PR Aqua Supplies Ltd.

What PR Aqua Supplies Ltd. does

PR Aqua Supplies Ltd. (operating as PR Aqua, ULC) is a Canadian aquaculture engineering and equipment supplier headquartered in Nanaimo, British Columbia, founded in 1985. The company specializes in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) and Partial Reuse Aquaculture Systems (PRAS), which are closed-loop, land-based fish farming technologies that recirculate 95-99% of water while providing environmental control, biosecurity, and accelerated throughput. Core technology components include microscreen drum, belt, and disc filtration; moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) biofiltration; pressurized packed column (PPC) oxygenation; UV disinfection; foam fractionation; CO2 stripping; and propeller pumps. The company also holds proprietary product lines including the Heathro Fish Pump, Pescalator fish elevator, Pescollator grader, Oxytower gas transfer tower, and its own PPC oxygenation system.

PR Aqua operates a Design-Supply-Support project delivery model that separates design from construction to reduce cost compounding. Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) engineering and design services for system planning, bio-programming, CFD analysis, feasibility studies, and pre-construction de-risking; (2) equipment supply and distribution, including as the North American distributor for Hydrotech filters (since 2019) and Canadian distributor for Atlantium UV systems (since 2020), plus sales of proprietary PPC and reselling Sulzer and Lykkegaard pumps; and (3) construction management, QA/QC, commissioning, and ongoing operational support. All sales are custom-quoted with no public pricing.

The company serves five primary customer segments: commercial aquaculture producers (Grieg Seafood, Mowi Canada West, West Coast Salmon, Ideal Fish); government and public-sector hatcheries (Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC, US Fish & Wildlife Service); First Nations and Indigenous communities (Namgis Kuterra, Waycobah Big Falls); aquaponics operators (Upward Farms, Urban Organics); and research institutions and universities (Harvard, University of Oregon, Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research). PR Aqua operates primarily in North America (Canada and the United States) with selective international projects, and has historical presence in Chile (Puerto Montt office, opened 2001). The company reformed as an independent entity in 2018 after periods of ownership under In-Situ (2012) and Pentair Aquatic Ecosystems (2015).

Name

PR Aqua Supplies Ltd.

Legal name

PR Aqua, ULC

Website

https://praqua.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PR Aqua is a Canadian aquaculture engineering and equipment supplier specializing in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), providing design, equipment distribution (Hydrotech, Atlantium), and operational support to commercial fish farms, government hatcheries, and First Nations across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquaculture Engineering Services

NAICS

Aquaculture (11251), Aquaculture (1125), Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511), Animal Production and Aquaculture (112)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)

akta.pro primary industry

Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) & Land-Based Farming (AFAEAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hatchery Equipment, Systems & Technology (RAS Hatcheries, Incubation, Grading, Transport Systems) (AFAEAKAL), Aquaculture Farm Services & Operations Support (net cleaning, diving, grading, harvesting) (AFAEAAAM)

Keywords

• Recirculating aquaculture systems
• Land-based fish farming
• Aquaculture water treatment
• Fish hatchery design
• Aquaculture engineering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nanaimo

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Engineering & Design Services: PR Aqua provides custom-engineered aquaculture system design and engineering services for RAS and PRAS projects. This includes system planning, construction documents, bio-programming, CFD analysis, feasibility studies, and pre-construction de-risking. Revenue is earned through professional service fees for design and engineering work, with projects ranging from hatchery design to full grow-out RAS facilities.
2. Equipment Supply & Distribution: PR Aqua supplies comprehensive equipment packages for RAS aquaculture systems. As the North American distributor for Hydrotech drum, belt, and disc filters and Canadian distributor for Atlantium UV systems, as well as reselling Sulzer and Lykkegaard pumps, PR Aqua earns revenue through equipment markup and distribution margins on sales of water treatment, filtration, oxygenation, and pumping equipment.
3. Construction & Operational Support: PR Aqua provides construction management, quality assurance/quality control during construction, commissioning, startup, and operational training/support services. Revenue is earned through support service contracts and ongoing technical assistance post-handoff.
4. Pressurized Packed Column (PPC) Sales: PR Aqua manufactures and sells the PPC, an on-demand oxygenation system. The PPC package consists of the pressure vessel and media, high-pressure water pump, VFD, oxygen injection valve, and system controls. Interested customers complete inquiry forms and sales staff follow up to gather project requirements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PR Aqua engineers, designs, and supplies Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) and Partial Reuse Aquaculture Systems (PRAS) for land-based fish farming. The company delivers turnkey project solutions through a Design-Supply-Support model, providing custom system design and engineering, comprehensive water treatment and fish handling equipment packages (including proprietary products like the PPC oxygenation system, Heathro fish pump, Pescalator fish elevator, and distributed Hydrotech filters and Atlantium UV systems), and ongoing construction management, commissioning, and operational support for commercial aquaculture operations, government hatcheries, First Nations facilities, aquaponics operations, and research institutions across North America.

