Slovenian fish farms get greener

Information board in the “honey garden” at the fish farm entrance ©Lidija Šnut

A plan to make a Slovenian trout farm self-sufficient in renewable energy has become a model of water use, waste management, biodiversity, and social engagement.

Thanks to EU funding and the involvement of other local businesses, the initial idea of of installing solar panels has turned into an example of fish farmers working together to build resilience in a region that is starting to suffer seriously from climate change.

Investing in renewable energy

The Gorenjska region of Slovenia is a great place to farm trout, with plentiful supplies of clean, cold water from the mountains that extend north to the Austrian border. At least until drought and decreasing oxygen levels forced the trout farm Vodomec d.o.o., in the village of Zalog pri Cerkljah, to close several of its pools in 2021 and 2022. In summer 2023, devastating floods washed away most of the farm’s stock.

In business since 1964, the new reality of climate change was a shock for the operator of the Zalog site. It became clear that it would increasingly have to rely on artificial aeration for rainbow trout to survive future high temperatures and water shortages. This in turn would increase the farm’s electricity demand, at a time when power prices were already very high. Solar power would offer self-sufficiency, but the cost was beyond Vodomec's resources.

However, thanks to the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), the company was able to invest in solar panels and an electric vehicule charging station. The involvement of the Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) increased the regional scope, and resulted in a shining example of resource conservation, biodiversity expansion and local engagement.

Energy audits and innovative waste management

While renewable energy was the project’s primary focus, energy audits across six trout farms in the FLAG area helped cut the load on conventional power stations. At Zalog, for instance, an energy-efficient cold store replaced individual fridges. In parallel, water audits help all the FLAG’s fish farms handle low summer flows.

The project also tackled fish gutting and filleting waste, by installing a waste dehydrator. It extracts up to 80% of the water, greatly reducing the volume handed over to specialised waste management companies.

The project is in line with the Energy Transition Partnership for fisheries and aquaculture at the which aims to achieve a climate-neutral sector by 2050.

Biodiversity and the social dimension

Impressive as the technical developments were, the project partners had wider aims. The project created employment, and Zalog is now a training centre for sustainable fish farming and has expanded its role as a teaching site for veterinary students from the University of Ljubljana.

As Janez Vidmar (Director of Vodomec d.o.o.) explains: 'Before the project we didn’t pay attention to the local area and community – we simply did not think it was very important. Now we know that communication with the local community and the networks in the area are very valuable. The educational and awareness-raising activities take a lot of work, but also provide good opportunities for promotion as well as feedback.'

To raise awareness of biodiversity and sustainability, the Zalog fish farms set up a 'honey garden' with nectar-rich plants and shelters for insects, which are popular with local children. Through educational workshops and information boards fish farmers informed local people about sustainability and biodiversity. One local retirement home resident was so fascinated by sustainable fish farming that she persuaded the national TV station to make a programme about it.

Teaching the local schoolchildren about fish © Miha Štular

In an area with little tradition of eating fish, some locals had no idea that there were fish farms on their doorsteps. The project’s activities have started discussions on healthy eating as well as broader environmental questions.

The 2023 floods were so destructive that things will not be back to normal for the region’s fish farmers for at least two years. EMFF support though, especially through Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) , has helped local businesses to survive and fostered support from local residents and cohesion across the region’s aquaculture businesses.