The Government of the Principality of Asturias has opened a public consultation period for the administrative and environmental authorisation of the second phase of a marine farming project for Solea senegalensis at the Puerto de El Musel in Gijón. Promoted by Aquacría Lafigal, the expansion foresees a significant increase in production capacity through recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), targeting a combined annual output of up to 1,400 tonnes.
The development includes the construction of new buildings dedicated to sole grow-out under closed-loop RAS technology, alongside the refurbishment and extension of an existing facility — the former “El Rinconín” holding centre — to be converted into a juvenile production unit. This integrated approach would enable hatchery and grow-out phases to operate within the same port-based location, strengthening production control and biosecurity.
The choice of RAS underlines a commitment to intensive, technology-driven aquaculture, particularly relevant for Senegalese sole, a high-value species whose large-scale industrial consolidation in Europe has historically faced technical and economic challenges. Precise water quality management, resource efficiency and discharge control are central to ensuring the long-term viability of such systems.
Locating the project within El Musel port infrastructure adds a strategic dimension. Port-based land aquaculture is increasingly viewed across Europe as a viable model, combining established logistics networks with market proximity and industrial services. In northern Spain, the initiative also signals a diversification of marine aquaculture beyond the traditionally Mediterranean-focused production landscape.
The public consultation period, open for thirty days for the submission of observations to the regional fisheries authority, marks a key administrative step. Beyond the procedural phase, the scale of the projected capacity reflects renewed confidence in Solea senegalensis as a strategic species within Spain’s aquaculture portfolio and highlights the ongoing evolution of RAS-based industrial production models in Europe.
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