Product overview

PR Aqua is a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) engineering and equipment supplier offering integrated solutions for land-based fish farming. The product portfolio centers on water treatment and fish handling systems, including Hydrotech microscreen drum, belt, and disc filters for solids removal; Atlantium Hydro-Optic UV disinfection systems for pathogen control; Pressurized Packed Column (PPC) oxygenation technology for dissolved oxygen management; and Lykkegaard and Sulzer propeller pumps for water circulation. Beyond equipment supply, PR Aqua provides comprehensive RAS design, engineering, and consulting services including bioplanning, computational fluid dynamics analysis, and operational support. The company operates a Design-Supply-Support project delivery model, serving both commercial aquaculture operations and public fisheries enhancement facilities across North America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hydrotech Drum Filters Mechanical and self-cleaning microscreen filter for removing particulate from water using screens available from 10 to 150 microns. Features patented filter panels for simplified maintenance and modular design. Distributed by PR Aqua in North America for aquaculture applications.
• Hydrotech Belt Filters Automatic, self-cleaning belt filter for efficient filtration and drainage of sludge and wastewater. Designed for systems where high solids content in dewatered sludge is essential.
• Hydrotech Disc Filters Mechanical and self-cleaning disc filter offering large filter area in compact physical space. Features patented automatic moving backwash spray header.
• Atlantium Hydro-Optic UV Disinfection Systems Medium pressure UV technology using Hydro-Optic (HOD) UV light for water disinfection in aquaculture. Features Total Internal Reflection (TIR) technology, real-time performance monitoring, and validated 4-log virus and 5-log microbial inactivation. Distributed by PR Aqua in Canada for aquaculture and into US-designed projects.
• Pressurized Packed Column (PPC) Highly efficient on-demand oxygenation system using media-packed pressure vessel for aquaculture. Operates at pressures up to 110 psig (8.2 BAR), achieving up to 40x greater oxygen saturation levels than atmospheric air. Suitable for fresh and saltwater, with ASME-rated vessel and corrosion-resistant fiberglass construction. Manufactured by PR Aqua.
• Lykkegaard Propeller Pumps Custom propeller pumps made from HDPE and duplex stainless-steel materials with water-lubricated bearings. Available in vertical or horizontal configurations for low head, low pressure, high volume applications with outputs from 15 L/s to over 5,000 L/s.
• Sulzer Propeller Pumps High efficiency centrifugal pumps made from duplex stainless-steel with heavy duty bearings and shaft seals. Offers maximum reliability with very low operating and maintenance costs for RAS applications.
• Hydrotech Filter Spare Parts Spare parts for Hydrotech drum, belt, and disc filters available in North America. Parts are stocked locally or ordered from Hydrotech factory.
• Atlantium UV Spare Parts Spare parts for Atlantium UV technologies, commonly required parts stocked with additional parts available to order.
• RAS Design, Engineering & Bioplanning Services Custom-engineered RAS and PRAS system design, bio-planning, computational fluid dynamics analysis, feasibility studies, construction documents, and pre-construction de-risking services for commercial aquaculture, government hatcheries, First Nations facilities, aquaponics operations, and research institutions.
• RAS Construction & Operational Support Services Construction management, quality assurance/quality control during construction, commissioning, startup, and operational training/support services for RAS facilities delivered to aquaculture operators, government agencies, and First Nations clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Water savings of 95–99% compared to flow-through aquaculture systems
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• West Coast Salmon AScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 February 2021PR Aqua was selected as the exclusive RAS partner for West Coast Salmon AS's industrial-scale land-based Atlantic salmon operation outside Reno, Nevada. PR Aqua's role includes completing the design and providing equipment for a facility targeting ~14,000 tonnes HOG per annum in its first phase, with plans for up to 50,000 tonnes across three development phases. This is a flagship project for PR Aqua demonstrating its capability to deliver large-scale commercial grow-out RAS.
• Atlantium TechnologiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 21 August 2020PR Aqua was appointed as the Canadian distributor for Atlantium's Hydro-Optic (HOD) UV technology in the aquaculture market segment as of August 21, 2020. PR Aqua also provides Atlantium HOD UV systems into aquaculture projects designed in the United States. Atlantium, based in Beit-Shemesh, Israel, is a market leader in UV disinfection with more than 3,000 HOD UV systems installed globally and holds more than 60 patents. PR Aqua stocks spare parts for Atlantium UV systems.
• Hydrotech (a division of Veolia Water Technologies AB)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 September 2019PR Aqua was appointed as the North American distributor for Hydrotech drum, belt, and disc filters in the aquaculture market segment as of September 30, 2019. This distributorship was transferred from Indiana-based Pranger Enterprises. Hydrotech, based in Vellinge, Sweden, has been a leader in microscreen filtration for more than 30 years with over 10,000 filters sold worldwide. PR Aqua stocks spare parts and supplies equipment as part of comprehensive RAS equipment packages to aquaculture customers.
• VakiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1989In 1989, PR Aqua's founder Wayne Gorrie met Hermann Kristjansson of Vaki at Aquaculture America in New Orleans. Pacific Rim Aqua Supplies (predecessor to PR Aqua Supplies Ltd.) became the North American distributor for Vaki, creating a partnership lasting over 30 years. Vaki provides fish counting and grading equipment. The current status of this distribution relationship is not confirmed in recent source material.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Xylem: Global water technology company (pumps, treatment, analytics) with growing exposure to aquaculture applications. Competes indirectly with PR Aqua's distributed pump brands (Sulzer, Lykkegaard) and broader water treatment portfolio at the industrial scale.
• Pentair Aquatic Ecosystems: Former parent of PR Aqua (2015-2018) and broader aquaculture equipment/pond/lab supplier with much wider portfolio of products and distribution. Competes in adjacent aquaculture categories but does not match PR Aqua's niche RAS design focus.

