GOLDIS Bhd is investing in a firm with the rights to an Australian fish farming system that promises as much as 15 per cent returns on investment annually.

The firm, a private equity investor, is betting on rising demand for fish in the region, where in China alone, demand is expected to jump 50 per cent in 2010.

Goldis has signed an agreement with EPAQ Sdn Bhd and Fish Protech Malaysia Sdn Bhd to form a new company called Protech Yu (Asia) Sdn Bhd.

Under the agreement, Protech Yu (Asia) will be given the rights and master licence for the system for all of Asia.

The system is a land-based aquaculture technique known as Fish Protech Controlled Aquaculture System.

"More funds will be put in as and when we require to," Goldis chief executive officer Tan Lei Cheng told reporters after the signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

For a start, Goldis is investing RM1 million in the company.

It will commission a hatchery and all the supporting services required for the aquaculture whereby fish will be reared in a controlled and regulated environment.

Treated water will be used and organically farmed fish are guaranteed free of chemicals, antibiotics and pollutants.

Goldis and its wholly-owned subsidiary Goldis Yu Sdn Bhd will hold 10 per cent and 60 per cent respectively in Protech Yu. Their partners EPAQ and Fish Protech Malaysia will hold 25 per cent and 5 per cent respectively in Protech Yu.

EPAQ is the master licensor for the system which has assigned the licence to Protech Yu (Asia), while Fish Protech Malaysia was set up to develop the fish farms in Malaysia.

The technique is owned by Johan Don, an Australian entrepreneur, engineer and inventor of the core technology of land-based aquaculture technique known as Fish Protech CAS.

The system covers the production technology, proprietory equipment, installation, start-up services, farm operation and management know-how.

It is more cost-efficient than conventional aquaculture methods such as sea-based or pond aquaculture as it has better feed conversion, fewer stock losses and lower labour and maintenance loss.

"Once the farm is built, there is no need for any more equipment," Don said, adding that he guarantees the performance of the method, especially since 15-year-old farms in Australia are still running.

He said that every farmer in Australia who is using this method is performing better than their guarantee.

Along the way, apart from individual farmers, Goldis is looking at an "aquaculture park" model under which a huge space will be subdivided for fish farmers.

Investment by fish farmers could be as low as RM3 million and the payback is estimated to take about three to six years, depending on the fish species.