Fish Farmer 2020 Year Book

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26/11/2019 11:24 04/12/2019 15:48:44

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK

CONTENTS

3

Mowi

Foreword

PRODUCTION SURVEYS

PAGES 44-75 NEWS REVIEW PAGES

6-7 KAMES

75-108

16-21 Scottish Salmon Company

5 28-29 8-11 DNB 12-15 Photo Gallery 32-33 ContentsContents JCS Fish 4-15 48-49 4-14 4-15 41-43 42-44 38-39 38-40 120-123 22-26 4-14 Brussels News News Aqua 2018 Innovation Aquaculture Keeping it in the Family Observing, Photo Gallery 42-43 Shellfish 50-55 44-46 46-49 40-41 16-21 16-17 16-22 16-21 16-17 16-22 Brussels the future Aqua 2018 Innovation Aquaculture Fish Farm Surveys 2018 Industry pioneer News Extra platform Parliamentary inquiry Industry pioneer News Extra platform Parliamentary inquiry All the fish facts and figures 44-65 Fair hearing Fair hearing French connection Farmers must Uphold the codefight back French connection Farmers must fight back Uphold the code Shellfish Farm Surveys 22-23 18-19 24-27 22-23 18-19 24-27 66-75 TIA Shellfish facts and figures T Salmon market SSPO Salmon market SSPO I A 2019 News Review 76-108 A look back at 2019 56 48-49 50-58 42-45 Book review Training Aqua 2018 Innovation Aquaculture Photo Gallery 110-111 Fisheries Iceland 57 53-55 60-63 48-49 116-119 24 20 20-21 28-29 24 20 20-21 28-29 The Ice Man Cometh Aquaculture Nor Fishing Aqua 2018 UK Net cleaning BTA Shellfish Comment BTA Shellfish Comment Events: Aqua Nor 2019 34-37 112-114 A look back at Aqua Nor 124-125 58-59 60-63 68-69 51 26 22-23 30 26 22-23 30 Aquaculture Events Australia Training Seashbass UK Shellfi Comment BTA Shellfi sh Comment BTA 126-130 Your guide to next year Photo Gallery 28-31 24-25 32-33 28-31 24-25 32-33 132-133 SSPO Comment Scottish Shellfi sh Sea Farms SSPO Comment Scottish Shellfi sh Sea Farms From the Archive 134-135 A look back 32-33 26-27 26-30 34-35 32-33 26-27 26-30 34-35 69 64-67 70-73 52-54 Shellfi shfiSea Cleaner sh Farms Scottish Comment Shellfi shfiSea Cleaner sh Farms Scottish Comment Company Directory AQUA NOR 2019 Aquaculture Nigeria Networking Research UK 136-137 Find all you need 2020 Year planner 34-35 28-29 32-33 36-41 34-35 28-29 32-33 36-41 81-82 76-77 56-59 138-IBC Comment Cleaner sh Archive Orkney Farm visitfithe Comment Cleaner Orkney Farm visitfish 124-125 Plan for the year ahead Aquaculture UK From Value chains WELCOME From the Editor SSPO Glasgow Green Overview Fish farming is the future

Contents – Editor’s Welcome

JENNY JENNY HJUL HJUL –– EDITOR EDITOR

What’s happening in aquaculture in the UK and around the world

Salmon market What’s happening aquaculture Montpellier preview From shrimp toinrobust salmon Investor advice in the UK and around the world

Steve Bracken SSC’s record results Stewart Graham The final sessions

New processors’ groupon Sti rling course Pictures atmarket the exhibiti Insurance Steve Bracken SSC’s record results Stewart Graham The final sessions

JENNY JENNY HJUL HJUL –– EDITOR EDITOR

salmon farming sector in Scotland, when it was to salmon farming sector in Scotland, when told itwent was to he focus month istopictures on Europe, the internati T HE is no coincidence that andwhere videos of unhealthy Svideos Fish Farmer press, there was sti lltold no offi cialonal he focus this month istopictures on Europe, where the internati onal T HE is coincidence that and of unhealthy Sno Fish Farmer went press, there was sti llthis no offi cial be the subject of athe parliamentary inquiry, embraced be thewere subject ofScotti a be parliamentary inquiry, embraced industry will soon be gathering the EASinto (European salmon were sent to news outletsfor just asjoint the Scotti shthe news from the sh parliamentary inquiry salmon industry willsent soon gathering the EAS (European salmon to news outletsfor just asjoint the Scotti shScotti news from the sh parliamentary inquiry into salmon opportunity this would provide explain how it month. operated. opportunity this would provide explain how it operated.

Aquaculture Society) and WAS (World Aquaculture Society) parliament went back to work atto the start of this These farming, conducted earlier this year by the Rural Economy Aquaculture Society) and WAS (World Aquaculture Society) parliament back to work atto the start of this month.

These farming, went conducted earlier this year by the Rural Economy The had nothing and, ifgood given aof fair hearing, Current trends In health Julie Hesketh-Laird The had to hide and, ifindustry given fair could Meet the new chief conference, to behearing, staged over days in the southern French images had litt le to doFrench with thefive current state Scotland’s ficould shve and Connecti vity (REC) ee.

MSPs have now heldexecuti five conference, to benothing staged over days in theaof southern images had litt le to do with thefive current state Scotland’s fito shhide and industry Connecti vity (REC) committ ee.

MSPs have now held ficommitt ve address much of the criti levelled against it. address much of the criti cism levelled against it. city of As well asare highlighti ng the latest technological farms -Montpellier. where sea lice in decline and, inwe fact, at abe fivemeeti ngs, in private, to consider their report and must city ofngs, As well asare highlighti ng the latest technological farms -Montpellier. where sea lice in decline and, in fact, atlevels acism fivemeeti in private, tolevels consider their report and we must be Fish Farmer supported this at times salmon Fish Farmer supported this at times that salmon advances in felt our fast moving sector, Aqua 2018felt willthat alsohas feature year low (htt p://scotti shsalmon.co.uk/monthly-sea-lice-reports). pati ent.

However, waiti ng forview, theirbut recommendati ons been advances in our fast moving sector, Aqua 2018 will also feature year low (htt p://scotti shsalmon.co.uk/monthly-sea-lice-reports). pati ent.

However, waiti ng forview, theirbut recommendati ons has been farmers were being drowned out bywhich theREC noisier elements offarming the farmers were being drowned out by thelatest noisier elements ofcampaign, thewithin sessions on emerging markets and look atinvolves the role fishusual This allofthe made harder by-salmon leaks from the to anti -salmon sessions onpropaganda emerging markets and look at the role ofthe fish This campaign, which involves all usual madelatest harder by leaks from within the REC topropaganda anti farming angling lobby, which had called foras the investi gatiRural on.

But asngs angling lobby, which had called foras the investi gati on.

But as farming in alleviati ng poverty.

Increasingly, industry anti -aquaculture suspects, came Holyrood’s Economy acti vists.

The latest of these (see our news story onmeeti page 4)the farming inThe alleviati ngof poverty.

Increasingly, industry ngs anti -aquaculture suspects, came Holyrood’s Rural Economy activists. latest these (see our news story onmeeti page 4)the sessions progressed, and eventually farmers’ voices were heard, sessions progressed, and eventually farmers’ voices were heard, we are broadening their scope, tackling subjects such as the social and vity committ eeindustry returned the summer recess we to makes reading the asfrom it suggests that committ ee are broadening their scope, subjects such asthat thefor social and Connecti vity committ eetackling returned from the summer recess to makes grim reading for the industry asConnecti it grim suggests committ ee became more misti c.tointo We now believe MSPs, perhaps with acceptability ofopti and the contributi on it farming. makes toto global became more misti c.into Weand now believe MSPs, perhaps with acceptability ofopti aquaculture the contributi on itaquaculture makes global consider its draft report the future ofthat salmon members have been willing to listen to those campaigning consider its draft report the future ofthat salmon farming. members have been willing to listen to those campaigning to food security and saving the planet, a move that is to be welcomed. the excepti on of one or two Greens in cahoots with anti -farming food security and saving the planet, a move that is to be welcomed. the excepti on of one or two Greens in cahoots with anti -farming Those who want to shut down the industry have, as expected, shut down this valuable sector, rather than to those who operate Those whothis want to shutsector, downrather the industry expected, shut down valuable than tohave, thoseaswho operate Also investi gati initi ati veswhich inregard thenow developing world, Harrison will, balance, the industry in a Dr favourable Also investi gati ngacti initi aties, veswhich inregard thecampaigners, developing world, Dr Harrison campaigners, will, on balance, the industry inngacti aon favourable stepped viti es, involve breaching the within it.up their stepped viti now involve breaching the within it.up their Charo Karisa ofphotographs WorldFish writes thesnatch farming al inthe Charo Karisa ofhopefully WorldFish writes the farming potenti alsee inthe light.

They will hopefully that farmers take their environmental light.

They will that farmers take their environmental biosecure environments of farm sites to photographs in Of to course, such stories may beabout inaccurate and, inpotenti any case, biosecure environments of farm sites snatch in Of course, such storiessee may beabout inaccurate and, in any case, Nigeria, both catf ish and tilapia culti vati on.against Nigeria, catfish and tilapia culti vati on. responsibiliti and that will only ever invest responsibiliti seriously and that will only ever invest in the hope of fies nding incriminati ng businesses evidence farmers.

Onein committ ee’s fiin ndings are not binding.

Scotland’s fish farmers the hopeboth of fies nding incriminati ng businesses evidence against farmers.

One committ ee’s fiin ndings are not binding.

Scotland’s fiseriously sh farmers In Scotland, the summer has aofwaiti ngminister, game In Scotland, the summer something of aofwaiti ngminister, game What’s in aofname?

Dr Nick Lake growth that is sustainable.

Phil Thomas growth that isfibeen sustainable. campaigner fibeen lmed himself searching, unsuccessfully, for dead have always fortunate tobeen havesomething the support their campaigner lmed himselfhas searching, unsuccessfully, for dead have always fortunate tobeen have the support their while the parliament is into recess and thethose members of Holyrood’s while the parliament is in recess and members of Holyrood’s Ifthe the ee members, yet to of If the ee members, those have yet fi sh at acommitt Marine Harvest site.ofespecially Another said hewho sawhave ‘hundreds’ Fergus Ewing, to grow sustainably. fi sh at acommitt Marine Harvest site.especially Another said hewho saw ‘hundreds’ Fergus Ewing, to grow sustainably.

Ruralamore Economy and Connecti vity ee conti nue tosubject weigh up Rurala Economy and Connecti vity ee conti nue weighlike up visit farm, tocommitt learn more about the of visit farm, like tocommitt learn about the subject ofwe infested salmon into awould pen, only have his word against that But itsalmon should not go unchallenged that some MSPs on the REC infested salmon in go awould pen, but we only have his word against that But itsalmon should not unchallenged that some MSPs on the but REC the evidence in We their inquiry into salmon farming.

We don’t expect the evidence in their inquiry into salmon farming. don’t expect their inquiry, we have plenty of good stories in our May issue. their inquiry, we have plenty of good stories in our May issue.

Even of the professional vets and biologists who manage the of welfare of committ ee, with their own against the growth theEven of the professional vetsown andagendas biologists who manage the welfare of hope committ ee, with their against the growth of theagendas their report unti l the autumn but the MSPs are using the time their report until the autumn but hope the MSPs are using the time bett er, they could head to Highlands later this month, where bett er,farms they could headbasis. to the Highlands later this month, where these farms on a daily basis. industry, are in breach of the Code of Conduct for MSPs. As they these on a daily industry, are in breach of Code of Conduct for MSPs. As they tofacts become fully acquainted about fish farming.

Editor: Edler to become fully acquainted withDave the about fish farming. with the facts Montpellier report Dr en Marti n Jaff asalmon Doug McLeod they meet the aquaculture industry masse at Scotland’s they meeton the aquaculture industry en masse at Scotland’s If the isto proud ofreti high standards, as it says itlongest is, it are inwill aindustry positi on inflitthe uence future course of farming, If the isto proud ofreti itsthe high standards, as itsalmon says is, ititsthe are inwill aindustry positi inflthe uence future course of farming, This month also sees rement of Marine Harvest’s This month also sees rement of Marine Harvest’s longest Designer: Andrew Balahura biggest fiof sh itself, farming show. biggest fish farming show. must awe much more robustWe defence itself, through its andeconomy, ofmount businesses vital Scotland’s economy, we have a right must a much more robustWe defence through its and ofmount businesses vital toBracken.

Scotland’s have a to right serving employee, Steve Bracken. had nooftrouble collecti ng serving employee, Steve had no trouble collecti ng We will certainly be at Aquaculture UK inindustry, Aviemore and We will certainly be at Aquaculture UK in Aviemore and look Advertising: Janice Callum Docherty representati body, the SSPO, than itthe has done tothrough date.

The to know who are, and weand hope its representati vethey body, the SSPO, than itthe has done to date.

The to know who are, and weJohnston, hope industry, through its warm tributes from his friends colleagues to mark thelook warm tributes from his friends and colleagues tovethey mark the forward toand, seeing many ofatthe you there too. forward toand, seeing many of the you there too. campaigners, we now see, will stop at representati ves, will pressure the parliament toand investi gateatbefore campaigners, we now see, willrest stop at and farmers representati ves, will pressure the parliament to investi gate before Publisher: Alister Bennett milestone along with rest of thenothing, industry, thefarmers team Fish milestone along with of thenothing, industry, the team Fish should be prepared to fivery ght back. thethe REC report published. should prepared to fivery ght back. the RECbe report published.

Farmer wish himisall the best for the future.

Farmer wish himisall the best for future.

Rising stars Marti nBrown Jaff a Orkney anniversary Janet

Current trends In good Julie Hesketh-Laird Meet thehealth new chief executive

Focus cleaner fish Martyn Haines Conference round-up Best ofonthe start-ups

Introducti onons Farming angle Focus Africa Robot on soluti What’s in a name?

Dr Nick Lake Phil Thomas

Chris Mitchell Barramundi boom Martyn Haines European leaders Montpellier report Dr Marti n Jaff a Doug McLeod

Rising stars Marti nBrown Jaff a Orkney anniversary Janet

@fishfarmermagazine @fishfarmermag www.fishfarmer-magazine.com Fish Farmer is now on www.fishfarmer-magazine.com Fish Farmer is now on www.fi shfarmermagazine.com Facebook and Twitter

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www.fishupdate.com

Meet the us team Contact Meet the team Editorial Advisory Board: Steve Editorial Advisory Board: Steve Publications, Tel: +44(0) 131Fettes 551 1000Park, Head Office: Special Fax: +44(0) 131 551Landsburgh, 7901 Scott Landsburgh, Hervé Steve Bracken, Scott Hervé Migaud, Bracken, Scott Landsburgh, Hervé Bracken, Steve Bracken, Scott HervéLandsburgh, Migaud, 496Jim Ferry Road, EH5 2DL email:Migaud, Migaud, Patrick Smith and Jim Hervé Patrick Smith, Patrick Smith, Jim Treasurer and Migaud, Patrick Smith and Jim Hervé Patrick Smith, PatrickMigaud, Smith, Treasurer and Edinburgh,

FFYB Contents.indd 3

Treasurer, Wiliam Jim Treasurer and Dowds William Dowds William Dowds Editor: Jenny Hjul Designer: Andrew Balahura Advertising Manager: Team Leader: Dave Edler dedler@fishupdate.com Advertising Executive: Scott Binnie sbinnie@fishupdate.com Publisher: Alister Bennett

jhjul@fi shupdate.com Treasurer, Wiliam Jim Treasurer and Dowds William Dowds William Dowds Editor: Jenny Hjul Head OffiAndrew ce: Special Publications, Designer: Balahura Fettes Park, 496 Ferry Road, Advertising Manager: Team2DL Leader: Edinburgh, EH5 Dave Edler

13

Contact us

Janet Machrihanish Orkney farm Marti nBrown Jaff a visit Meet the team on Boosti ng producti Dave Chris Conley Mitchell

Tel: +44(0) 131 551 1000 Fax: +44(0) 131 551 7901 email: jhjul@fishupdate.com Marti nofJaff a era Vaccines New player Dawn new Head Office: Special Publications, Fettes Park, 496 Ferry Road, Edinburgh, EH5 2DL

Marti nofJaff a era Vaccines New player Dawn new Awards David LittinleChina reports Growth Developing trends

Tel: +44(0) 131 551 1000 Fax: +44(0) 131 551 7901

Janet Machrihanish Orkney farm Marti nBrown Jaff a visit

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36-39 32-35 34-35 43-45 Wild salmon Cleaner fish decline Orkney IoA careers

36-39 32-35 34-35 43-45 91 78-79 63salmon Wild decline Cleaner fi&shMarketing Orkney IoA careers Retail Processing & Retail News

Figure 9. Development Figure 9. Development of salmon nominal catch in southern and northern NEAC 1971 to 2016. of salmon nominal catch in southern and northern NEAC 1 dedler@fishupdate.com Text at top inserted by author. Filled symbols and darker line southern NEAC. Text at top inserted by author. Filled symbols and darker line southern NEAC. The mackerel hypothesis Transport Leask Marine Sti rling students The mackerel hypothesis Transport Leask Marine Sti rling students Adverti sing Executive: Eat more fishchallenges Save Pinneys jobs Carlisle jobs Subscriptions Recruitment Subscriptions Scott Binnie Subscriptions Address: Wyvex Subscriptions Address: Wyvex sbinnie@fi shupdate.com Media, Media, FREEPOST FREEPOST RTEY RTEY YUBG YUBG TYUB, TYUB, Media, Media, FREEPOST FREEPOST RTEY RTEY YUBG YUBG TYUB, TYUB, Publisher: Alister Bennett 05/12/2019 11:37:49 WethersTrinity House, House, Sculpins Sculpins Lane, Lane, WethersTrinity Sculpins Lane, Trinity House, House, Sculpins Lane, WethersWethers- Trinity

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04/12/2019 16:14:44

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 5

WELCOME

By DAVE EDLER

W

a month by month reminder of what was, as usual, a roller coaster year for the industry. As ever, though, there were many more highs than lows, and we hope that we have managed to do justice to them by chronicling them here.

elcome to the second edition of the Fish Farmer Year Book, which once again is being sent out with the December edition of our magazine, but is intended to be kept as a guide for the whole of 2020.

The year book is also intended to serve as a useful ‘reference point’ for all those new to fish and shellfish farming and to look at how businesses progress and respond to the challenges they may face.

I would like to start by thanking the contributors and advertisers who combined to make the first year of the publication such a success, it is never easy launching a new As we go to press, here in THE YEARS printed publication with the Scotland (and in the wider UK) current market conditions, we are bracing ourselves for BOOK IS ALSO but your support means result of our forthcoming INTENDED TO SERVE the that this year book can General Election. Dependnow go on to become a ing on its result, we may AS A USEFUL ‘staple’ of the Fish Farmer nally reach the end of our ‘REFERENCE POINT’ fiBrexit family. impasse and have FOR THOSE NEW something different to fret This edition once again about next year – or maybe contains all the statistics TO THE we won’t! you could possibly need (and INDUSTRY probably some that you don’t!)

Whatever the future brings, for the year just ended, as well as have a great 2020.