Direct peers

• AKVA Group: Norwegian aquaculture technology group providing RAS engineering, equipment (cages, sensors, feeding), and complete facility solutions. Direct competitor to PR Aqua, particularly in salmon RAS design and supply, with broader product portfolio and Norwegian salmon-industry incumbency.
• Billund Aquaculture: Danish RAS engineering firm specializing in turnkey land-based aquaculture facilities, particularly Atlantic salmon smolt and grow-out systems in Europe and elsewhere. Directly comparable engineering and equipment supply scope as PR Aqua.
• Innovasea: U.S.-based (Boston/Halifax) aquaculture technology company offering fish tracking, sensor systems, and complete RAS facility solutions for salmon and other species. Direct competitor in North American RAS design, equipment, and lifecycle support.
• AquaMaof Technologies: Israel-based RAS technology provider specializing in land-based salmon and shrimp farming facilities, with full design-build-operate capability. Competes with PR Aqua for industrial-scale Atlantic salmon RAS projects in North America and globally.

Emerging players

• Nordic Aquafarms: Norway-headquartered land-based salmon RAS developer with planned facilities in Maine and Europe. A peer of PR Aqua as a project owner potentially commissioning PR Aqua or competing for the same capital and contracts in the land-based salmon market.
• SBT (Smart Blue Technology) / similar RAS engineering firms: Smaller RAS engineering consultancy active in European salmon and shrimp RAS projects. Comparable to PR Aqua in offering design and equipment supply services at smaller scale and predominantly in European markets.
• Atlantic Sapphire: Miami-based land-based Atlantic salmon RAS operator (Miami Bluehouse) and a potential PR Aqua customer/peer in the same ecosystem. Competes for capital and project credibility in the land-based salmon space where PR Aqua provides engineering services.

Others

• Veolia Water Technologies (Hydrotech): Parent of Hydrotech, whose drum, belt, and disc filters PR Aqua distributes in North America (since 2019). Veolia is a global water technology incumbent that could choose to bypass PR Aqua and supply directly into aquaculture, representing both partner and competitive risk.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInca.linkedin.com/company/pr-aqua

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PR Aqua Supplies Ltd.