Status: 12/24/2020 9:45 a.m.
The catfish farm in Sukow near Schwerin has so far got through the Corona crisis well – although the restaurants had to close and are currently failing as buyers.
There is a heavy splash in a large pool. Catfish heads stick out of the water: “The fish are being fed and they are all coming up to be fed. And sometimes things get a little wild,” says Operations Manager Kalle Haenisch. The African catfish eat pellets, which consist mainly of wheat. A robot moves along a rail above the fish tank. “The robot knows exactly how many fish are in the tank and then adjusts the amount of food.”
From Namibia to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Haenisch completed an apprenticeship as a fish keeper. To do this, he moved to Germany from his native Namibia. The dual training system in Germany is unique in the world, says Haenisch: “As I am an enthusiastic aquarist, it was immediately clear to me that this is what I wanted to be. And since I am a German speaker, Germany was the first choice.” Haenisch has been looking after the African catfish in Sukow for three years – and every day at temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius. The catfish system is linked to the in-house biogas system, which generates heat. “We don’t just blow them into the air, we use them sensibly to heat the air and water here in the hall.”
30 tons of fish per month
Sustainability is a top priority at the Sukower catfish farm, says Haenisch. For example, fish scraps are processed into animal feed. The reddish catfish fillet is marketed fresh directly from the farm or via the fish wholesaler: “We drive to Hamburg up to six times a week. From there the catfish is then distributed further and ends up in restaurants, retail outlets and fish counters.” The fish are also sold live to other processing plants. The fish grows very quickly. After six months of life, the animals weigh around one and a half kilos and are ready for slaughter. Around 30 tons of fish leave the Sukow catfish farm every month.
No epidemics, no drugs
Check basins, clean external filter systems, pack fillets. Kalle Haenisch loves his job. The 26-year-old particularly appreciates the robustness of the African catfish: “We have no known disease diseases for this fish and can therefore do without medication.”