Sponsored by

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6

FERGUS EWING

FOREWORD

By FERGUS EWING Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy

T

he Scottish Government values the role that aquaculture plays in our rural economy and communities, particularly in remote rural and island areas where many of the jobs are highly skilled and well paid.

Our most recent estimates show that aquaculture directly employs more than 2,000 people in Scotland and contributes around £436M in gross value added to the economy, with significant wider impacts across the supply chain estimated to be around £620M in GVA and 12,000 jobs across the Scottish economy.

Encouragingly, HMRC statistics for 2019 show salmon exports have increased on the previous year, demonstrating that Scotland really is a location to invest in for the future. And companies are investing – in new hatcheries, feed facilities, new technologies, new farm sites and in expanding operations. The Scottish Government welcomes this and the contribution it makes to our economic wellbeing.

2019 was another packed year for Scottish aquaculture. It saw the conclusion of the parliamentary Inquiry into Scottish salmon farming and a re-affir-

Foreword.indd 6

mation of the need to continually improve our efforts to sustainably grow the industry while also – and crucially – protecting the environment.

In July I updated the Scottish Parliament on progress to implement Scotland’s Ten Year Farmed Fish Health Framework, particularly to tighten the regulation of sea lice. It is an issue which affects any nation with open-cage finfish production: we must improve fish health for their welfare, but sea lice are an important matter when considering interactions with wild fish.

I am determined that we apply a Team Scotland mind-set to the governance of Scottish aquaculture, ensuring a joined-up approach that helps to prevent challenges arising, which provides a proportionate approach to consenting but on a Team Scotland basis. We also need to ensure we are collaborating across sectors but also internationally, and adopting an evidence based policy making approach to how we support the industry in the future.

We have moved quickly in the last year to do more in the area of fish health, through the Ten Year Framework, the Salmon Interactions Working Group and a regulators’ technical working group.

Above left: Fergus Ewing. Above and opposite: Scottish salmon

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK

7

The role of aquaculture businesses and wider sector is key to this work – we need the experience and expertise working in the industry brings, as well as that of scientists, stakeholders and public agencies. There is a collective will to move beyond the status quo.

I had the privilege of attending Aqua Nor in August and took part in a seminar which explored how to attract investment to Scotland to drive further sustainable growth across the whole supply chain. It struck me that we are ideally positioned; we already have world-renowned farmed seafood (as evidenced by growing markets in Europe, Asia and the US), and flourishing Scottish industry expertise, knowledge and skills. There’s a big prize to be won if we can develop our position as truly world leading in all aspects of aquaculture.

Of course, climate change is both a challenge and an opportunity. Our seas are warming and we need to understand the impact of that on farming salmon, trout and shellfish in Scotland’s waters. If done right, aquaculture can provide healthy protein with one the lowest carbon footprints by production method.

This is now recognised as a crucial benefit of farmed fish and seafood, as people rightly increasingly ask challenging questions about where their food has come from and what impact its production has had on the planet. As an outward facing nation, we can and must actively engage with other countries to address the challenge and embrace the opportunity.

2020, have not gone away. I am afraid that like

2019, 2020 may well be a year of continued CLIMATE uncertainty, and the whole industry will CHANGE IS have to continue to prepare, and continue to build resilience. More positively, the BOTH A need to plan for Brexit has allowed the bringing together of producers from CHALLENGE across our food and drink industry to AND AN better understand and collaborate to find OPPORTUNITY solutions. This is an asset we should now

Our position in the world, and the prosperity of the aquaculture industry, is facing another threat. As 2019 draws to a close we have not left the European Union, but Brexit, and the threat of a disorderly no-deal Brexit in

Foreword.indd 7

build on. Ultimately the strength of our trading relationships around the world, the high reputation for our product, and our leading approach to fish health, will be the resources we lean on to weather these challenges.

I am sure that 2020 offers the Scottish aquaculture sector another busy and productive year. For my own part I am particularly looking forward to Aquaculture UK in Aviemore and in Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters as a way of celebrating and raising awareness of the huge contribution Scotland’s aquaculture industry makes to our communities and economy. I intend to continue to get out and see as much Scottish aquaculture as I can. This Government will remain absolutely committed to continuing to grow this vital industry sustainably for the future while acting to protect the environment when needed. We must continue to work collectively to do so.

04/12/2019 15:59:33

8

COMMENT – SCOTTISH SALMON PRODUCERS’ ORGANISATION

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04/12/2019 16:03:52

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK

9

Glasgow Green COP26 set to highlight aquaculture’s great green credentials

By JULIE HESKETH-LAIRD CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SCOTTISH SALMON PRODUCERS ORGANISATION

F

or a few short days in November 2020, the world’s attention will be focused on Glasgow.

TV satellite trucks will line the Clyde waterfront, roads will be sealed off and demonstrators will converge on what will be the biggest environmental conference the UK has ever seen.

This will be COP26, the latest attempt by the world’s leaders to find consensus on dealing with climate change. The conference will represent the culmination of a year of activity which will put the environment front and centre for the media and for politicians everywhere.

At the same time, Brexit will again dominate the news agenda in the UK. With the end of 2020 already looming as a potentially decisive point, it will be impossible to avoid this long-running saga once again in 2020.

The Scottish salmon sector will be at the heart of both of these dominant issues: the environment and Brexit. Scotland’s salmon farming companies have taken the decision

SSPO.indd 9

to be far more pro-active on the environment.

They know they have a good story to tell – aquaculture is low carbon, low feed, low water use, healthy protein and the way to feed a growing world – and they intend to tell it.

Part of this will come in the form of ambitious new targets which the sector will unveil in the first few months of 2020 but part will come in a strong and coordinated communications campaign, to make sure the sector’s environmental message is heard loud and clear, not just by stakeholders but by consumers too.

The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation spent much of 2019 working closely with its partners in the white fish sector to fight the knock-on effects of the ‘no deal’ Brexit. Considerable progress was made. In a lengthy series of meetings with UK government ministers, the SSPO and the caught fish sector managed to secure agreement to prioritise seafood consignments to the continent, if the UK left the EU without a deal.

There was similar progress made

Left: Julie HeskethLaird

04/12/2019 16:04:26

10 COMMENT – SCOTTISH SALMON PRODUCERS’ ORGANISATION

on the difficult issue of certification.

A sudden departure from the EU, without a deal, would have seen the overnight imposition of a huge amount of new paperwork.

That extra paperwork threatened to overwhelm the hauliers and the salmon producers but, by working with the Scottish government, local authorities and the UK authorities, this was – if not solved – then certainly ameliorated by the time the Halloween Brexit deadline passed.

With those solutions now in place, at least in theory, the SSPO – and bodies representing other seafood producers – will start to focus now on the free trade agreement the UK government needs to secure with the EU. This is vital for the tariff-free move-

SSPO.indd 10

ment of seafood to the continent, a situation everybody in the Scottish seafood sector wants to see continue. But this last year saw changes in other areas too. The SSPO led the way on transparency and openness, publishing data on sea lice numbers and survivability to a much tighter timescale than had been the case before.

The sector used to publish this data with a three-month time lag. Now most of the sector publishes this data just a month in arrears, with the rest being published after two months.

The SSPO compiled and published a report showing the huge economic benefit the sector generates for the UK. It showed that average salaries are £34,000, turns over £1 billion a

Above: Gourmet sushi

04/12/2019 16:04:49

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 11

year and produces £650 million in gross value added to the economy.

This was the year when salmon regained its place as the UK’s top food export, with more than £600 million-worth sent to 55 different countries in 2019.

This is all done, according to another SSPO publication, from an area no bigger than half the size of Edinburgh Airport.

But it is the environment which is the focus of the world’s attention now – as it is for the salmon sector as well.

Figures published in 2019 showed that Scottish salmon survivability rates rose through 2019 while sea lice levels were at their lowest since records began in 2013. Another key survey revealed that medicine use was down 64 per cent between 2016 and 2018.

These are among the key messages the sector will take to COP26 when the world’s leaders descend on Glasgow in November.

Scottish salmon has a great story to tell on the environment. We will try to make sure everybody connected with the conference hears that message and, if possible, has the opportunity – the privilege - to taste the product too.

Above: Scottish salmon on location

“Scotland’s salmon farming companies have taken the decision to be far more pro-active on the environment”

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04/12/2019 16:06:21

12 COMMENT

Fish farming is the future Scotland can fulfil its potential with the nation’s support

T

HERE is no lack of ambition among salmon farmers around the world and growth strategies are the common denominator between all the major producing centres, Scotland included. . There is no shortage of investment either, with most companies ploughing their profits into better equipment, infrastructure, and technological advances.

The incentive, apart from the obvious financial reward, is to meet ever increasing global demand, in markets old and new.

Aquaculture could feed almost two thirds of the world’s population according to a report by the UN’s Marine Panel, published in November.

But like any industry, aquaculture needs government support to flourish, and as the international salmon sector has witnessed in the past year, this is by no means a given.

Ireland was the latest salmon nation to raise fears about its future, after promised regulatory reforms failed to materialise. The country has had no

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By JENNY HJUL

new permits approved for 11 years and if its policy makers don’t wake up soon, the biggest farmer, Mowi, will seek opportunities elsewhere.

In Canada, the situation is worse, at least on the west coast where British Columbia’s producers have been the target of the most aggressive activism against salmon farming, going back years.

Despite able leadership in the sector and community backing, including from its many First Nations employees, the regional and federal administrations seem determined to close it down.

At the start of the year, BC’s biggest demon was the local agriculture minister Lana Popham, inexplicably hostile towards her salmon farming constituents.

By the end of the year, BC’s problems had escalated, with the prime minister, Justin Trudeau, fighting his (successful) re-election campaign on a stop salmon farming platform.

Over on the east coast,

THERE IS NO LACK OF AMBITION AMONG SALMON FARMERS

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salmon regions such as Newfoundland have attracted greater political sympathy – although that was tested when Mowi’s new acquisition, Northern Harvest, lost 2.6 million fish in the summer, attributed to warming sea temperatures, and its licences were suspended.

Salmon farmers know they cannot take friendly politicians, or the public, for granted. Even in Norway, councillors in Tromso have threatened to ban open net pen farming. They haven’t succeeded, but if such opposition exists in the greatest of the salmon nations, it can emerge anywhere.

Scotland’s salmon businesses have enjoyed the advocacy of their minister, Fergus Ewing, since his appointment

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in 2016. A politician who understands the sector and its worth, in the good and bad times, is to be treasured.

But as 2019 has proved, a ministerial ally does not spare the industry from scrutiny or from meeting exacting standards.

It was under Ewing’s watch, in 2018, that Scottish salmon farmers were put under the microscope of two parliamentary inquiries, and on his recommendation that changes are being implemented now.

These include improved reporting of sea lice levels on a farm by farm basis, as well as the publishing of mortality figures, and their causes.

And the first steps to move farms from ‘sensitive’ inshore sites, another recommendation, were taken by Mowi with the announcement it would relocate its Loch Ewe farm to a more exposed area at Scalpay.

Farmers this year have continued to address health issues, and their interactions with wild salmon, on various

Left and above: Scottish salmon industry at its best

“Against this

backdrop of ground breaking wizardry, the critics sound antediluvian”

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14 COMMENT

committees, alongside government officials, veterinary professionals, angling bodies and NGOs. This does not make the industry immune from calamity or nature, and despite predictions that 2019 would be a bumper one for harvest volumes, farmers have had to battle disease and higher than average mortalities this autumn, again blamed on climate change.

Such are the challenges of farming, whether terrestrial or at sea, and the biggest losers are the farmers themselves. Apart from the costs, the loss of livestock is most devastating to those who have spent months and years rearing it.

As Ewing has always insisted, the industry’s growth, which he wholeheartedly endorses, must be sustainable.

To this end, innovation in the industry is embracing cutting edge science, in genetic selection, for example (with Scotland’s own experts leading the way), and in the application of Silicon Valley inventiveness.

The farms of today are already high tech operations, equipped with biomass measuring systems and remote feeding and health monitoring technology.

The farms of tomorrow will be even smarter, judging by the development of machine learning, artificial intelligence and computer vision witnessed at shows such as Aqua Nor in Trondheim in August and Aquaculture Europe in Berlin in October.

Farmers will one day be able to identify individual fish in a pen, diagnose disease by changes in behaviour, and estimate fish ap-

Above: Scottish farm, salmon smolt

“The industry

needs to make itself heard”

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 15

petites. Also in the pipeline are copper infused nets that clean themselves.

This year has seen Scottish ingenuity celebrated – at Aqua Nor, when Benchmark’s CleanTreat sea lice system won Nor-Fishing’s Innovation Award – and in India, when Ace Aquatec picked up the Global Aquaculture Alliance top prize for its humane stunner.

The scientists and inventors are not sitting still - even if their regulators are slower to adapt to progress – and they will give farmers the tools to reduce costs, mortalities and environmental impact.

Against this backdrop of ground breaking wizardry, the small but voluble band of fish farming critics sound antediluvian.

In Scotland, mostly representing angling interests, they have spent the past year flying drones over remote sea pens, or lifting lids on shore based bins, in the hope of finding dead fish.

It’s an odd way to make a case, and limited to aquaculture; dead lambs on hill farms are largely of interest only to sheep farmers.

But farmed salmon, unlike poultry, pigs or cattle, continue to stir passions among normally rational pressmen and disproportionate numbers of BBC presenters. Some, but not all, are sports fishermen who blame farmed fish for the decline of wild stocks. Valid or not, their voice is loud.

The industry’s is not, but it needs to make itself heard. If Scotland – or any aquaculture region – is to harness the full potential of its fish farming industry, its public agencies (councils, quangos, parliamentarians) as well as its private enterprises must champion its contribution to healthy, carbon friendly food production, its revital-

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Left and above: Research and development in action

ising of coastal communities and its economic importance.

Fish farming not only has a future, it is the future.

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16 MOWI - ADVERTORIAL

Location, location, location Mowi announces plans for new site locations, utilising latest technology to help select and sustain sites best suited for growing fish

F

Below: Loch Ailort farm, 1971. Opposite Rum farm, 2019

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ifty years ago, when salmon farming pioneers closed the growth cycle on salmon, they were soon looking for locations to grow their business. Many factors went into deciding which sites made for good growing, with decisions strongly linked to the infrastructure available to fish farmers at that time.

Systems made primarily of wood and limited anchoring strength were strong determiners in placing farm sites in enclosed lochs, tucked away from high-energy locations that risked cages being torn up in storms and fish escaping.

Being near roads for ease of smolt deliveries and market access was also key, as was being situated close to local services. Fair to say decisions were made on behalf of business and people rather than fish.

Evolution Or Revolution?

A lot has happened in 50 years. Vinyl records turned into digital streaming and pinball machines are now Fortnight. Salmon farming has also evolved significantly, albeit quietly: Today’s robust steel and polyethylene kit can withstand severe challenges from Mother Nature, new science tools can identify prime locations and

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more accurately measure impacts, and technology further improves the environmental performance of salmon farming.

In 1971, 14 tonnes of salmon were harvested from Loch Ailort farm site – Mowi’s first farm to be licensed in Scotland. Four decades on, in 2014, the Isle of Muck farm opened, with a carrying capacity for 2500 tonnes of salmon. In 2019 following detailed environmental investigations and advanced modelling studies Mowi secured the necessary permissions to increase Mowi’s licensed production to 3500 tonnes.

Mowi has, for many years now, realised the opportunity afforded by new technologies to move toward exposed locations in high-energy waters. Muck was soon followed by Colonsay, and the Isle of Rum ponded its first crop in 2018. These locations place Mowi salmon far from sensitive habitats important to wild salmonids and other marine life. And in return, the exposed locations and natural tides provide

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Mowi fish with cold and clear waters – the fish never seeing the same water twice.

Status Has Never Been Quo The Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee (RECC) report, released in the autumn of 2018, recommended the Scottish Government discuss with salmon farm companies the potential to minimise risk to wild salmon and to improve the locations of existing farms and grow production in a sustainable way. The report recognised Mowi’s voluntary siting initiative that sees new sites located in areas far removed from sensitive wild salmonid habitats. Further to this the Committee recommended a “proactive shift towards siting new farms in more suitable areas away from migratory routes and

“In 1971, 14

tonnes of salmon were harvested from Loch Ailort farm site”

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18 MOWI - ADVERTORIAL

that this should be highlighted in the strategic guidance on the siting of salmon farms” (Recommendation 46).

In 2019, Mowi announced its plan to relocate two farms that it felt were not best suited for today’s modern aquaculture regulations, nor able to meet the high standards of performance due to the enclosed nature of the sea lochs where the farms are situated and the sites’ proximity to sensitive wild salmonid habitats.

In October Mowi confirmed the first transfer of biomass (and associated staff) from Loch Ewe to the Isle of Scalpay.

Ewe will close when the last fish is harvested near the end of 2020 whilst Scalpay is set to open in spring 2020.

Opportunities for future relocations and new sites will continue to be explored by the company’s expert team of oceanographers and marine biologists.

Above: Mowi’s AquaStorm concept

Leading The Blue Revolution The sustainability path doesn’t have an end point. Therefore, Mowi continues to dream about what the future may bring. For salmon farming, it means further research and innovation that taps the full potential of the sea to produce food – bringing maximum benefit with minimal negative impacts. There will be many ways forward, and salmon farmers at Mowi will continue to lead a Blue Revolution with disruptive concepts. One such idea is AquaStorm: merging technologies from sub-sea, offshore and aquaculture industries to enable farming in deep ocean environments in a manner safe for people and fish.

Is it only a dream? Likely not. Afterall, it was just 50 years ago that viewers watched the first season of Star Trek and thought that flip phone in Captain Kirk’s hand was 200 years away from reality.

SALMON FARMERS AT MOWI WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD A BLUE REVOLUTION

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A part of the fabric While Mowi’s salmon reaches markets all around the world, the company remains focused on ensuring positive impacts associated with its business activities are felt locally

W

hen Ian and Kate Bolas moved to the Isle of Rum in 2012 from Wales, they were ready for a pace of life that only a remote island can bring – one that only kicks in to high gear when the ferry stops in to move people or supplies.

With this slower place of life come the challenges of employment to attract people and families to the area. Without employment opportunities, people can’t live in such remote places and things like schools

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and other services come under more pressure as resident numbers decrease.

In 2016, the Rum community decided to work with Mowi to build an aquaculture development. The project would see not just anchors placed at sea, but also foundations built on the island, literally cementing a commitment to the island.

“More has happened on Rum in the past year than in the past decade,” Ian pointed out when interviewed

by BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today programme about his life on Rum and work at Mowi.

Above: Mowi’s shore base at Rum

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20 MOWI - ADVERTORIAL

“Space has

been cleared at the housing development for the community to build four more houses” Comfortable housing built with a low carbon footprint by Scotland’s Carbon Dynamics Ltd. is available to employees who call Rum home for their fortnight work shifts. Space has been cleared at the housing development for the community to build four more houses in the hopes that additional families will look to call Rum home, once again filling up the school. Parents can also taking advantage of new local employment opportunities or home-based ventures now made possible by the installation of fiber optic broadband, with Rum now boasting some of the best internet service, surpassing quality and speed in some regions of the mainland.

