: 1–5 hectares per 100 t/year (semi-intensive). RAS: 0.05–0.2 hectares per 100 t/year. Marine cages: minimal land, but coastline and permits are the constraint.

Question 4

How much water is needed?

Accepted Answer

Pond flow-through: 3,000–10,000 L/kg produced. RAS: 300–1,500 L/kg. Ponds with reuse: 1,000–3,000 L/kg. Confirm with a mass-balance and a source-water analysis.

Question 5

How much electricity is required?

Accepted Answer

RAS: 4–10 kWh/kg produced. Super-intensive shrimp: 2–5 kWh/kg. Pond systems with aeration: 0.3–1 kWh/kg. Use our Energy Cost calculator to translate into $/kg and $/year.

Question 6

How do I prepare an RFQ?

Accepted Answer

Use the Project Builder to shape scope, then the RFQ Package Builder to generate a bank-ready procurement package. Provide species, life-stage, capacity, water analysis, energy envelope, permits and warranty expectations.

Question 7

How do I choose suppliers?

Accepted Answer

Never rank — tender. Use Employer's Requirements (outcomes, not brands), invite 4–6 qualified vendors, compare bids in a common format (CAPEX + 10-year OPEX), and require performance guarantees.

Question 8

Do I need financing before RFQ?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily — start with pre-qualification (see our Financing Pre-Qualifier). Debt lenders typically want a signed EPC and bankable design; equity partners engage earlier.

Question 9

Which certifications should I target?

Accepted Answer

ASC and BAP are the most widely accepted by global retailers. Design farms and processing plants for certification from day one — retrofitting is 3–10× more expensive.

Question 10

How long does a commercial project take?

Accepted Answer

Feasibility to first harvest: 12–36 months typical, depending on scale, permits and construction complexity. Add 6–24 months for export approval.

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