To help the islanders arriving by private vessels moor up safely, Mowi anchored ten floats in the harbour.

For a reasonable fee, visitors can anchor in Loch Scresort before making their way to the island to tour Kinloch Castle or hike west toward the Bullough mausoleum at Harris.

Top: Staffing accommodations on Rum, 2019. Above: The Claddach Kirkibost Centre children’s play area, North Uist

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Build it and they will dock Rum has seen a shore base warehouse and office built near the ferry landing, with residents benefitting from Mowi’s nearby equipment to help with supply movements.

Work And Play As Mowi families populate the small rural villages along the West Highlands and Islands, it’s important for them to enjoy an attractive lifestyle.

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Mowi’s community funding is focussed on supporting a variety of community organisations in the regions where the company operates and includes service groups, sports teams, social programs, schools, and salmon conservation programs.

In 2019, specific programmes receiving assistance included The Outward Bound Trust (Lochaber), Claddach Kirkibost Community Hub (North Uist), Eilean Dorcha Festival (Benbecula), and the Lochalsh Leisure Centre (Kyle). These programmes are of vital importance to their communities as they are there for everyone to enjoy and provide a communal space to be active and social.

Legacy support for Scotland’s Cama-

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nachd Association has continued to provide much needed financial support to the sport of shinty. The partnership is now in its 34th year, and it’s exciting for staff – many who are players, coaches, referees and proud parents – to see the success the game of shinty has realised over the decades.

Launched in 2019, the ‘Salmon Wagon’ will be key to providing support at events in the regions where Mowi operates.. Each event will partner with a charity, and all funds raised by selling delicious tastings of barbequed salmon will go directly to each charity. So if you see the Salmon Wagon visit your community this summer, come and support a local charity whilst enjoying a tasty meal.

Above: The ‘Salmon Wagon’ launched in 2019.

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22 THE SCOTTISH SALMON COMPANY - ADVERTORIAL

Pride, Passion & Provenance Committed to responsible business development

A

s Scotland’s leading producer of Scottish Salmon, The Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) prides itself on being a responsible business, with its three core values, Pride, Passion and Provenance at its heart.

With over 650 staff across 60 sites in the remote and rural communities of the West Coast and Hebrides, SSC’s long-term strategy for responsible business

development continues to progress and as the business grows, so does our commitment to sustainability and our responsibilities.

Responsibility is the key driver in the SSC strategy for business growth, the responsibility of the stock, people and environment are embedded in the core values of Pride, Passion and Provenance.

As part of SSC’s efforts to deliver responsible development, they partnered with Pure

Left: Lochlander salmon box Opposite: The Scottish Salmon Company and Rhunahaorine Primary School

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 23

Energy Centre (PEC), Community Energy Scotland and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (CnES) to collaborate on the unique Outer Hebrides Local Energy Hub (OHLEH) project. The first of its kind in Scotland, it recently has been awarded the Partnership Scotland Award at this year’s VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards. The project involves the transfer of waste from our processing site on the Isle of Lewis, which is integrated with other local household and garden waste in anaerobic digester and then broken down to produce biogas at the CnES Household Waste and Recycling Centre at Creed. This biogas fuels a Combined Heat and Power Plant with some of the electricity generated to drive and electrolyser supplied by PEC, which in turn produces green hydrogen and green oxygen for use

SSC.indd 23

“Responsibility is the key driver in the strategy for business growth”

at the hatchery in Lewis, as well as providing fuel for CnES’s hydrogen powered bin lorry.

This successful multi-sector partnership between two businesses, an environmental charity and a local authority, is a great example of local collaboration, which could act as a blueprint for national best practice, not just in the salmon farming industry, but across many other sectors.

SSC’s commitment to the envi-

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24 THE SCOTTISH SALMON COMPANY - ADVERTORIAL

Above: Native Hebridean Salmon Opposite: Tartan Salmon Japan

SSC.indd 24

ronmental, cultural and economic sustainability of rural Scotland underpins its strategy, and central to this is developing exports that create and retain value in the remote and rural communities in which it operates.

The Highlands and surrounding Islands are integral to our heritage and products. SSC has developed

strong agship brands underpinned by its commitment to Scottish provenance; including its unique Native Hebridean Salmon, Tartan Salmon Label Rouge and Lochlander Salmon. Its salmon attracts customers from all over the world with nearly 70% of its Scottish Salmon exported to 26 countries, from North America to the Far East. SSC was there-

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 25

fore delighted to be recognised in three categories at the renowned Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards 2019 in recognition of its performance over the past 12 months. It picked up three prestigious awards in the Business Growth, Export and Marketing categories.

This year SSC became the UK’s first salmon producer to be recognised with a 3-star ‘Best Aquaculture Practice’ (BAP) certification.

BAP is the world’s most trusted and comprehensive third-party aquaculture certification programme, and the only certification to cover the entire aquaculture production chain, from hatcheries to farms to processing plants. Mirroring the commitment to environmental stewardship, sustainability and producing the highest quality Scottish Salmon, BAP operates according to four ‘Pillars

SSC.indd 25

of Responsible Aquaculture’; food safety, social welfare, environmental and animal health. It was awarded a third star for sourcing feed from BAP certified suppliers and already held two stars for its processing sites and all marine sites throughout the West Coast of Scotland and Hebrides.

It accepted its third star at the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) in Boston in March, where SSC showcased its Lochlander Salmon and Native Hebridean Salmon. The North American export market is a key focus, where demand for quality, traceability and Scottish provenance continues to grow, with sales increasing six-fold in the last

SCOTTISH SALMON COMPANY HELPED FUND OVER 30 COMMUNITY GROUPS

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26 THE SCOTTISH SALMON COMPANY - ADVERTORIAL

“This year SSC

became the UK’s first salmon producer to be recognised with a 3-star ‘Best Aquaculture Practice’ (BAP) certification” two years.

A significant part of SSC’s commitment to the environmental, cultural and economic sustainability of rural Scotland is its community engagement programme. Through the Community Charter the Company outlines its commitment to working closely with its people, suppliers and the local communities in which it operates. SSC is committed to playing an active role in its communities, with a focus on promoting health and wellbeing by supporting local, traditional, cultural and sporting events such as the Cowal Gathering and Lochcarron Highland Games, which are key gathering places and have been a highlight of the rural calendar for centuries.

The Community Fund also encourages staff to engage with their local communities by nominating local groups and charities who support health and wellbeing. Last year SSC helped fund over 30 community groups, including Uist and Barra Foodbank and Rhunahaorine

SSC.indd 26

Primary, who used their donation to purchase new waterproods to be used during their Forest/Beach School sessions.

2020 sees this community support continue, with our sponsorship of the West Coast Waters Baton Relay.

The Baton Relay is an ambitious community focused event aimed at celebrating all that west coast living has to offer. With the design of the baton still under wraps, the relay will visit 20 communities across 20 weeks between May and September 2020, being hosted each week by individuals, groups, clubs and businesses, with visitors actively encouraged to take part. It will start on the Clyde and works its way northwards through Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross to the Outer Hebrides and return via Argyll.

This year has been a positive one for SSC – it has posted record results, innovated to create more sustainable developments, grown exports to nearly 70% of turnover, as well as launched Lochlander Salmon into North America and Tartan Salmon into Japan. As it looks to 2020, SSC can look forward to building on the solid platform it has developed.

Left: The awards and certification received

by The Scottish Salmon Company

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28 KAMES - ADVERTORIAL

Kames without frontiers

Oldest family owned Scottish fish farm plans further expansion

K Right: Shuna, 2018.

Opposite - (top): Loch Melfort, October 2019. (below): Stuart Cannon presenting Argyllshire Gathering Rugby Cup at Oban Games, August 2019

KAMES.indd 28

ames Fish Farming, the oldest family owned fish farm in Scotland, which has been farming Steelhead Rainbow Trout for over 45 years, and pioneered the farming of trout in fresh and saltwater cages, is still going strong and planning further expansion.

The emphasis at Kames is to grow its Sea Grown Steelhead Trout at a slightly slower rate and at lower stocking densities in order to produce a firmer and less fatty texture. It also pays close attention to the EPA/DHA content of feed to produce a high percentage of EPA/DHA in the trout flesh.

Current production is 2,250 tonnes per annum and over the next 5 years the plan is to increase this to 5,000 tonnes.

In addition to the farming branch of the business there is a fish farming equipment division, which oversees the supply and installation of equipment worldwide, operating within the aquaculture and leisure sectors and environmental rafts for endangered birds and mammals.

A recent Kames Fish Farm-

ing Equipment project involved the supply and installation of equipment for a floating fish cage farm in Estrada de Calheta, Madeira.

Education and training remains a key area of focus and has received considerable investment over the years. A number of interns have benefited from the Company’s extensive knowledge and experience. Indeed, students, who have passed through the doors, have become successful fish farmers, marine scientists and aquaculture journalists.

In 2018, the Company recruited a Fish Health Manager, who is enrolled in the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), with the aim of transferring knowledge between industry and academia. In 2019 a laboratory was

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 29

built to aid analysis work that is being carried out to enhance fish health and welfare. Research topics include: Failed Trout Syndrome, Rainbow Trout Fry Syndrome (RTFS) and early diagnostic methods using blood biomarkers.

Kames are carrying out vaccine trials associated with RTFS, which is the greatest cause of fry loss. The trials are being run in conjunction with the Institute of Aquaculture and Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC).

The Company is currently exploring product branding and developing its sales and marketing strategy, which will support its development plans and access to new markets.

Work is ongoing with the Skye and Wester Ross Fisheries Trust to monitor sea lice levels amongst the native salmon population and this is the third year of monitoring. The monitoring will also be carried out in Argyll with the Argyll Fisheries Trust.

Site development is still very much on the agenda, which will also enable

KAMES.indd 29

business growth, however, the legislative and regulatory framework surrounding the sector makes it increasingly difficult to develop new sites.

Kames is very active in the local community and supports a number of local causes and community events including regular beach cleans. This year the Company donated the Argyllshire Gathering Rugby Cup for the Oban Games and donated to Kilninver Primary School, enabling the school to purchase new musical instruments and sponsor tuition.

“Education and training

remains a key area of focus and has received considerable investment over the years”

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32 PHOTO GALLERY

PICTURE - Captions.indd 32

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Image: House at rocky Kenmore on Loch a Chracaich of Loch Torridon with fish farm pens

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04/12/2019 16:19:49

34 COMMENT : DR NICK LAKE

The New Normal?

Dr. Nick Lake looks at the Cultivated Shellfish Sector

By DR NICK LAKE

I

This is being written in the lead up to the next UK General Election and hence still an unknown throw of the dice in terms of implications for our future political relationship with the EU. However, in the shellfish cultivation sector we will hopefully maintain our collaborative ties with our international colleagues as we all operate under the same forces of nature – around a common “pond”– and ultimately with the same objectives.

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Below: Oysters on stone plate with ice and lemon.

Opposite: Dr Nick Lake

They say a week is a long time in politics – a year seems to have been interminably longer!

Our production aspirations are supported of course by maintaining a healthy and productive marine environment and through appropriate monitoring and control of any potential impacts. It seems likely that a new EU Water Quality Directive specifically targeted at maintaining bivalve shellfish stocks will be brought forward in 2020. This will be a welcome intervention as Member State application of the Water Framework Directive has in many cases failed to be delivered effectively or at a relevant spatial scale. It is hoped that the Scottish Government pledge to mirror EU environmental legislation post BREXIT will allow new standards to be introduced and maintained for shellfish growing waters. Such an intervention would encourage further expansion of our industry beyond current sites.

What I can say is - regardless of political positions or outcomes - the

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 35

bring a range of challenges – not only associated with production but also in terms of the market and how we position ourselves in consumers perceptions.

sun will still be in the sky and together with the tides will ultimately control the outputs from our shellfish cultivation industry! In the coming years our “Vision 2030” production volume aspirations require to be delivered and so 2020 will see new impetus placed on this.

Sustainable Growth The Scottish shellfish cultivation sector is well placed in the context of the “new normal” to deliver both on its growth predictions and in playing a role in the wider social conscience associated with climate change.

Without a doubt how we produce our food as well as the wider environmental impact of food production and distribution will be increasingly on the consumers’ radar.

Can we deliver on expectations? – undoubtedly yes. How are we going to achieve a doubling of outputs to 21000 tonnes of shellfish? – through doing what we do more efficiently and effectively. Technology and research and development will have an increasing role to play.

However, the “new normal” will

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Blue Growth / Green Credentials The “Blue Planet” BBC television programmes have undoubtedly awakened the public’s perception of environmental issues within the marine environment.

The debate surrounding our ever-increasing use of and importantly – mis-management of consumer waste plastics - has engaged a generation like never before. Together with (the outstanding) Greta Thunberg and environmental change activists there is a popular realisation that without action now, we will be creating significant problems for the human population in the distant and not too distant future.

What we eat, together with how we produce it are challenges which the shellfish cultivation sector on a global scale will increasingly have a positive influence over. Indeed, the big ask of the marine environment in the coming years will be as a source of sustainable and nutritious food production. With “eating down the food chain” being an energy efficient approach both on land and sea, consumer demand for a flexitarian style diet is set to increase markedly.

It is incredibly important that a balanced view is presented of sustainable food production from the marine environment. We cannot ignore global issues but in Scotland there should be a recognition that our waters are some of the cleanest and most productive in the World and that we have public and private sector assurance schemes in place to monitor and ensure this position is maintained. Shellfish cultivation after all is solely dependent on natural algal production and sheltered and clear waters to allow our mussels and oysters to grow. All simply driven by the sun and the tides which are after all a constant green energy supply.

Understanding Opportunities There is without doubt a case to be made by both the public and private sectors for an increase in the quantity of Scottish shellfish to be cultivated and consumed. Such recognition appears within the Scottish Government’s National Marine Plan and is evidenced by strong consumer demand for Scottish products – from fresh oysters to ready meal mussels and a range of high-end luxury foods with shellfish ingredients.

We have real potential to offer healthy, nutritious and

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36 COMMENT : DR NICK LAKE

enjoyable choices to make a flexitarian diet accessible and acceptable to a greater proportion of the population. All of this achievable through increased production - which is not only sustainable but positively benefits the environment and wider society through the ecosystem services delivered as part of the process. It is a unique “win – win” situation with expanding production actually delivering increasing benefits – whether through nutrient removal from coastal waters, carbon sequestration in shells, or the ability of farm structures to increase biodiversity etc.

One clear example from the American continent is the contribution of scallop, mussel and oyster shell grit to the poultry industry, which is a major boost to both of these important food sectors.

Shell-volution How are we going to deliver this increasing contribution of cultivated shellfish to the prosperity of Scotland? We already as a sector have shown our resilience to challenges in recent decades by increasing cultivation outputs by an order of magnitude. The Scottish industry has sufficient businesses with enough ambition, skills and expertise to deliver on the 2030 targets – but we are solely reliant on the natural marine environment – which is subject to continual and likely increasing rates of change - a range of biological and environmental unknowns - and can constantly generate surprises!

Put another way we probably are better informed of the processes of the moon than we are the complex natural cycles of our coastal waters. Technology has been used to advance space research – and now more than ever we require to utilise it in order to gain a better understanding of coastal productivity – which will be one important strand of our future sustainable food supply.

With climate change delivering a range of “new normals” in terms of ocean currents and weather conditions we will need to be increasingly flexible in our approach to how and what shellfish species we utilise and where we cultivate them.

Opportunities will undoubtedly present themselves – but we also need a public administrative system which will allow the private sector to capitalise on them and rapidly adapt to changing circumstances.

Shell-volution is a term which may confuse your spell checker but which you may want to add to your dictionary, as

it summarises the coming planned evolution of the Scottish shellfish cultivation industry.

Advancing understanding It may seem simple – but shellfish grow best where there is an abundance of the right mix of marine microalgae. Ocean fronts are identifiable places where cool nutrient rich deep waters mix with warm surface waters and fuelled by sunlight, create ideal conditions for phytoplankton to flourish. We need to pinpoint and secure such areas in coastal waters if we are to gain the best performance from cultivated shellfish production.

In the near future we have plans to access satellite technology to fine tune our shellfish site selection process. In addition, a better understanding of circulation patterns within coastal waters together with seabed and water column conditions over time, will also increase our ability to predict and harness wild seed supplies. While for oysters we already have hatchery techniques which can deliver the right seed when required, for the common blue mussel, abundant supplies from the wild have always been assured and often taken for granted. This situation may be changing and we will need to ensure we understand the dynamics, and at what stage interventions through hatchery production will need to become the norm?

The question could be asked whether we currently actually make best use of such natural seed

“They say

a week is a long time in politics…a year seems to have been interminably longer!”

Nick Lake.indd 36

04/12/2019 16:21:28

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 37

production and is there scope for certain selected strains to prove more resilient or better adapted under changing environmental conditions?

The truth is we do not currently know.

Shell-volution will be an all-embracing research and development programme initiated in 2020 by the Scottish industry and running for a considerable duration in order to seek to address some of the fundamental questions involved in boosting Scottish cultivation outputs.

It is worth stating that the private sector is reliant on a political and administrative system which is capable of reacting to the changing needs

Nick Lake.indd 37

of industry. In a World of the “new normal” there is every expectation that our Scottish Government will be encouraged to recognise the great assets which are on our doorstep, and take action to ensure that society benefits from the sustainable development and use of the resource.

The start of the Shell-volution initiative will hopefully be what 2020 is remembered for with respect to the continuing development of the Scottish shellfish cultivation industry.

(Plus, no doubt – what-ever transpires from the issues of BREXIT?) Dr Nick Lake Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers www. assg.org.uk

Above left: Oyster farm. Above from top: Mussels, scallops, oysters

04/12/2019 16:21:51

38 JCS FISH

Keeping it in the Family Salmon specialist JCS fish goes from strenght to strenght

I

J.K. Rowling, creator of the best selling Harry Potter novels, once described the family as ‘a lifejacket in the stormy sea of life’.

It is a portrait that might bring a smile to the Coulbecks, who run the highly successful salmon and trout business JCS Fish.

Their modern Grimsby factory is just a couple of hundred yards from the North Sea, which can blow up pretty rough on occasions.

But inside the building all is calm with the family ethos very much in evidence.

In an industry where large corporations tend to dominate, JCS Fish stands out.

The company is run by husband and wife team Andrew and Louise Coulbeck, with their son Jack joining two years ago as commercial manager and his fiancée Rosie Knight (they met when they were accountancy students) later coming in as financial manager .

They are a close knit family and work well together. And it is a culture that has spread to the rest of the staff who are actively encouraged to come up with ideas.

The business has enjoyed a successful 12 months with a number of important milestones and achievements.

JCS Fish.indd 38

By VINCE MCDONAGH

Above: The Coulbeck family pictured on Grimsby fish docks Opposite: The early days of JCS

Today JCS Fish is a multi-million pound business with a staff of between 50 and 60, depending on production demands. BigFish is the retail brand and ‘Signature’ is the new premium label.

The majority of customers are in the foodservice sector, but the retail side of

04/12/2019 16:22:57

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 39

the business is growing and there are plans to develop it further.

Most of the salmon is sourced from Scottish farms, with Norwegian suppliers occasionally providing back-up.

‘We believe in buying from Scotland, not just because of quality of its fish, but also because we can order the day before. In Norway they need at least five days notice for a delivery.

‘Scottish salmon is also a premium brand right on our doorstep, so why not use it?’ To keep abreast of developments, the family also make it their priority to visit the fish farms which supply them at least two or three times a year.

When Andrew and Louise set up the operation 20 years ago it consisted of just four people. Both have deep roots in the fishing industry with Louise from a traditional trawling family and Andrew brought up in his father’s business skinning and filleting dogfish, sold in London fish and chip shops in the past as “rock salmon”, although it has no connection to the real thing.

The family firm later acquired the fish merchants business of Jack Carlisle Smith, who was also a game and wild salmon dealer.

‘Father put me in charge and then left me to get on with it,’ he said. Gradually he moved into farmed salmon, then a relatively new commodity.

Sharing 50 years of experience in salmon, Jack became his mentor in the early days and Andrew was so grateful that as a mark of gratitude he named the business after him.

The Coulbecks have invested heavily in modernising their site including the introduction of more advanced systems which is clearly paying off. The company is focused on constant improvement with a high tech approach heavily influenced

by the arrival of Jack and Rosie as the second generation of the family. All curing and smoking has now been brought in-house which, said Andrew, allows for greater control and the further development of organic products.

‘We want to do a lot more organic fish which you can’t if it is being produced off site as it depends on our own organic certification,’ he explained.

In August last year JCS launched three new premium salmon and trout products (including one organic) under the Signature brand for which they have great hopes. All are prepared by hand and slowly smoked in a traditional kiln, using superior fish.

That same summer the BigFish brand became the first in the UK to commit to the GGN aquaculture label for salmon.

Jack said: ‘Consumers today are becoming far more interested in the provenance of their food. This label allows them to trace their salmon back to where it was farmed similar to the system white fish such as cod and haddock can now be tracked to the trawler that caught it.’

JCS Fish also successfully achieved accreditation to the new British Retail Consortium standard for food safety and more icing on the cake came when its products were nominated for a number of important awards last year.

Then as 2019 closed JCS Fish picked up further honours – a Quality Food & Drink Award for its new BigFish Signature smoked sea trout which collected the top prize for the best smoked fish product.

The ‘Q Awards’, which took place at The Brewery in London, have been celebrating British-made quality food and drink for 40 years, making this awards scheme one of the most important and recognisable accolades in our industry.

Louise said: ‘This is a particularly big win for us as a small family firm as it proves that our

FATHER PUT ME IN CHARGE AND THEN LEFT ME TO GET ON WITH IT

JCS Fish.indd 39

04/12/2019 16:23:15

40 JCS FISH

Above: Andrew Coulbeck in earlier times.

Right: The final product

products can compete on the national stage. Our whole Grimsby team has put so much work into our new smokehouse and we think Signature is the best smoked fish we’ve ever produced… so it’s really brilliant that the national Q Award judges thought the same!’

She says she has seen some important changes in the seafood industry, particularly in its attitude to women. ‘It is still male dominated, but far less so than when I started. Then it was almost unknown for a woman to sell fish, especially here on Grimsby Docks.

Thankfully, that’s not the situation today’.

Son Jack joined the family business as commercial manager two years ago after cutting his seafood teeth down the road at Young’s. He now manages the sales team, but also interacts between sales and accounts.

Rosie has settled in well to the sometimes daunting world of fish after moving over to Grimsby from her home in Wales.

She is also responsible for human resources and is working on various environmental related initiatives including using less plastic in packaging.

Both Andrew and Louise believe the

“Family…

culture has spread to the rest of the staff who are actively encouraged to come up with ideas”

JCS Fish.indd 40

family connection to have been an important contributor to the success of the company.

Louise said: ‘We have bedded into our individual roles; we each have different strengths which we use for the benefit of the business’.

Andrew said there are big plans for sales growth and scope for the further development of new products over the next few years.

‘We eat salmon hot, we eat it cold, smoked and flavoured, but there is always more you can do with it. I also believe the public needs to be better educated about the merits of farmed fish and its health benefits.’

Louise added: ‘The other thing about salmon is that it does not have of the sort of smell that puts people off buying other types of fish. We also need to persuade people to accept that frozen fish is very good. After all when you see chilled fish displayed in the supermarket it is usually frozen fish that has been de-frosted.

‘Perhaps the most remarkable development since I was a young girl is that, thanks to aquaculture, salmon has gone from being an expensive luxury to a very affordable food today.’

Jack chipped in: ‘There has been far too much inaccurate and adverse publicity around salmon farming. Done properly, this is a good industry producing good quality protein with a lesser carbon footprint than meat.’

Andrew says that while Grimsby is traditionally a white fish processing centre, it has also been good for salmon and his business.

‘Grimsby has huge expertise in refrigeration, seafood engineering and transport, all concentrated in one place. So if a company has a problem or needs something in a hurry then it is immediately on hand.’

That could be the just type of lifejacket that J.K. Rowling spoke about in her views on the family.

05/12/2019 10:14:34

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42 PHOTO GALLERY

PICTURE - Captions.indd 42

04/12/2019 16:34:47

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 43

Image: Farm manager Stewart Rendall, Cooke Aquaculture.

Photo: Angus Blackburn

PICTURE - Captions.indd 43

04/12/2019 16:35:07

44 PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018

Scottish Fish farm Surveys 2018 Above: Sxxxxx

Figures released in the annual Fish Farm Production Survey, released in October, showed that in 2018 there had been a decrease in Atlantic salmon production compared to ther 2017 total. The tonnage of 156,025 represented a fall of 17.8% and there were also decreases in the production of grilse, pre-salmon and salmon. However, there was an increase in the number of Ova produced, and Smolt production increased to 47.1 million. The full report is summarised below, with full analysis over the next few pages of the Year Book:

Production Survey.indd 44

05/12/2019 09:13:24

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 45

I

Atlantic salmon

n 2018, the total production of Atlantic salmon decreased by 33,682 tonnes to 156,025 tonnes, a 17.8% decrease on the 2017 production total. The survey shows decreases in the production of grilse, pre-salmon and salmon. The number of staff directly employed on the farms increased by 77. Overall, there was a decrease in the productivity of tonnes produced per person from 136.6 to 106.4.

The estimated harvest forecast for 2018 is 190,499 tonnes. The trend towards concentrating production in larger sites was maintained with 82.0% of production being concentrated in the sites producing over 1,000 tonnes per annum.

During 2018 there was an increase in the number of ova produced to 15.2 million. The number of ova laid down to hatch increased by 7.2% to 70.5 million.

This highlights the trend towards using foreign ova sources with 87.3% of the ova laid down to hatch being imported and only 12.7% derived from GB sources.

Smolt production increased to 47.1 million, with 51.1% being produced as S½ smolts and the remainder as S1 smolts (48.9%). The number of staff directly employed on freshwater sites decreased by 13 in 2018 to 278 staff while productivity increased to 169,400 fish per person.

Projections for 2019 suggest that fewer smolts will be produced than was seen in 2018, followed by an increase in 2020.

T

Rainbow trout

he production of rainbow trout decreased by 16% in 2018 to 6,413 tonnes and was directed at the table (92%) and restocking (8%) markets.

The total numbers of staff employed by the sector increased by four to 136. There was an overall decrease in the productivity of the industry to 47.2 tonnes per person.

In 2018, the number of eyed ova laid

Production Survey.indd 45

down to hatch (6.3 million) decreased by 0.7 million and was mainly triploid stock (77%). The proportion of ova from GB broodstock remained the same as in 2017 at 8.1%. Denmark was the largest source of imported ova with 65.8% of the total, this was an increase proportionally from 2017. The Scottish rainbow trout industry continues to be highly dependent on imported ova. Additionally, imports of part grown rainbow trout from Northern Ireland continued in 2018.

T

Other Species

here was a decrease in the production of brown/sea trout from 61 tonnes in 2017 to 20 tonnes in 2018. Halibut production occurred in 2018 but the figure cannot be shown without revealing the production of an individual company.

During 2018, there was no reported production of Arctic charr. Lumpsucker and wrasse were produced for use as biological controls for parasites in the marine Atlantic salmon farming industry. In 2018, the total number of staff employed in the production of other species decreased by two to 60.

05/12/2019 09:13:55

46 PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018

// // EX UM M E X EE C CU U TT II VV EE SSUM M ARY ARY

The tables below summarise the results from the 2018 fish farms The tables below summarise the results from the 2018 fish farms annual production The tables below summarise the results from the 2018 fish farms annual production annual survey. production survey. survey.

Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Rainbow Trout

(Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Total production Total production Production for the table Production for the table Production for restocking Production for restocking Number of staff employed Number of staff employed Mean productivity Mean productivity Number of ova laid down to hatch Number of ova laid down to hatch Number of ova imported Number of ova imported

(tonnes) (tonnes) (tonnes) (tonnes) (tonnes) (tonnes) (tonnes/person) (tonnes/person) (millions) (millions) (millions) (millions)

2017 2017 7,637 7,637 6,997 6,997 640 640 132 132 57.9 57.9 7.0 7.0 6.5 6.5

2018 2018 6,413 6,413 5,874 5,874 539 539 136 136 47.2 47.2 6.3 6.3 5.8 5.8

I

In 2018, the production of rainbow trout decreased by 1,224 tonnes. Employment In 2018, the production of rainbow trout decreased by 1,224 tonnes. Employment n 2018, of rainbow trout decreased decreasedtoby 1,224 tonnes.

Employincreased bythe fourproduction staff and mean productivity 47.2 tonnes per person. increased by four staff and mean productivity decreased to 47.2 tonnes per person. increased by down four staff anddecreased mean productivity decreased 47.2 tonnes Thement number of ova laid to hatch by 0.7 million and the to number of ova The number of ova laid down to hatch decreased by 0.7 million and the number of ova imported decreased 0.7 million. per person.

Theby number of ova laid down to hatch decreased by 0.7 million imported decreased by 0.7 million.

and the number of ova imported decreased by 0.7 million.

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) Atlantic salmon Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

(Salmo salar) Smolts Smolts Smolts

Number of ova produced Number of ova produced Number of ova laid down to hatch Number of ova laid down to hatch Number of ova exported Number of ova exported Number of ova imported Number of ova imported Number of smolts produced Number of smolts produced Number of smolts put to sea Number of smolts put to sea Number of staff employed Number of staff employed Mean productivity (000’s smolts/person) Mean productivity (000’s smolts/person)

T

(millions) (millions) (millions) (millions) (millions) (millions) (millions) (millions) (millions) (millions) (millions) (millions)

2017 2017 12.6 12.6 65.7 65.7 0.3 0.3 57.9 57.9 46.2 46.2 46.1 46.1 291 291 158.6 158.6

2018 2018 15.2 15.2 70.5 70.5 0.02 0.02 65.8 65.8 47.1 47.1 45.4 45.4 278 278 169.4 169.4

he production of ova increased by 2.6 million in 2018 and the number of

The production of ova increased by 2.6 million in 2018 and the number of ova laid The production of ovato increased by 2.6 million in 2018 andAthe number of ova laidof laid increased down hatch by 4.8 million. very small down ova to hatch by 4.8 increased million. A very small amount of ova wereamount exported down ova to hatch increased byin4.8 million.

A very small amount of ova were exported were exported 2018 (0.02 million) and the number of imported in 2018 (0.02 million) and the number of ova imported increased by 7.9 ova million from in 2018 (0.02 million) and the number of ova imported increased by 7.9 million from increased by 7.9The million from the 2017 figure.increased The number ofmillion. smoltsInproduced the 2017 figure. number of smolts produced by 0.9 2018 the the 2017 figure. The number of smolts produced increased by 0.9 million. In 2018 the increased by 0.9 million.

In 2018 the number of staff decreased by 13 and mean number of staff decreased by 13 and mean productivity increased by 10,800 smolts per number of staff decreased by 13 and mean productivity increased by 10,800 smolts per person. productivity increased by 10,800 smolts per person. person.

Opposite: Salmon smolt (top), wrasse

Production fish Production tonnage decreased by 33,682 tonnes with an increase in the mean harvest weight of pre-salmon and salmon but a decrease in the mean weight of grilse. Staff numbers increased by 77 and mean productivity decreased to 106.4 tonnes per person.

1 1

Production Survey.indd 46

05/12/2019 09:14:45

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 47

Production fish Production fish Total production

(tonnes)

2017

2018

189,707

156,025

Production of 0-year fish

(tonnes)

2017 0

2018 247

Production of grilse Total production

(tonnes)

68,116 189,707

53,244 156,025

Production of 0-year pre-salmon fish

(tonnes)

58,329 0

57,310 247

salmon Production of grilse

(tonnes)

63,262 68,116

45,224 53,244

Mean fish weight 0-year Production of pre-salmon

(kg) (tonnes)

58,329

2.9 57,310

Mean fish weight grilse Production of salmon

(kg) (tonnes)

5.0 63,262

4.9 45,224

pre-salmon Mean fish weight 0-year

(kg)

4.8 -

5.2 2.9

salmon Mean fish weight grilse

(kg)

5.7 5.0

6.3 4.9

Number ofweight staff employed Mean fish pre-salmon

(kg)

1,389 4.8

1,466 5.2

tonnes/person (kg)

136.6 5.7

106.4 6.3

productivity Mean fish weight salmon

THE PRODUCTION OF OVA INCREASED BY 2.6 MILLION IN 2018

Number of staff employed 1,389 1,466 Production tonnage decreased by 33,682 tonnes with an increase in the mean harvest Mean productivity tonnes/person 136.6 106.4 weight of pre-salmon and salmon but a decrease in the mean weight of grilse. Staff numbers increased by 77 and mean productivity decreased to 106.4 tonnes per person.

Production tonnage(percentage decreased by 33,682 tonnes with an increase in the mean harvest Smolt survival harvested) weight of pre-salmon and salmon but a decrease in the mean weight of grilse. Staff numbers increased by 77 and mean productivity decreased to 106.4 tonnes per person.

Smolt survival (percentage harvested) Survival (%)

Years 0+1

Year 2

Total

2015 input year class (%) Survival

54.7 Years 0+1

24.4 Year 2

79.1 Total

2016 input year 2015 class input year class

59.9 54.7

16.7 24.4

76.6 79.1

Smolt survival (percentage harvested)

2016 input year The smolt survival rate the 2016 input year class de59.9 16.7 The smolt survival rate for thefor 2016 input year class decreased to76.6 76.6%. class creased to 76.6%.

The smolt survival rate for the 2016 input year class decreased to 76.6%.

Other Species

I

Other Species

ncluding brown/sea trout (Salmo trutta); halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus); lumpsucker(Cyclopterus lumpus) and several species of wrasse (Labridae).

2017 2018

Including brown/sea trout (Salmo trutta); halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus); lumpsucker (Cyclopterus lumpus) and several species of wrasse (Labridae)

Total production Number of staff employed

(tonnes)

91a

40a

(full-time)

45

45

(part-time)

17

15

Number of ova laid down to hatch

(millions)

4.7b

38.9b

Number of ova imported

(millions)

1.2

1.5

Some figures are excluded from this report as providing them would production information from an individual Excluding halibut ova laidreveal down to hatch. company.

Some figures are excluded from this report as providing them would reveal production information from an individual company. ªExcluding halibut production. b

In 2018, the production of other species decreased by 51 tonnes from the 2017 total, although this figure does not include halibut production. Overall, employment decreased by two in 2018. There was an increase in the number of ova laid down to hatch during 2018 and again any halibut ova laid down to hatch were excluded from this figure.

a Excluding halibut production. b Excluding halibut ova laid down to hatch.

In 2018, the production of other species decreased by 51 tonnes from the 2017 total, although this figure does not include halibut production.

Overall, employment decreased by two in 2018. There was an increase in the number of ova laid down to hatch during 2018 and again any halibut ova laid down to hatch were excluded from this figure.

2

Number of Confirmed Escape Incidents2from Fish Farms Notified to the Scottish Government Production Survey.indd 47

05/12/2019 09:15:26

48 PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018

Atlantic Salmon

// (2.

ATLANTIC SASmolts LM O N ( SALMO SALAR ) – Salmo salar) - OVA and AND SM O LTS // 2. OVA ATLANTIC SA LM O N ( SALMO SALAR ) – roduction survey information was collected from all 24 companies actively OVA AND SM O LTS involved in the freshwater production of Atlantic salmon, farming 71 active Production survey information was collected from all 24 companies actively involved

P

sites.

This figure represents the salmon, entire freshwater operating in in the freshwater production of Atlantic farming 71 industry active sites.

This figure Production survey information was collected from all 24 companies actively involved represents the entire freshwater industry operating in Scotland.

Scotland. in the freshwater production of Atlantic salmon, farming 71 active sites. This figure represents the entire freshwater industry operating in Scotland.

Company and Company and Site SiteData Data Table 12:12: Number of companies and sites production during 2009-2018 Table Number companies andinsites in production during 2009-2018 Company and Site of Data Table 12: Number of companies and sites in production during 2009-2018 Year No. of companies No. of sites 2009 Year 2010 2009 2011 2010 2012 2011 2013 2012 2014 2013 2015 2014 2016 2015 2017 2016 2018 2017

30 No. of companies 31 30 28 31 28 28 27 28 26 27 25 26 26 25 24 26 24 24

105 No. of sites 104 105 98 104 100 98 102 100 96 102 87 96 87 87 79 87 71 79

2018 24 71 InIn 2018 thethe number of companies authorised by the by Scottish Government for 2018 number of companies authorised the Scottish Government for freshwater production of Atlantic salmon remained at 24.

A total of 71 sites were freshwater production of Atlantic salmon remained at 24.

A total of 71 sites were In 2018 the number of companies authorised by the Scottish Government for actively engaged in commercial production, a decrease of eight from the 2017 figure. actively engaged in commercial production, a decrease of eight the 2017 freshwater production of Atlantic salmon remained at 24. A total of 71from sites were fiactively gure. engaged in commercial production, a decrease of eight from the 2017 figure.

Production and Staffing

Table 13: Number (000s) of smolts produced, staff employed and smolt productivity

Production and Production and Staffing Staffing during 2009-2018 Table 13:13: Number (000s) of smolts produced, staff employed and smoltand productivity Table Number (000’s) of smolts produced, staff employed smolt produring 2009-2018 ductivity during 2009-2018 Number Productivity, Year

Year 2009 2010 2009 2011 2010 2012

2011 2013 2012 2014

2013 2015 2014 2016 2015 2017 2016 2018

(000’s) of Smolts Number produced (000’s) of36,868 Smolts produced 36,872 36,868 43,626 36,872 44,324 43,626 40,457

44,324 45,004 40,457 44,571

45,004 42,894 44,571 46,152

2017

42,894 47,097 46,152

2018

47,097

Full-time Male

Full-time Female

Total Full-time

Full-time Male 202

Full-time Female 14

Total Full-time 216

213 202 207 213 218

20 14 18 20 17

233 216 225 233 235

42 42 45 42 60

14 12 23 14 33

56 54 68 56 93

289 270 293 289 328

127.6 136.5 148.9 127.6 135.1

226 208 226 225

11 31 18 27

237 239 244 252

29 41 42 35

19 14 23 7

48 55 65 42

285 294 309 294

142.0 151.6 145.6 145.9

207 226 218 226

208 219 225 210 219 210

18 11 17 18

31 31 27 29 31 29

225 237 235 244

Part-time Part-time Total Total Staff 000’s smolts Male Female Part-time per person

Productivity, Part-time Part-time Total Total Staff 000’s smolts Male Female Part-time 42 12 54 270 136.5 per person

45 29 60 42

239 250 252 239

41 33 35 30

250

33

239

30

23 19 33 23

14 8 7 9 8 9

68 48 93 65

55 41 42 39 41 39

293 285 328 309

294 291 294 278 291 278

148.9 142.0 135.1 145.6

151.6 158.6 145.9 169.4 158.6 169.4

Smolt production in 2018 increased by 2% compared to 2017. The number of staff employed in 2018 decreased by 13 and productivity increased by 6.8%The to a number figure of of Smolt production in 2018 increased 2% compared 2017.

Smolt production in 2018 increased by 2%by compared to 2017.toThe number of staff 169,400 smolts produced per person. by Data staffing and productivity in by 2013 are to staff employed in decreased 2018 decreased 13for and productivity 6.8% employed in 2018 by 13 and productivity increased increased by 6.8% to a figure of shown, however, there are uncertainties with these data due to consolidation within a169,400 figure of 169,400 smolts produced per person.

Data for staffi ng and productivsmolts produced per person. Data for staffing and productivity in 2013 are the industry. ity in 2013 are shown, however, therewith arethese uncertainties with these datawithin due to shown, however, there are uncertainties data due to consolidation the industry. within the industry. consolidation

13 13

Production Survey.indd 48

05/12/2019 09:15:50

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 49

Smolts by Age Age Group Group Table 14:14: Number of smolts (000s) produced by typeby during Table Number of smolts (000’s) produced type 2009-2018 during 2009-2018 Year

S½

S1

S1½

Total

2009

13,837

23,031

0

36,868 36,872

2010

14,116

22,756

0

2011

17,233

26,393

0

43,626

2012

18,795

25,239

290

44,324

2013

19,024

21,279

154

40,457

2014

22,367

22,473

164

45,004 44,571

2015

23,850

20,711

10

2016

25,072

17,822

0

42,894

2017

28,072

18,080

0

46,152

2018

24,058

23,039

0

47,097

InIn 2018, there waswas an increase (27.4%) in the number of S1 smolts but a 2018, there an increase (27.4%) in the number of S1produced smolts prodecrease in the (14.3%) number ofinS½ smolts produced. was no production of duced but(14.3%) a decrease the number of S½There smolts produced.

There S1½ no smolts in 2018 and no S2smolts smoltsin produced since was production of S1½ 2018 and no2006.

S2 smolts produced since 2006.

Production Systems Table 15: Number and capacity of production systems during 2014-2018

Table (000s) of produced Table 16: 16: Number Number (000s) of smolts smolts (000’s) produced and and stocking stocking densities densities by by production production Number of smolts produced system during 2014-2018 system during 2014-2018 Stocking densities (smolts/m³) System

Year Year Year Cages

No. of sites with system

Total capacity, 000s cubic metres

Number of Number of smolts smolts produced (000s) 2014 2015 2016produced 2017 (000s) 2018

)) Stocking densities (smolts/m 2014Stocking 2015 densities 2016 (smolts/m 2017 2018

2014 2014 41

2015 2015 38

2016 2016 38

33

2017 2017 272018 2018 36

Cages Tanks Cages and 22,816 22,816 18,135 18,135 15,884 15,884 17,207 17,207 21,771 21,771

55

Raceways

49

49

43

44

All All others others Total

22,188 22,188 26,436 26,436 27,010 27,010 28,945 28,945 25,326 25,326

Total Total

45,004 45,004 44,571 44,571 42,894 42,894 46,152 46,152 47,097 47,097

96

87

87

79

71

2014 2015 2016 2017 2014 355 2015 400 2016 357 2017 351 65 65

51 51

65

47

341 341

562 562

416

402

--

--

40 40

46

587 587

446

48 48

55

526 526

2018 2018 346 63 63

54

469 469

412

400

--

--

--

The principal types of facility used for the production of smolts in freshwater are cages or tanks and stocking raceways.

In densities 2018,of the number ofincreased farms using cages decreased by in nine and The average densities cages increased from 48 to 63 m³ The average stocking densities of cages increased from 48 to 63 smolts per m³ in 2018 2018 The average stocking of cages from 48smolts to 63 per smolts the numberto farmswhile usingdensities tanks and increased one. In terms of volume, compared in tanks raceways decreased 526 to compared toof2017, 2017, while densities inraceways tanks and raceways decreased from 526 to 469 469 per m³ in 2018 compared to 2017, whileand densities in by tanks and from raceways cage capacity decreased by 11,000 m³ and tank and raceway capacity decreased by smolts per smolts per m³. m³. decreased from 526 to 469 smolts per m³.

1,000 m³. This resulted in a net decrease in volume of 12,000 m³ available for the production of smolts in Scotland during 2018.

Ova Production

Below: Salmon ova

Ova Production Table Table 17: 17: Number Number (000s) (000s) of of salmon salmon ova ova produced produced during during 2009-2018 2009-2018 Table 17: Number (000’s) of salmon ova produced during 2009-2018 Year Year

2009 2009

2010 2010

2011 2011

2012 2012

2013 2013

2014 2014

2015 2015

2016 2016

2017 2017

2018 2018

No. No. of of ova ova

91,964 91,964

91,655 91,655

78,208 78,208

57,489 57,489

56,904 56,904

33,450 33,450

11,605 11,605

13,689 13,689

12,631 12,631

15,228 15,228

In 2018, 15.2 million ova were stripped, an increase of 21% from the numIn 15.2 million were In 2018, 2018, 15.2 million ova ova were stripped, stripped, an an increase increase of of 21% 21% from from the the number number of of ova ova ber of ova produced in 2017. produced produced in in 2017.

2017.

Smolts Produced and Put to Sea Table 19: Actual and projected smolt production and smolts put to sea (millions) during 2009-2020

14

Production Survey.indd 49

05/12/2019 09:16:10

from GB wild broodstock were laid down in 2018, however, in previous years the ova during 2009-2018 derived from wild stocks were generally held and hatched for wild stock enhancement by the aquaculture industry in cooperation with wild fisheries managers.

Scale of production No. of Total Year sites in smolts 26- Put 51-to Sea 101- 251501Smolts Produced and 1-10 11-25 >1,000 production produced 50 100 250 500 and 1,000 Table 19: Actual and projected smolt production smolts put to sea (millions) during PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018 50 2009-2020 2009 0 0 3 7 14 18 10 12 64 36,868

2010

1

2011

1

0

4

4

16

15

10

14

64

36,872

2009 2010 2016 2018 2019 2020 0 4 2011 5 2012 11 2013 142014 2015 9 17 2017 61 43,626

Actual smolts 2012 0

0

1

3

19

14

61

44,324

58

40,457

42.7

41.1

45.5

43.0

46.1

2014 produced 0

0 36.9

2 36.9

1 43.6

11 40.59 45.0 14 44.3 44.6

13 42.9

46.2 50 47.1

2015 Estimated1

1

2

Smolts

0

1

7

14

4

9

production 2016 1

32.6

1

28.7

3

31.3

Ratio of ova 2017 1

0

0

2

6

2018 to smolts 0

1.8 1

1.9 0

1.5 0

1.46

laid down

0

14

35.9

7

48.1

13

38.5

1

40.9

11

38.5

put to sea

2013

11 28.1

11

7

16 39.9

11 1.6 9 1.6

43.4

14

11

13

36.6

10

15

1.5 14

12

45.4

45,004

55 39.3

1.5 12

1.4

44,571

46.1

48

38.6

43.0

42,894

45

46,152

1.5 42

47,097

produced Note: These data refer only to sites producing smolts. The sites holding only ova, fry or parr are excluded.

The ďŹ gure the number of smolts put sea includes smolts produced in and The figure for the number of smolts put to seato includes smolts produced in producing England The number offor sites producing smolts in 2018 was 42.

The number of sites England and smolts imported from elsewhere, whereas smolt production smolts from elsewhere, whereas production data only to data those less thanimported 101,000 smolts has decreased by smolt two and there has alsorelate been a decrease of produced Scotland.

Smolt producers estimate putting 38.6 million smolts to sea relate to thoseofproduced in Scotland.

Smolt producers estimate putting three inonly theinnumber sites producing in excess of one million smolts per year.

Thein 2019.million The ratio of ova down to 101,000 hatch smolts produced in 2018 was greater than 38.6 smolts to laid seabetween in 2019.

The to ratio of ova laid down toper hatch to smolts number of sites producing and one million smolts year increased thetwo. ratio inin2017. produced 2018 was greater than the ratio in 2017. by Production Production of of Ova Ova and andSmolt Smoltby byProduction ProductionArea Area Table 21:21: Staffing ova laid to hatch in 2017-2018, smolt production in Table StafďŹ in ng2018, in 2018, ova down laid down to hatch in 2017-2018, smolt produc2017-2018 and estimated production in 2019-2020 by region by region tion in 2017-2018 and estimated production in 2019-2020 16

Region

Number of staff employed in 2018

Ova laid down to hatch (000s)

Smolt production (000s)

Estimated smolt production (000s)

F/T

P/T

2017

2018

2017

2018

2019

2020

129

18

34,643

41,362

26,316

28,975

18,931

23,981

1

4

159

0

145

108

140

390

Shetland

26

1

7,602

5,708

3,055

3,287

3,300

4,050

West

53

11

16,362

16,673

10,675

10,451

11,100

9,475

Western Isles

24

2

6,980

6,694

4,769

3,514

4,439

4,360

North West Orkney

East and South All Scotland

6

3

0

42

1,192

762

724

733

239

39

65,746

70,479

46,152

47,097

38,634

42,989

In 2018, the North West and the West were the main areas where ova were laid down 2018, North West the West the smolt main producing areas where ovaThe were toIn hatch.

Thethe North West andand the West werewere the main areas. laid down to hatch.

Thewere North West and theNorth WestWest wereregion. the main smolt producing greatest number of staff employed in the

areas. The greatest number of staff were employed in the North West region.

International Trade in Ova 17

Production Survey.indd 50

Left: Salmon smolt

05/12/2019 09:16:33

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 51

The distribution of active Atlantic salmon smolt sites in 2018 FIGURE 2: THE DISTRIBUTION OF ACTIVE ATLANTIC SALMON SMOLT SITES IN 2018

18 Production Survey.indd 51

05/12/2019 09:16:57

52

2014

0

0

0

0

0

2015

0

93

0

2

95

259 8

2016

0

335

0

23

358

173

2017

0

16

0

323

339

206

2018 0 2018 23 PRODUCTION SURVEY

0

0

23

71

In 2018, 23,000 ova were exported. Fry, parr and smolt exports decreased by 135,000 fish on the 2017 figure.

Vaccines Vaccines Table 23: Number of sites using vaccines and number (millions) of fish vaccinated Table 23: Number of sites using vaccines and number (millions) of fish vaccinatduring 2009-2018 ed during 2009-2018 Year

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

No. of sites

68

70

67

63

63

56

55

47

46

43

No. of fish (millions) vaccinated

39.6

42.6

49.2

48.1

47.5

44.7

48.0

42.6

58.4

51.0

Vaccines were used to provide protection against furunculosis, infectious pancreVaccines were used to provide protection against furunculosis, infectious pancreatic atic necrosis (IPN), ERM, vibriosis and salmonid alphavirus (SAV). The majority of necrosis (IPN), ERM, vibriosis and salmonid alphavirus (SAV). The majority of fish were fivaccinated sh were vaccinated against furunculosis IPN,numbers with smaller of fish against furunculosis and IPN, withand smaller of fishnumbers being vaccinated being against ERM,A vibriosis andmillion SAV. Afish total of 51.0 millionacross fish were againstvaccinated ERM, vibriosis and SAV. total of 51.0 were vaccinated 43 vaccinated across 43 sites. sites.

Escapes There were no no escape incidents reported from from sites rearing freshwater AtlanticAtlantic salmon There were escape incidents reported sites rearing freshwater during 2018. salmon during 2018.

Atlantic Salmon - Production

//

P

roduction survey information was collected from all 12 companies actively involved in Atlantic salmon production, farming 221 active sites. This figure represents the entire industry operating in Scotland.

3Table . AT24: L AAnnual N T I Cproduction S A L MofOsalmon N – (tonnes) P R O D during U C T I1998-2018 ON and projected production in 2019 Production Production survey information was collected 20 from all 12 companies actively involved in Atlantic salmon production, farming 221 active sites. This figure represents the entire industry operating in Scotland.

Table 24: Annual production of salmon (tonnes) during 1998-2018 and projected production in 2019 Year

Tonnes

Percentage difference

Year

Tonnes

Percentage difference

1998

110,897

12

2009

144,247

12

1999

126,686

14

2010

154,164

6.9

2000

128,959

2

2011

158,018

2.5

2001

138,519

7

2012

162,223

2.7

2002

144,589

4

2013

163,234

0.6

Top: Vaccinations

2003

169,736

17

2014

179,022

9.7

Above: Scottish salmon

2004

158,099

-7

2015

171,722

-4.1

2005

129,588

-18

2016

162,817

-5.2

2006

131,847

2

2017

189,707

16.5

2007

129,930

-1.4

2018

156,025

-17.8

2008

128,606

-1

2019

190,499*

*industry estimate of projected tonnage based on stocks currently being on-grown.

The total production of Atlantic salmon during 2018 was 156,025 tonnes, a decrease of 33,682 tonnes (17.8%) on the 2017 total.

Production Survey.indd 52

05/12/2019 09:17:45

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 53

THE MAJORITY OF FISH WERE VACCINATED AGAINST FURUNCULOSIS AND IPN

In 2016, the last year for which survival can be calculated, the survival rate from smolt input to harvest decreased to 76.6%. Of the 2017 year class, 47.3% of the input has been harvested, 12.6% lower than the average harvest of fish one year after input in the 2016 year class. In 2018, there was 0.2% fish harvested from the 2018 input. This was an increase compared with the proportion of fish harvested from the same year class in 2017.

Smolts to Sea Smolts to Sea Table 29: Number (000s) and origin of smolts put to sea during 2009-2018 Table 29: Number (000’s) and origin of smolts put to sea during 2009-2018 Year

Smolts put to sea (000s) S½

S1

S1½

2009

14,967

23,581

0

2010

14,069

24,421

2011

17,721

25,012

2012

17,334

23,480

Total (000s)

Scottish Origin

English Origin

Other Origin

%

(000s)

%

(000s)

%

38,548

95

1,700

4

105

<1

0

38,490

95

1,541

4

120

<1

0

42,733

96

1,765

4

0

0

280

41,094

96

1,510

4

0

0

2013

19,262

21,534

140

40,936

97

1,169

3

0

0

2014

23,758

24,212

142

48,112

94

893

2

2,072

4

2015

22,886

22,569

10

45,465

96

938

2

1,082

2

2016

22,052

20,905

0

42,957

97

1,048

2

611

1

2017

25,490

20,626

0

46,116

97

976

2

300

<1

2018

21,629

23,746

0

45,375

96

1,318

3

364

1

elow: Salmon smolts

The totalnumber numberofofsmolts smolts to sea The total putput to sea in 2018 was 45.4 million. This smolt input in 2018 was 45.4 million.

This smolt comprised S1s (52.3%) and S½s (47.7%). There were no S1½s put to sea in 2018 and input (52.3%) and S½s no S2scomprised have been S1s put to sea since 2001.

Four percent of the smolts stocked to Scottish (47.7%).

There were no S1½s put to sea salmon farms were sourced from outwith Scotland, 1% of which came from sources in 2018 GB. andThis no S2s have been of putjust to over sea 1% compared with the proportion outwith was an increase observed in 2017. since 2001.

Four percent of the smolts stocked to Scottish salmon farms were sourced from outwith Scotland, 1% of which came from sources outwith GB. This was an increase of just over 1% compared with the proportion observed in 2017.

Production Survey.indd 53

05/12/2019 09:19:48

54 PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018

The distribution of active Atlantic salmon production sites in 2018

Production Survey.indd 54

FIGURE 3: THE DISTRIBUTION OF ACTIVE ATLANTIC SALMON PRODUCTION SITES IN 2018 05/12/2019 09:20:10

!

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 55

// 1. R A I N B O W T R O U T (ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS) Production survey information was collected from all 23 companies actively involved

/ / 1.RAINBOW TROU T (ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS) in rainbow trout production, farming 53 active sites. This figure represents the entire Rainbow Trout

industry operating in Scotland.

(Oncorhynchus mykissinformation ) Production survey was collected from all 23 companies actively involved in rainbow trout production, farming 53 active sites. This figure represents the entire Production roduction survey information was collected from all 23 companies industry operating in Scotland.

Table 1a: Annual production (tonnes) of rainbow trout during 2004-2018 and projected actively involved in rainbow trout production, farming 53 active sites.

This ďŹ gure the entire industry operating in Scotland. production in represents 2019

P

Production

Table 1a: Annual production (tonnes) of rainbow trout during 2004-2018 and projected Production Year Tonnes Year Tonnes Table 1a: Annual production (tonnes) of rainbow trout during 2004-2018 and production in 2019 projected production in 2019 2004 6,352 2012 5,670 2005 Year

6,989 Tonnes

2013 Year

5,611 Tonnes

2006 2004

7,492 6,352

2014 2012

5,882 5,670

2007 2005

7,414 6,989

2015 2013

8,588 5,611

2008 2006

7,670 7,492

2016 2014

8,096 5,882

2009 2007

6,766 7,414

2017 2015

7,637 8,588

2010 2008

5,139 7,670

2018 2016

6,413 8,096

2011 2009

4,619 6,766

2019 2017

8,379* 7,637

* Industry estimate based on stocks currently being on-grown.

2010

5,139

2018

6,413

Above: Rainbow trout

PRODUCTION IN 2018 WAS 5,874 TONNES, A DECREASE OF 1,123 TONNES (16%) ON THE 2017 TOTAL

2011 decreased in4,619 2019 a decrease8,379* Production 2018 by 1,224 tonnes, of 16%, to 6,413 tonnes. of 16%, to 6,413 tonnes.1b: Production (tonnes) for the table trade during 2009-2018 according to weight Table Table 1b: Production (tonnes) for by the 1,224 table trade during 2009-2018of according Production decreased in 2018 tonnes, a decrease 16%, to 6,413 tonnes. category to weight category * Industry estimate based in on2018 stocksby currently being on-grown.

Production decreased 1,224 tonnes, a decrease

Table 1b: Production (tonnes) for the table trade during 2009-2018 according to weight <450 g 450-900 g >900 g Total category Year <1 lb

1-2 lbs

>2 lbs

Tonnes

2009 Year 2010

<450 2,232g

450-900 1,143 g

>900 2,620g

Total 5,995

2,125 <1 lb

727 1-2 lbs

1,606 >2 lbs

4,458 Tonnes

2011 2009

1,421 2,232

1,004 1,143

1,433 2,620

3,858 5,995

2012 2010

1,195 2,125

1,655 727

2,209 1,606

5,059 4,458

2013 2011

1,908 1,421

825 1,004

2,268 1,433

5,001 3,858

2014 2012

2,334 1,195

290 1,655

2,704 2,209

5,328 5,059

2015 2013

2,299 1,908

258 825

5,476 2,268

8,033 5,001

2016 2014

2,393 2,334

234 290

4,810 2,704

7,437 5,328

2017 2015

2,000 2,299

544 258

4,453 5,476

6,997 8,033

2018 2016

803 2,393

223 234

4,848 4,810

5,874 7,437

2017

2,000

544

4,453

6,997

2018

803

223

4,848

5,874

Production Survey.indd 55

05/12/2019 09:22:59

56 PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018 Production in 2018 was 5,874 tonnes, a decrease of 1,123 tonnes (16%) on the 2017 total. This accounted for 92% of the total rainbow trout production, the same proportion as was produced in 2017. Also, an increase in the number of fish in the large size range and decreases in the number of fish in the small and medium size ranges were highlighted.

In 2018, production for the restocking of angling waters decreased to 539 tonnes representing a decrease of 101 tonnes (16%) on the 2017 total. This accounted for 8% of total rainbow trout production in 2018. These figures represent the tonnage of fish supplied to angling waters for restocking purposes; they do not account for the catch taken by anglers. The production of medium and large sized fish showed decreases while there was an increase in the production of small sized fish.

Production by Site

Production by Site Table 2: Numbers sites grouped by tonnage produced during 2009-2018 Production by of Site Table2: 2: Numbers of sites grouped by tonnage produced during 2009-2018 Table Numbers of sites grouped by tonnage produced during 2009-2018 Number of sites per production tonnage Number of sites per production tonnage <1-25 26-100 101-200 >200 <1-25 26-100 101-200 >200 10 11 7 11

Year Year 2009 2009 2010 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 2016 2016 2017 2017 2018 2018

10 7 97

11 13 13 10

7 9 9 6

11 7 7 8

9 10 10 6

10 10 10 11

6 6 6 5

8 8 8 8

66 46

11 11 11 10

5 5 5 5

8 9 9 11

4 6 6 4 4 5 5

10 10 10 8 8 10 10

5 3 3 5 5 3 3

11 13 13 11 11 11 11

Total number Total of sites of number sites 39 39 36 36 33 33 34 34 30 30 31

Above: Trout hatchery

31 30 30 32 32 28 28 29 29

Below: trout farm

Production was reported from 29the of 53 theactive 53 active The number of pro-in Production was reported from 29 of sites. sites.

The number of producers Production was<1-25 reported fromtonnes 29 of the active sites. number of producers in ducers in tonnes the tonnes and 26-100 tonnes size The brackets while the <1-25 and 26-100 size53 brackets increased whileincreased those in the 101the <1-25 tonnes and 26-100 tonnes size brackets those the 101those in the 101-200 tonnes size The bracket decreased.

Thewhile numbers ofintonnes producers 200 tonnes size bracket decreased. numbers ofincreased producers in the >200 200 tonnes bracket numbers producers in include the >200 tonnes in the >200size tonnes size bracket the of same asdoinnot 2017.

These figures size bracket remained thedecreased. same as remained inThe 2017.

These figures those sites sizenot bracket the same 2017.

These figures do of notova include those fisites specialising inremained the production of as ovainor young fish for on-growing. do include those sites specialising in the production or young sh for specialising in the production of ova or young fish for on-growing. on-growing.

Production by Method Production

by Method Table 3: Grouping rainbow trout sites by production tonnages, main methods of Production by of Method Table 3: Grouping ofand rainbow trout sites by production main methods of production in 2018 withsites production intonnages, 2017 tonnages, Table 3: Grouping of comparison rainbow trout by production main methods production in 2018 and comparison with production in 2017 of production in 2018 and comparison with production in 2017 Production Production method method

Production grouping (tonnes) in 2018 Production grouping (tonnes) in 2018 <10 <10

10-25 10-25

26-50 26-50

51-100 51-100

>100 >100

FW cages FW cages FW ponds and FW ponds and raceways raceways FW tanks and FW tanks and hatcheries hatcheries SW cages SW cages

1 1

0 0

0 0

0 0

5 5

1 1

1 1

6 6

2 2

4 4

2 2

0 0

0 0

1 1

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

1 1

5 5

SW tanks SW tanks

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

Total Total

4 4

1 1

6 6

4 4

Total tonnage and (%) by Total tonnage and (%) by method method 2017 2018 2017 2018

0 0

2,592 2,592 (34.0%) (34.0%) 1,484 1,484 (19.4%) (19.4%) 79 (1.0%) 79 (1.0%) 3,482 3,482 (45.6%) (45.6%) 0 0

1,838 1,838 (28.7%) (28.7%) 1,142 1,142 (17.8%) (17.8%) 70 (1.1%) 70 (1.1%) 3,363 3,363 (52.4%) (52.4%) 0 0

14 14

7,637 7,637

6,413 6,413

Number of Number sites of sites 2017 2018 2017 2018

6 6

6 6

13 13

14 14

3 3

3 3

6 6

6 6

0 0

0 0

28 28

29 29

Seawater production accounted for 3,363 tonnes (52.4%) and freshwater production the Seawater production accounted for 3,363 tonnes (52.4%) and freshwater production the remaining 3,050 tonnes (47.6%). Production from freshwater cages, freshwater ponds remaining 3,050 tonnes (47.6%). Production from freshwater cages, freshwater ponds and raceways, freshwater tanks and hatcheries and seawater cages all decreased during and raceways, freshwater tanks and hatcheries and seawater cages all decreased during Production Survey.indd 56 2018.

2018.

05/12/2019 09:29:30

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 57 Production method Production grouping (tonnes) in 2018 Total tonnage and (%) by method Seawater production accounted for 3,363 tonnes (52.4%) and freshwater production the remaining 3,050 tonnes (47.6%). Production from freshwater cages, freshwater ponds and raceways, freshwater tanks and hatcheries and seawater cages all decreased during 2018.

Company and Site Data Company and Site Data and sites in production during 2009-2018 Company and of Site Data Table 4: Number companies Table4:4: Number of companies and sites in production 2009-2018 Table Number of companies and sites in production during during 2009-2018 Year Year 2009 2009 2010 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 2016 2016 2017 2017 2018 2018

No. of companies No. of companies 27 27 25 25 23 23 25 25 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 23 23 23 23

No. of sites No. of sites 56 56 51 51 48 48 48 48 46 46 46 46 45 45 44 44 44 44 53 53

Above: Trout farming

In 2018 the number of companies authorised by the Scottish Government and In 2018 the number of companies authorised by the Scottish Government and actively actively in of rainbow trout production wasScottish 23. TheGovernment number ofand sites regisIn 2018 engaged the number companies authorised by the actively engaged in rainbow trout production was 23. The number of sites registered and in tered andininrainbow production 53. was 23. The number of sites registered and in engaged trout was production production was 53. production was 53.

StafďŹ ng and and Productivity Productivity Staffing Staffing and Productivity Table5: 5: Number of staff employed and productivity per person 2009Table Number of staff employed and productivity per person during during 2009-2018 Table 5: Number of staff employed and productivity per person during 2009-2018 2018 Year Year

Full-time Male Full-time Male

Full-time Female Full-time Female

Total Full-time Total Full-time

Part-time Male Part-time Male

Part-time Female Part-time Female

Total Part-time Total Part-time

Total Staff Total Staff

Productivity (tonnes/ Productivity person) (tonnes/ person)

2009 2009 2010 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 2016 2016 2017 2017 2018 2018

107 107 95 95 90 90 74 74 85 85 86 86 100 100 90 90 98 98 103 103

4 4 3 3 5 5 5 5 4 4 7 7 10 10 10 10 12 12 8 8

111 111 98 98 95 95 79 79 89 89 93 93 110 110 100 100 110 110 111 111

22 22 24 24 16 16 23 23 16 16 13 13 10 10 15 15 15 15 17 17

5 5 7 7 7 7 5 5 5 5 7 7 6 6 6 6 7 7 8 8

27 27 31 31 23 23 28 28 21 21 20 20 16 16 21 21 22 22 25 25

138 138 129 129 118 118 107 107 110 110 113 113 126 126 121 121 132 132 136 136

49.0 49.0 39.8 39.8 39.1 39.1 53.0 53.0 51.0 51.0 52.1 52.1 68.2 68.2 66.9 66.9 57.9 57.9 47.2 47.2

The overall number of staff employed in 2018 increased by four to 136. The number The overall number of staff employed in the 2018 increased by four to 136.

The number The overall number of staff employed innumber 2018 increased of full-time staff increased by one while of part-time staff increased by of four full-time staffThe increased by as one whileproduced thestaff number part-time staff increased by to 136. number of tonnes full-time three.

Productivity, measured perofperson, decreased by 18.5%byin three.with Productivity, measured as tonnes per person, decreased by for 18.5% increased by while the number ofproduced part2018 no one distinction between full and part-time employees being made thisin 2018staff withincreased no distinction between full and part-time employees being made for this calculation. time by three.

Productivcalculation.

ity, measured as tonnes produced per person, decreased by 18.5% in 2018 with no distinction between full and parttime employees being made for this calculation.

Production Survey.indd 57

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58 PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018

Production by

by Area Area Production Table 6: Production and staffing by area in 2018 Table 6: Production and stafďŹ ng by area in 2018

Area

No. of sites

Table production (tonnes)

Restocking production (tonnes)

Mean tonnes per site

Staffing F/T

P/T

Total

Productivity (tonnes/ person)

North*

13

57

25

6.3

5

5

10

8.2

East

13

1,048

268

101.2

32

8

40

32.9

West

16

4,250

28

267.4

59

4

63

67.9

South

11

519

218

67.0

15

8

23

32.0

All

53

5,874

539

121.0

111

25

136

47.2

Below: Trout farm

From 2018, the North area also included production and staff from the Western Isles Productivity was greatest in the West at 267.4 tonnes per site and 67.9 tonnes per person.

*From 2018, the North area also included production and staff from the Western Isles

Productivity was greatest in the West at 267.4 tonnes per site and 67.9 tonnes per person.

8

Production Survey.indd 58

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 59

The distribution of active rainbow trout sites in 2018

FIGURE 1: THE DISTRIBUTION OF ACTIVE RAINBOW TROUT SITES IN 2018 Production Survey.indd 59

05/12/2019 09:31:30

60 PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018

Type of Ova Laid Down Down Type of of Ova Ova Laid Type Table 7: Number (000s) and (%) eyed ova types laid down to during Table 7: 7: Number (000s) and proportions proportions (%) of of (%) eyedof ova types laid down to hatch hatch Table Number (000’s) and proportions eyed ova types laid downduring to 2009-2018 2009-2018 hatch during 2009-2018 All female female All diploid no. no. (%) (%) diploid 15,469 (87) 15,469 (87)

Year Year 2009 2009 2010 2010

13,352 (89) (89) 13,352 12,673 (84) (84) 12,673

2011 2011 2012 2012

10,967 (85) (85) 10,967 7,857 (80) 7,857 (80)

Triploid no. no. (%) (%) Triploid 2,341 (13) (13) 2,341 1,052 (7) (7) 1,052 2,254 (15) (15) 2,254 2,005 (15) 2,005 (15)

2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015

8,321 (75) (75) 8,321 10,245 (85) (85) 10,245

1,955 (20) (20) 1,955 2,710 (25) 2,710 (25) 1,800 (15) (15) 1,800

2016 2016 2017 2017 2018 2018

7,986 (80) (80) 7,986 2,366 (34) (34) 2,366 1,460 (23) (23) 1,460

1,943 (20) (20) 1,943 4,670 (66) (66) 4,670 4,843 (77) (77) 4,843

Mixed sex sex Mixed diploid no. no. (%) (%) diploid 35 (<1) 35 (<1) 675 (4) (4) 675 215 (1) (1) 215 7 (<1) (<1) 7 77 (<1) 77 (<1) 9 (<1) (<1) 9 76 (<1) (<1) 76 5 (<1) (<1) 5 5 (<1) (<1) 5 15 (<1) 15 (<1)

Total ova ova Total 17,845 17,845 15,079 15,079 15,142 15,142 12,979 12,979 9,889 9,889 11,040 11,040 12,121 12,121 9,934 9,934 7,041 7,041 6,318 6,318

Source of Ova Laid Down Source of Ova Down Source ofNumber Ova Laid Laid Down Table 8: (000’s) and sources of eyed ova laid down to hatch in 2009Table 8: Number (000s) and Table 8: Number (000s) and sources sources of of eyed eyed ova ova laid laid down down to to hatch hatch in in 2009-2018 2009-2018 2018 Year Year 2009 2009 2010 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 2016 2016 2017 2017 2018 2018

Own Own stock stock 603 603

Ova Ova produced produced in in Great Great Britain Britain (GB) (GB) Other Other stock stock

Total Total

Total Total imported imported ova ova Northern Northern hemisphere hemisphere

Total Total

220 220 50 50

823 823 465 465

17,022 17,022 14,614 14,614

17,845 17,845 15,079 15,079

189 189 230 230

404 404 244 244

14,738 14,738 12,735 12,735

15,142 15,142 12,979 12,979

9 9 6 6

537 537 655 655 888 888

614 614 664 664 894 894

9,275 9,275 10,376 10,376 11,227 11,227

9,889 9,889 11,040 11,040 12,121 12,121

35 35 20 20

349 349 547 547

384 384 567 567

9,550 9,550 6,474 6,474

9,934 9,934 7,041 7,041

15 15

495 495

510 510

5,808 5,808

6,318 6,318

415 415 215 215 14 14 77 77

IN 2018, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF EYED OVA LAID DOWN TO HATCH DECREASED BY 0.7 MILLION (10%) ON THE 2017 FIGURE

Above: Rainbow

In 2018, the total numbereyed of eyed laid ova laid down to hatch decreased by 0.7 trout In In 2018, 2018, the the total total number number of of eyed ova ova laid down down to to hatch hatch decreased decreased by by 0.7 0.7 million million million (10%) on the 2017 fi gure.

All ova were imported from the Northern hem(10%) on the 2017 figure.

All ova were imported from the Northern hemisphere; no ova Opposite: (10%) on the 2017 figure. All ova were imported from the Northern hemisphere; no ova have from the Southern hemisphere since The ova isphere; noimported ova have been the Southern hemisphere since of 2007. ova have been been imported from theimported Southern from hemisphere since 2007.

2007.

The proportion proportion of ova from GB remained the same (8.1% of total) the The of ova from GB remained same asand in 2017 (8.1% fromproportion GB broodstock broodstock remained thebroodstock same as as in in 2017 2017 (8.1% the of the the total) and the rainbow rainbow trout remained reliant on ova.

Data importation of into of theindustry total) and the rainbow industry remained reliant on imported trout industry remained reliant trout on imported imported ova.

Data on on the the importation of ova ovaova. into Scotland are available from health certificates and are in 9a.

Data on the importation ovathe into Scotland are also from the health Scotland are also also availableof from the health certificates andavailable are shown shown in Table Table 9a. Any Any discrepancy between the figures in Tables 8 and 9a is due to data being obtained discrepancy between the figures in Tables 8 and 9a is due tobetween data being obtained from two certifi cates and are shown in Table 9a. Any discrepancy the figuresfrom in two independent sources. independent sources.

Trout

Tables 8 and 9a is due to data being obtained from two independent sources.

Production Survey.indd 60

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 61

Imports from Official Import Health Certificates

Table 9a: Number (000s) and sources of ova imported into Scotland from outwith GB Imports from Official Import Health Certificates during 2009-2018 Table 9a: Number (000s) sources of ovaCertificates imported into Scotland from outwith GB Imports from Official Offi cialand Import Health Certifi cates Imports Import Health during 2009-2018 Table 9a: Number and2011 sources of ovaof imported into Scotland from outwith Table 9a: Number (000’s) and sources ova imported into Scotland from GB Source 2009(000s) 2010 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 during 2009-2018 outwith GB during 2009-2018 4,070 1,715 5,250 Denmark Source Isle of Man Source Denmark N. Ireland Denmark Isle of Man Norway Isle of Man N. Ireland USA N. Ireland Norway Totals Norway USA

1,950

290 2009 4,070 10,090 4,070 290 750 290 10,090 2,240 10,090 750 17,440 750 2,240

300 2012 1,950 8,332 1,950 300 300 300 8,332 1,800 8,332 300 12,682 300 1,800

USA Totals

2,330

5,535

3,518

3,728

175 2015 2,330 6,535 2,330 175 670 175 6,535 1,675 6,535 670 11,385 670 1,675

20 2016 5,535 3,040 5,535 20 500 20 3,040 750 3,040 500 9,845 500 750

300 2017 3,518 1,240 3,518 300 774 300 1,240 0 1,240 774 5,832 774 0

0 2018 3,728

2,240 14,902 2,340 14,800 1,580 12,682 1,800 2,350 1,700 11,385 1,675 750 17,440 9,765 10,690 9,845

0 5,832

855 5,668

2009

2010

1,400 2010 1,715 9,247 1,715 1,400 200 1,400 9,247 2,340 9,247 200 14,902 200 2,340

2011

520 2011 5,250 7,320 5,250 520 130 520 7,320 1,580 7,320 130 14,800 130 1,580

2012

1,315

2013

2,500

2014

800 1,000 2013 1,315 2014 2,500 5,125 4,780 1,315 800 2,500 1,000 175 710 800 1,000 5,125 4,780 2,350 1,700 5,125 4,780 175 710 9,765 175 10,690 710 2,350 1,700

2015

2016

2017

2018

1,085 3,728 0 0 0 1,085 855 1,085 0 5,668 0 855

17,440variation 14,902 14,800 12,682 9,765 5,832 Totals9b: Seasonal Table in numbers (000s) and10,690 sources11,385 of ova 9,845 imported into 5,668 Scotland from outwith GB during 2018 Table 9b: Seasonal variation in numbers (000s) and sources of ova imported into Table 9b: Seasonal variation in numbers (000s) and sources of ova imported Scotland from outwith GB during 2018 Table 9b: Seasonal in numbers sources of ova imported into into Scotland fromvariation outwith GB during (000s) 2018 and Month Denmark N. Ireland USA Scotland from outwith GB during 2018 January 0 200 0 Month Denmark N. Ireland USA February 1000 135 0 Month Denmark N. Ireland USA January 0 200 0 March 370 0 0 January 0 200 00 February 1000 135 April 0 100 175 February 1000 135 00 March 370 0 May 950 0 0 March 370 0 0 April 0 100 175 June 0 0 205 April 0 100 175 May 950 0 0 July 0 100 205 May 950 00 0 June 0 205 August 0 100 0 June 00 0 205 July 100 205 September 0 450 230 July 00 100 205 August 100 0 October 400 0 40 August 00 100 0 September 450 230 November 320 0 0 September 0 450 230 October 400 0 40 December 688 0 0 October 400 0 40 November 320 0 0 Totals 3,728 1,085 855 November 320 00 00 December 688

December Totals

688 3,728

0 1,085

0 855

Totals 3,728 1,085 855 GB sources of fish imported into Scotland from outwith Table 9c: Number (000s) and Table 9c: Number (000’s) and sources of fish imported into Scotland from during 2009-2018 outwith during(000s) 2009-2018 Number and sources of fish imported into Scotland from outwith GB Table 9c:GB during 2009-2018 Number (000s) and sources of fish imported into Scotland from outwith GB Table 9c: 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Source during 2009-2018 0 <1 72 155 537 674 746 592 486 391 N. Ireland 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Source Republic 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Source 0 <1 72 155 537 674 746 592 486 391 N. Ireland Ireland of Republic 0 <1 72 155 537 674 746 592 486 391 N. Ireland 0 the 2 0 Union 0 0accounted 0 0 of 0 0 Suppliers within European for0 of 84.9% of Ireland Suppliers within the European Union (EU) (EU) accounted for 84.9% ova imported into Republic 0 2 0 0 0 the USA 0 0 0 for 0 0 ova imported into Scotland during 2018 with accounting of Ireland Scotland during 2018 with the USA accounting for the remaining 15.1%. In recent years Suppliers within the European Union (EU) accounted for 84.9% of ova imported into the remaining 15.1%.

In producers recent years there has grown been arainbow trend for there has been a trend for to import part trout into Scotland Scotland during 2018 withgrown theUnion USA accounting forinto the remaining 15.1%.

In recent years Suppliers within the European (EU) accounted forScotland 84.9% offrom ova imported into producers to GB. import part rainbow trout from outwith there has been a2018 trend for the producers to importfor part grown rainbow trout Scotland Scotland during with USA accounting the remaining 15.1%.

Ininto recent years outwith GB. from has outwith there beenGB. a trend for producers to import part grown rainbow trout into Scotland

SUPPLIERS WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) ACCOUNTED FOR 84.9% OF OVA IMPORTED INTO SCOTLAND

from outwith GB.

11

11 11

Production Survey.indd 61

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62 PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018

Trade in in Fry Fry and and Fingerlings Trade Table Number (000s) of fry tradedtraded duringduring 2009-2018 Table10: 10: Number (000’s) ofand fry fingerlings and fingerlings 2009-2018 Fry and fingerlings bought Total number All female Triploid no.

Mixed sex Table 10: Number traded 2009-2018 bought diploid(000s) no. (%)of fry and (%)fingerlings diploid no.during (%)

Trade in Fry and Fingerlings Year 2009 2010 Year 2011

15,539 (95) All female diploid (%) 16,288 no.

(88.5)

585 (4) Triploid no. (%) 1,970 (10.7)

141 (1) Mixed sex diploid no. (%) 138 (0.8)

22,471 Total 16,265 number bought 18,396

20,597 Total 14,686 number sold 16,612

2012 2009 2013 2010 2014 2011

12,543 21,113 (91) (94) 6,734 (84) 15,539 (95)

1,226 1,358 (9) (6) 1,239 (16) 585 (4) 1,423(10.7) (19) 1,970

0 0 1410 (1)

13,769 22,471 7,973 16,265

12,088 20,597 6,749 14,686

1380(0.8) 2900 (4)

7,334 18,396 6,992 13,769

6,719 16,612 6,971 12,088

0 0 0 0

7,577 7,973 5,435 7,334

6,779 6,749 4,145 6,719

2900 (4)

2,340 6,992

2,383 6,971

2015 2012 2016 2013 2017 2014 2018 2015

21,113 (94) 1,358 (6) bought Fry and fingerlings

5,911(88.5) (81) 16,288 6,104 (87) 12,543 (91) 6,452 6,734 (85) (84) 3,989 5,911 (73) (81) 979 (42) 6,104 (87)

598 (9) 1,226 (9) 1,125 (15) 1,239 (16) 1,446 (19) (27) 1,423 1,361 (58) 598 (9)

0

Total number sold

2016 6,452trade (85) between 1,125hatcheries (15) 7,577 6,779 The established and0 on-growThe established trade between hatcheries and on-growing farms continued in 2018.

2017 3,989 (73) (27) 0specialisedThe 5,435 ing farms continued in 2018.

Some companies Some companies specialised in1,446 fry and fingerling production. total number4,145 of fry in fry and fingerling production.

The totalwhile number of fry sold and fingerlings bought decreased by 56.9% the decreased by 42.5%.

2018 979 (42) 1,361 (58) 0 number 2,340 2,383 The disparity between and demand is due to trade and fingerlings boughtsupply decreased by 56.9% while the with England and Wales. number sold decreased by 42.5%.

The and disparity between The established trade between hatcheries on-growing farms continued in 2018.

Use Vaccines supply and demand is due to trade England and Someof companies specialised in fry andwith fingerling production.

The total number of fry Table 11: Number of sites rearing by fish56.9% vaccinated enteric redmouth disease and fingerlings bought decreased while against the number sold decreased by 42.5%.

Wales.

(ERM) and number of fish vaccinated (millions) during 2009-2018 The disparity between supply and demand is due to trade with England and Wales.

Use of Vaccines Use of 11: Vaccines Year 2009 2010 2011 2012 2014against 2015 2016 2017 2018 Table Number of sites rearing fish2013 vaccinated Table 11: Number of sites rearing fish vaccinated against enteric redmouth disease enteric redmouth disease (ERM) and number of fi sh vaccinated (millions) during No. of (ERM) and number of 31 27fish vaccinated 26 24(millions) 19 during 21 2009-2018 17 18 18 17 2009-2018 sites

Above: Salmon fry Opposite: Brown trout

No. of 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Year 27.5 20.0 20.3 20.4 9.9 10.0 8.3 7.3 5.4 3.4 fish No. of 31 27 26 24 19 21 17 18 18 17 sites Vaccines continued to be used as a preventative treatment against enteric redmouth No. of (ERM), a potentially serious bacterial infection, caused by Yersinia ruckeri. disease 27.5 20.0 20.3 20.4 9.9 10.0 8.3 7.3 5.4 3.4 fish Vaccination is generally carried out as a bath treatment at the fingerling stage, although some vaccines are administered by intra-peritoneal injection. A total of 3.4 million fish Vaccines continued to be used a preventative treatment redwere vaccinated on to 17be sites.

Vaccines continued used as a as preventative treatment againstagainst enteric enteric redmouth

mouth a potentially seriousinfection, bacterialcaused infection, causedruckeri.

by Yersinia diseasedisease (ERM), a(ERM), potentially serious bacterial

by Yersinia Organic Production ruckeri.

Vaccination is generally outtreatment as a bathattreatment at the fingerling Vaccination is generally carried outcarried as a bath the fingerling stage, although Of thevaccines 53 sites are recorded as beingby active in rainbow trout production none fish were stage, although some vaccines are administered by intra-peritoneal injection.

A some administered intra-peritoneal injection.

A total in of2018, 3.4 million certified as organic. total 3.4 million shsites. were vaccinated on 17 sites. were of vaccinated on fi 17 Escapes Organic Production Organic There were tworecorded the loss of 5,575 fish production from rainbow trout sites in Of 5353 sites asinvolving being active in rainbow trout in 2018, were Ofthe the sitesincidents recorded as being active in rainbow trout production in none 2018, 2018. certified as certifi organic. none were ed as organic.

Escapes Escapes There were two incidents involving the 12 loss of 5,575 fish from rainbow trout sites in There were two incidents involving the loss of 5,575 fish from rainbow trout 2018. sites in 2018.

12

Production Survey.indd 62

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 63

// 4.OTHER SPECIES

The Scottish aquaculture industry has continued to farm other species of fish during Other Species

T

2018. The production of brown trout (Salmo trutta) showed a decrease, with the majority

he Scottish aquaculture industry has continued to farm other species of

of production being for the angling restocking market. In 2018 there was production of // 4.OTHER fish during SPECIES 2018.

The production brown troutbe (Salmo trutta ) showed a halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) but theoffigure cannot published without revealing

decrease,from withanthe majoritycompany. of production being for(Salvelinus the angling restocking the production individual No Arctic charr alpinus) were The Scottish aquaculture industry has continued to farm other species of fish during market.

20182018. thereLumpsucker was production of halibut (Hippoglossus ) but producedInduring (Cyclopterus lumpus) and severalhippoglossus species of wrasse 2018. The production of brown trout (Salmo trutta) showed a decrease, with the majority the figure were cannot beproduced published revealing theofproduction an individ(Labridae) also in without 2018. The production lumpsuckerfrom and wrasse are of production being for the angling restocking market. In 2018 there was production of alpinus ) were during 2018. ual company.

Arctic charr salmon (Salvelinus targeted at theNo marine Atlantic industry where theyproduced are used as a biological halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) but the figure cannot be published without revealing control for parasites.

Lumpsucker (Cyclopterus lumpuscompany. ) and several species wrasse (Labridae ) were the production from an individual No Arctic charrof(Salvelinus alpinus) were also produced in2018.

2018.Lumpsucker The production of lumpsucker andseveral wrasse are targeted at produced during (Cyclopterus lumpus) and species of wrasse Company, Sitealso and Production Data the marinewere Atlantic salmon they are of used as a biological control (Labridae) producedindustry in 2018.where The production lumpsucker and wrasse are Table 40: Number of companies and sites producing other species in 2018, annual for parasites. targeted at the marine Atlantic salmon industry where they are used as a biological

production of other species (tonnes) during 2015-2018 and estimated production in 2019 control for parasites.

Company, Site and Production Data Company, Site andofProduction Datasites2016 Table 40: Number companies and producing2017 other species 2015 2018 in 2018, 2019 No. of No. of Table 40: Number ofof companies and sites producing other species Production inand 2018, annual Species Production Production Production Production annual production other species (tonnes) during 2015-2018 estimated companies sites tonnage tonnage tonnage tonnage tonnage* production of production in other 2019 species (tonnes) during 2015-2018 and estimated production in 2019 Arctic charr 0 0 † 0 0 0 0 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Brown trout/ No.9 of No. of 12 42 41 61 20 25 Species Production Production Production Production Production Sea trout companies sites tonnage tonnage tonnage tonnage tonnage* Halibut 1 3 56 67 † † ‡ Arctic charr Lumpsucker Brown trout/ Wrasse spp.

Sea trout

0 2

0 4

† 6

0 10

0 26

0 14

0 12

9 3

12 5

42 3

41 4

61 4

20 6

25 5

†

†

‡

*Halibut Industry estimates based on stocks 1 3 currently 56 being on-grown.

67

† Production occurred but this cannot be shown without revealing the figure for an individual company.

Lumpsucker

2

4

6

10

26

14

12

Wrasse spp.

3

5

3

4

4

6

5

‡ Estimate provided but cannot be shown without revealing the figure for an individual company.

* Industry estimates based on stocks currently being on-grown.

Staffing Staffi ng occurred but this cannot be shown without revealing the figure for an individual company. † Production Table 41: Number of staff employed in farming otherother species during during 2009-2018 Number of staff employed in farming 2009-2018 ‡ Table Estimate41: provided but cannot be shown without revealing the figure for species an individual company.

Year

Full-time

Part-time

Total

Staffing2009

23 22 45 19 in farming other species 24 43 Table 41:2010 Number of staff employed during 2009-2018 2011 24 19 43 2012 25 21 46 Year Full-time Part-time Total 2013 29 21 50 2009 23 22 45 2014 29 20 49 2010 19 24 43 2015 35 15 50 2011 24 19 43 2016 43 20 63 2012 25 21 46 2017 45 17 62 2013 29 21 50 2018 45 15 60 2014 29 20 49 2015 35 15 50 2018, overall number of staff employed the production ofspecies other speInIn2018, thethe overall number of staff employed in theinproduction of other 2016 43 20 63 decreased by two, 60 staff. cies decreased byto two, to 60 staff.

2017 45 17 62 2018 45 15 60

34 In 2018, the overall number of staff employed in the production of other species decreased by two, to 60 staff.

34

Production Survey.indd 63

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64 PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018 Production of Cleaner fish Table 42: Number (000s) of cleaner fish produced during 2015-2018

Production of of Cleaner Cleaner fish fish Production of Cleaner Production fish Table 42: 42: Number Number (000s) (000s) of of cleaner cleaner fish fish produced during 2015-2018 Table during 2015-2018 of fishduring produced (000s) Table 42: Number (000’s) of cleanerproduced fishNumber produced 2015-2018 Species

2015

Lumpsucker Species Species spp.

Wrasse Lumpsucker Lumpsucker

235 2015 2015 75 235 235

Wrasse spp.

75

2016 2017 Number of of fish produced (000s) (000s) Number 262 fish produced 925 2016 2017 2016 2017 118 58 262 925 262 925 118 58 118 58

2018 553 2018 2018 103 553 553 103

75 spp. have been produced for use as a biological 103 InWrasse recentspp. years lumpsucker and wrasse control for parasites in the marine Atlantic salmon industry. Data on the number of fish In recent years lumpsucker and wrasse spp. have been produced for use as a In lumpsucker and have been produced for use as produced has only been collected since spp.

2015.

As data future years is collected it will In recent recent years years lumpsucker and wrasse wrasse have beenfor produced use as a a biological biological biological control forinparasites inAtlantic the spp. marine Atlantic salmon for industry.

Data on the control for the show trends in cleaner production. control for parasites parasites in fish the marine marine Atlantic salmon salmon industry. industry. Data Data on on the the number number of of fish fish number ofhas fish produced has only been collected since 2015.

As data for future produced only produced has only been been collected collected since since 2015.

2015. As As data data for for future future years years is is collected collected it it will will Ova Laid Down to Hatch years is collected it will show trends in cleaner fish production. show trends trends in cleaner cleaner fish production. show in fish production.

Table 43: Source of ova from other species laid down to hatch during 2018

Ova Laid Down Hatch Ova Laid Laid Down Down to to Ova to Hatch Hatch Table 43: 43: Source Source of of ova ova from from other other species species laid laid down down to to hatch hatch during during 2018 2018 Table Source of ova laid to down to hatch (000s) Table 43: Source of ova from other species laid down hatch during 2018 Species Species Species Brown trout/sea trout

Other GB Own broodstock Source of of ova laid down down to to hatch hatchForeign (000s) ova Source ovabroodstock laid (000s) 499 Own broodstock Own broodstock

Halibut Brown trout/sea trout/sea trout Brown trout Lumpsucker Halibut Halibut Wrasse spp.

Lumpsucker Lumpsucker

§ 499 499 0 § § 37,000 0 0

Wrasse spp.

37,000

Other GB Other 0 GB broodstock broodstock 0 0 0

0 ova Foreign ova Foreign

0 0

0 0 0 1,500 0 0 0 1,500 1,500

0

0

0 0 0

0

§ Own broodstock ova was laid down to hatch but this cannot be shown without revealing the figure for an

0 Wrasse spp.

37,000 0 individual company. § § Own Own broodstock broodstock ova ova was was laid laid down down to to hatch hatch but but this this cannot cannot be be shown shown without without revealing revealing the the figure figure for for an an Trade Small Fish individualin company .. individual company

Trade in Small Fish Table 44: Trade in small fish of other species in 2018 Table in 44:Small TradeFish in small fish of other species in 2018 Trade Trade in Small Fish Table 44: 44: Trade in small fish of other species in in 2018 Table Species Trade in small fish of other species Bought2018 (000s)

Sold (000s)

Halibut Species Species

Bought0 (000s) (000s) Bought

Sold # (000s) Sold (000s)

Brown Halibuttrout/sea trout Halibut

55 0 0

4 # #

Lumpsucker Brown trout/sea trout/sea trout trout Brown

2,200 55 55

694 4 4

Wrasse spp.

Lumpsucker Lumpsucker

0 2,200 2,200

751 694 694

# During 2018 there was trade of small halibut but figures cannot be shown without revealing the figure for

Wrasse Wrasse spp. spp.

0 0

751 751

2018 there was trade of small halibut but figures cannot be shown withanDuring individual company. # 2018 trade but cannot out revealing thewas figure forsmall an halibut individual company. # During During 2018 there there was trade of of small halibut but figures figures cannot be be shown shown without without revealing revealing the the figure figure for for an individual individual company.

There was also a small amount of production of: brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) and an company. tiger trout (Salmo x Salvelinus fontinalis).

However, due charr to the (Salvelinus small number of There was also trutta a small amount of production of brook fontinThere was also a amount of production of: charr (Salvelinus and companies in production, it is not to summarise these data without revealing Thereand wastiger also a small small amount of possible production of: brook brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) and alis) trout (Salmo trutta x Salvelinus fontinalis ).

However,fontinalis) due to the tiger trout trutta fontinalis). due the of individual companies. tigerproduction trout (Salmo (Salmo trutta x x Salvelinus Salvelinus fontinalis). However, due to to the the small small number number of of small number of companies in production, itHowever, is not possible to summarise these companies companies in in production, production, it it is is not not possible possible to to summarise summarise these these data data without without revealing revealing data without revealing the production of individual companies. the production production of individual individual companies. companies.

Organic Production the of

Of the 24 sites recorded as producing other species in 2018, no organic production was Organic Organic Production reported.

Organic Production Production Of 24 sites recorded as other species in organic production was Ofthe the sites recorded as producing species in no 2018, no organic producOf the 2424 sites recorded as producing producing otherother species in 2018, 2018, no organic production was Escapes reported. reported. tion was reported.

There were no reported escapes from sites rearing other species during 2018.

From the Top: Lumpsucker, wrasse

Escapes Escapes Escapes There were were no no reported reported escapes escapes from from sites sites rearing other other species species during during 2018.

2018.

There 35 rearing There were no reported escapes from sites rearing other species during 2018.

35 35

Production Survey.indd 64

05/12/2019 09:34:01

The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 introduces integrated management of Scotland’s seas.

The creation of a National Marine Plan, as required by the Act, sets the wider context for planning within Scotland including what should be considered when creating 2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 65 regional marine plans. Eleven Scottish Marine Regions have been created under the Act Scottish4) Marine Regions (see Figure which cover sea areas extending out to 12 nautical miles.

The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 introduces integrated management of Scotland’s seas. The creation of a National Marine Plan, as required by the Act, sets To support development of Regional

by Regional the widerthe context for planning within Scotland Marine including Plans what should be consid- Marine Planning Partnerships, tonnages andmarine financial of annual finfish production have been ered when creating regional plans.values Eleven Scottish Marine Regions have been created under the Act,defined which cover sea areas extending outregional to 12 nautical calculated for the regions under the Act. These data are presented in miles.

Appendix 3. In order to maintain commercial confidentiality salmon production figures To support the development of Regional Marine Plans by Regional Marine Planfor Argyll & Clyde and the North Coast & West Highlands have been ning Partnerships, tonnages and financial values of annual finfish production have merged. Other been calculated for the regions defined under Act. These regional data are finfish species including brown/sea trout,the rainbow trout, cod, halibut and cleaner fish presented in Appendix 3. In order to maintain commercial confidentiality salmon were produced, however these figures cannot be attributed to Scottish Marine Regions production figures for Argyll & Clyde and the North Coast & West Highlands have due to commercial confidentiality. been merged. Other finfish species including brown/sea trout, rainbow trout, cod, halibut and cleaner fish were produced, however these figures cannot be attributed to Scottish Marine Regions due to commercial confidentiality.

Scottish Marine Regions

FIGURE 4: SCOTTISH MARINE REGIONS Production Survey.indd 65

05/12/2019 09:34:40

66 PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018

Scottish Shellfish Farm Surveys 2018

Production Survey - Shellfish.indd 66

05/12/2019 09:36:50

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 67

2018 Overview

I

n 2018, 6,874 tonnes of mussels were produced for the table market;

• Mussel and Pacific oyster remain the main species produced in terms of value and tonnage. Mussel production decreased by 16% and Pacific oyster production decreased by 20% during 2018; • During 2018, over 4.2 million Pacific oyster shells were produced for on-growing showing that markets both home and abroad are well established; • There has been a decrease in the table production of both queen scallop (273,000 to 18,000 shells) and scallop (47,000 to 31,000 shells) since 2017; • There was a decrease in the production of native oysters from 200,000 to 142,000 shells in 2018. This sector continues to target a strong niche market; • Employment levels decreased by 9% from the previous year, with 298 full, parttime and casual staff being employed during 2018.

• The Scottish shellfish farming industry is estimated to be worth approximately £9.5 million at first sale value, a decrease of 23% on the 2017 figure.

• Active surveillance for bonamiasis, marteiliasis and OsHV-1 µvar continued in 2018; • For shellfish health purposes, 121 out of 329 sites were inspected during 2018 as part of a risk based surveillance programme implemented under Council Directive 2006/88/EC. Details of this can be found at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/ marine/Fish-Shellfish/FHI/surveillance; • Movement restrictions remain in place for the presence of Bonamia ostreae at Loch Sunart, Highland and West Loch Tarbert, Argyll; • The UK maintained disease free status with regard to bonamiasis, marteiliasis and OsHV-1 µvar. Immediate notification of increased mortality on farm sites must be reported to Marine Scotland Science, Fish Health Inspectorate

Left: Oyster farming

Production Survey - Shellfish.indd 67

05/12/2019 09:37:17

// PROD U CTION The survey indicates that the shellfish species cultivated in Scottish waters in 2018 were:

PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018 // 68PRODU CTION

Mussel: Mytilus spp.

The survey indicates that the shellfish species Production Pacific oyster: Crassostrea gigas1cultivated in he survey indicates in that2018 the shellfi sh species cultivated in Scottish waters in 2018 Scottish waters were: Native oyster: Ostrea edulis were:

T

Queen scallop: Mussel: Scallop: Pacific oyster:

Aequipecten opercularis Mytilus spp.

Pecten maximus Crassostrea gigas1

Native oyster:

Ostrea edulis

Queen scallop: Aequipecten opercularis Production was dominated by mussel and Pacific oyster, although small quantities

Scallop: maximus of scallop, queen scallop (queen)Pecten and native oyster were also produced. The 2018 production data for each species by region are given inetTable 1. Additionally in 1. A proposed name change to Magallana gigas remains controversial (Bayne al.

2007, Journal of Shellfi Research. 36,of 545-547) 2018 there wassh cultivation whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) and common Production was dominated by mussel and Pacific oyster, although small quantities of periwinkle littorea) duePacific to the oyster, small number of small thesequantities species being Production(Littorina was dominated byhowever, mussel and although scallop, queen scallop (queen) and native oyster were also produced. The 2018 proproduced it is not possible to summarise these without revealing commercially sensitive of scallop, queen scallop (queen) and native oyster were also produced.

The 2018 duction data for each species by region are given in Table 1. Additionally in 2018 there was cultivation of whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) and common periwinkle information. production data for each species by region are given in Table 1. Additionally in (Littorina littorea) however, due to the small number of these species being produced it 2018 there was cultivation of whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) and common is not possible to summarise these without revealing commercially sensitive informaTABLE 1 periwinkle (Littorina littorea) however, due to the small number of these species being tion.

SCOTTISH SHELLFISH PRODUCTION

BY REGION, 2018. revealing commercially sensitive produced it is not possible to summarise these without information.

Table 1: Scottish Shellfish Production by Region, 2018.

Region

Businesses

Mussel

Pacific oyster

Native oyster

TABLE 1 Tonnes 000s SCOTTISH SHELLFISH Tonnes PRODUCTION

BY REGION, 2018.

000s 000s (tonnes)

Table

Region Highland

Businesses 45

Orkney

On-

growing

Mussel 717 (tonnes)

On-

Table

Queen

Scallop

(000s)

(000s)

(000s)

growing

Table

000s

000s

000s

Ongrowing

Table

growing

1

Pacific oyster 1,787 2,000

Native 0 oyster3

Queen 1

(000s)

(000s)

(000s)

0

0

(000s)

0

000s0

Strathclyde

45

Table

442

197 growing

Table

1,976

240 growing

142

341 growing

17

0 growing

4

4 growing

Western HighlandIsles

14 45

555 717

101

268 1,787

2,000 2,000

00

03

01

00

0 27

00

130 3

6,8740

2,1370

4,0310

4,2400

1420

3440

180

00

310

40

23

5,160 6,874

1,929 2,137

3220

0

110

0

10

0

All Scotland Orkney Shetland Weight (Tonnes)

On-

000s

000s0 Table

On-

0

0

Scallop 27

0

0

0

0

1,929

000s

0

growing

0

On-

0

On-

Table

Tonnes 5,160

Tonnes

0

000s

000s

On-

23

Shetland

3

(000s)

000s0 Table

000s On-

0

0 000s0 Table

000s On-

0

40

0

NB: This report lists regions sh farms operated240 by authorised Strathclyde 45 with active 442 shellfi 197 1,976 142 aquacul341 Above: 17 Scallop, 0 4 oysters ture production businesses.

NB: THIS REPORT LISTS REGIONS WITH ACTIVE SHELLFISH FARMS OPERATED BY Western Isles 14 555 10 268 2,000 0 0 0 0 0

4

Conversion to weight used the following assumptions (based on industry figures): 344

4

AUTHORISED AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION BUSINESSES. All Scotland 130 6,874 2,137 4,031 4,240 142

Opposite: Mussel 18 0 farming

31

0

individual averaged 80g;6,874 individual2,137 scallops averaged 120g; individual Weight oysters (Tonnes) 322 11 queens 1 4 CONVERSION TO WEIGHT USED THE FOLLOWING ASSUMPTIONS (BASED ON INDUSTRY averaged 40g.

Table Sales directly for human consumption; FIGURES): INDIVIDUAL 80g;SHELLFISH INDIVIDUAL SCALLOPS AVERAGED NB: =THIS REPORT LISTSOYSTERS REGIONSAVERAGED WITH ACTIVE FARMS OPERATED BY On-growing = Sales to other businesses for on-growing.

120g; INDIVIDUAL QUEENS AVERAGED 40g.

AUTHORISED AQUACULTURE BUSINESSES. Table production by species is illustrated inPRODUCTION Figure 1, while trends in production for the table market and on-growing in Scotland are presented in Table 2.

TABLE = SALESTO DIRECTLY CONSUMPTION; CONVERSION WEIGHT FOR USEDHUMAN THE FOLLOWING ASSUMPTIONS (BASED ON INDUSTRY ON-GROWING = SALES TO OTHER BUSINESSES FOR ON-GROWING. FIGURES): INDIVIDUAL OYSTERS AVERAGED 80g; INDIVIDUAL SCALLOPS AVERAGED 120g; INDIVIDUAL QUEENS AVERAGED 40g. ¹ A proposed name change to Magallana gigas remains controversial (Bayne et al. 2007, Journal of Shellfish Research.

545-547) TABLE =36, SALES DIRECTLY Production Survey - Shellfish.indd 68 ON-GROWING =

FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION; SALES TO OTHER BUSINESSES FOR ON-GROWING.

05/12/2019 09:37:57

Pric

Table production by species is illustrated in Figure 1 (see page 4), while trends in production for the table market and on-growing in Scotland are presented in Table 2.

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 69 TABLE 2 TRENDS IN PRODUCTION DATA FOR ANDon-growing ON-GROWING 2009-2018.

Table 2: Trends in production data forTHE theTABLE table and 2009-2018.

For the table Pacific oyster (000s) Native oyster (000s) Queen (000s) Scallop (000s) Mussel (tonnes)

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

% change 17-18

2,900 3,008 3,136 2,706 1,891 3,392 2,693 3,534 5,034 4,031

-20

490

350

350

317

260

242

200

201

200

142

-29

138

184

27

9

33

18

33

155

273

18

-93

35

64

78

58

40

48

30

35

47

31

-34

6,302 7,199 6,996 6,277 6,757 7,683 7,270 7,732 8,232 6,874

-16

Mussel production,2009 for the table,2011 decreased 16% in 2018 figure 1 below) For on-growing 2010 2012 by 2013 2014 2015(see 2016 2017 2018 to 6,874 tonnes. The greatest contribution in regional mussel production was from Pacific oyster 6,216 6,792 5,864 4,584 3,849 Shetland, accounting45 for 1,633 5,160 1,400 tonnes3,190 or 75% of Scotland’s total.

Pacifi c 4,240 (000s) oyster production decreased by 20% from 2017. The Strathclyde region Native oyster produced 49% of Scotland’s Queen 13 scallop 0 300farmed 1 Pacifi 677c oysters.

1,015 749 323 481 344 (000s) production decreased by 93% since 2017 while the production of Queen (000s) 30 0 34%0with both 0 1,490 0 farmed scallops decreased by these 500 sectors900 contin-17 300 Scallop (000s) small niche 0 0 104Production 16 1,470 136 oysters 49 23 9 4 uing to target markets. of native decreased by 29% from production Mussel (tonnes) 391 2017.

175 Native 282 oyster 309 1,281 1,263 accounts 1,841 2,619 4,437 2,137 for a small percentage of total oyster production, however, demand for this species continues to be high. Historical data for all shellfiproduction, sh species show thattable, production levels vary yearinon2018 year. (see figure 1) to Mussel for the decreased by 16% This can be dueThe to agreatest number of different factors such asmussel poor spat 6,874 tonnes. contribution in regional production was from fall, algal toxins, poor growth, adverse weather and uctuations in Shetland, accounting for 5,160 tonnes or 75% offlScotland’s total. Pacific oyster market prices. production decreased by 20% from 2017. The Strathclyde region produced

MUSSEL PRODUCTION DECREASED BY 16% IN 2018 TO 6,874 TONNES

49% of Scotland’s farmed Pacific oysters. Queen scallop production decreased

Figure Table2017 production species 2009-2018. by 93%1:since whileby the production of farmed scallops decreased by 34% 10,000

Tonnes

with both these sectors continue to target small niche markets. Production of 8,000 oysters decreased by 29% from 2017. Native oyster production accounts native for a small percentage of total oyster production, however, demand for this 6,000 species continues to be high. Historical data for all shellfish species show that production levels vary year on year. This can be due to a number of different 4,000 factors such as poor spat fall, algal toxins, poor growth, adverse weather and fluctuations in market prices.

2,000 0 6,000

Mussel (tonnes) '09

'10

'11

'12

'13

'14

'15

'16

'15

'16

'17

'18

Pacific oyster (000s)

5,000

Queen (000s)3

Native oyster (000s)

Number (000s)

4,000

Scallop (000s)

3,000 2,000 1,000 0 '09

'10

'11

'12

'13

'14

'17

'18

FIGURE 1 TABLE PRODUCTION BY SPECIES 2009-2018.

Prices Survey of farmed shellfish Production - Shellfish.indd 69 fluctuated throughout the year. Their value at first

05/12/2019 09:42:17

70 PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018

// //

#

Prices of farmed shellfish fluctuated throughout the year. Their value at first sale was estimated from the following figures obtained from the shellfish farming industry.

These vary with demand, level of production and geographical area of origin. The average price of Pacific oyster was £0.37 per shell; native oyster, £0.60 per shell; scallop, £1.83 per shell; queen scallop, £0.13 per shell and mussel £1,138 per tonne. The value of the tableAND trade is estimated from the production figures shown in Table 1 previous SITES BUSI NESSES page.

Mussel: £7.8 of million £0.09 The numbers authorised,Native active oyster: businesses andmillion sites in operation are SITES AND BUSI NESSES Queen: £0.002 million Pacifi c oyster: £1.5 million presented in Tables 3 and 4.

There are many sites that held stock not yet Scallop: million ready for£0.06 market, others were fallow, and some were located in remote areas

● ! (

The numbers of authorised, active businesses sites in operation are where cost-effective production and marketingand of shellfish proved difficult.

presented Tables 3 and 4. There many sites held stock not yet In 2018, theintotal value at first sale forare all species was that calculated at approximately £9.5 ready for market, others were fallow, and some were located in remote areas million, a decrease of 23%data fromhave the £12.4 million estimated in 2017.

Historically, production been collected by business.

However,

West Weste 4 49

where2002, cost-effective and marketing of shellfish difficult. since data haveproduction been collected for both business andproved site,

Sites Businesses enablingand the provision of more accurate site information. In 2018, 160

T

Historically, production data have collected by business.

However, he numbers of authorised, active businesses and sites in operation are presented sites produced shellfish for sale, a been decrease of 9% since 2017. since in 2002, data have been collected Tables 3 and 4. There are many for sitesboth thatbusiness held stockand notsite, yet ready for market, enabling thewere provision more accurate site information.

In 2018, others fallow,of and some were located in remote areas where160 cost-effective sites produced shellfish for sale,sh a decrease ofcult.

9% since 2017. production and marketing of shellfi proved diffi TABLE 3 Historically, production data have been collected by business. However, since 2002, AUTHORISED AND ACTIVEfor BUSINESSES 2009-2018. data have been collected both business and site, enabling the provision of more accurate site information. In 2018, 160 sites produced shellfish for sale, a decrease of TABLE 3 Number of Businesses 9% since 2017.

AUTHORISED2009 AND ACTIVE BUSINESSES 2009-2018.

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Table 3: Authorised and active businesses 2009-2018.

Active

Active

168

164

153

153 142 144 Number of Businesses

144

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

168

164

153

153

142

144

144

138 2016 138

132

130

2017

2018

132

130

TABLE 4 ACTIVE AND PRODUCING FARM SITES BY REGION 2018.

Table 4: Active and producing farm sites by region 2018.

Region TABLE 4 ACTIVE AND PRODUCING FARM SITES BYShetland REGION 2018.

Highland Orkney Strathclyde

Producing Sites

Isles

All Scotland

Region

Sites Active

Western

Highland 74

Orkney 3

Shetland 134

Strathclyde 69

25

0

94

26

Western 49 Isles 15

All Scotland 329 160

Active a production3growing cycle Active= Farms in 74 134 which may 69 contain stock 49 or be fallow.

329 ACTIVE = = FARMS IN A PRODUCTIONfor GROWING MAY CONTAIN STOCK Producing Placing the 94 tableCYCLE and/orWHICH on-growing.

Producing 25 on the market 0 26 15 160 OR BE FALLOW. NB: A business may produce more than one species and in more than one region.

ACTIVE = FARMS IN A PRODUCTION GROWING CYCLE WHICH MAYON-GROWING. CONTAIN STOCK PRODUCING = PLACING ON THE MARKET FOR THE TABLE AND/OR OR BE FALLOW. NB: A BUSINESS MAY PRODUCE MORE THAN ONE SPECIES AND IN MORE THAN ONE PRODUCING = PLACING ON THE MARKET FOR THE TABLE AND/OR ON-GROWING. REGION.

StS Above: Strong demand for Scottish oysters Left: Oyster farming

NB: A BUSINESS MAY PRODUCE MORE THAN ONE SPECIES AND IN MORE THAN ONE REGION.

T a

5 Production Survey - Shellfish.indd 70

5

05/12/2019 09:42:49

FIGURE 2 REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF ACTIVE SHELLFISH SITES IN 2018 (NUMBER PRODUCING GIVEN IN BRACKETS) AND NUMBER OF PRODUCING BUSINESSES BY REGION/SPECIES. 2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 71

# ● ! (

Shetland Shetland 134 (94) Shetland 134 (94) 120 (71)

Active shellfish site

Several Order

Active shellfish Several Order sitessite Active shellfish

Several Order

Regional distribution of active shellfish sites in 2018 (number producing given in brackets) and number of Orkney producing businesses by region/ Orkney Orkney species.

3 (0) 3 (0)

6 (2)

Western Isles Western Isles 49 (15) Western Isles

49 (15) 49 (19)

( ! ( ! ( ! ! ( (! ! ( ! ( ! ( ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( !

! ( ( ! ( ! ( ! ( !

Producing businesses Producing businesses by region/species by region/species

( !

SHETLAND

Highland Highland Highland 7474 (25) (25) 71 (27) ( ! ( ! !! ( ( ( !

( ! ( ! ( ! ( ( ! (! ! ! ( (! ! ( ( ! (! ! ( ( ! ! (! ! ( ( ( ! ( ! ! (! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( (! ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ( (! ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! (! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ( ! ( (! ! (! ( ! ( ! (! ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( !

( !

( !

( !

(! (! ! ( ( !

(! ! ( ( ! ( ! ( !! (

WESTERN ISLES

( ! ( ! ( !! (( !

( ! ( ! #

( !

( ! !# ( # (! ! (

( !

( !

( !

! (

( ! ! ( ( ! ( ! (! ! ( ! ( ( ! ( ! ( ! ( !! (

! ( ! (

( ! !! ( !! ( (# ( # ! ( ( ! ! (

HIGHLAND

! ( (! ! ! ( (( (! ! ( ! ( ( ! (! ! ( ! ( (! ! ( (! ! ( ! ( (! (! ! ( ( ! ( ! ! !! ( (! (! (! ( ( (! !

(! (! ! ( ( ! ( ( ( ! !!

((! ! ( ( ! ((! ! (! ! ( ! ( ( ! ( ! (! (! ( ! ! ( (! ( ( ! ! !! ( ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ! ( ( ! (! !

STRATHCLYDE

( !

( ! ( ! ( ! ! (

Strathclyde

Strathclyde Strathclyde 69 (26) (26) 8269(39)

! ( ( ! ! ( ! (( ! ( ! ( ! ! ( ( ! ( ! ( !

( !

Pacific oyster

Pacific oyster Native oyster

( !

Native oyster Scallop

Scallop ( !

Queen

Queen

Mussel

Mussel

There were five Several Orders in place for scallop fisheries in 2018 (see Fig. 2 above) all of which are located

There were five Several Orders in place for scallop fisheries in 2018 (see Fig. 2) in the Highland region. all of5which arenumber located in the Highland Table depicts the of businesses by regionregion. and by species: A) in table production, B) in on-growing production and C) showing no production. Many businesses cultivate more than one species on site, a practice made possible by similar cultivation techniques. For example, scallop can be grown together with queen, Pacific oyster with native oyster, and mussel 6 with Pacific oyster.

Production Survey - Shellfish.indd 71

05/12/2019 09:43:32

queen, Pacific with native oyster, and withno Pacific oyster. Many production, B) oyster in on-growing production and mussel C) showing production.

TABLE 5 businesses cultivate more than one species on site, a practice made possible by NUMBER OF BUSINESSES

BY REGION

BY SPECIES similar cultivation techniques.

For AND example, scallop2018. can be grown together with TABLE 5Pacific oyster with native oyster, and mussel with Pacific oyster. queen, NUMBER OF BUSINESSES BY REGION AND BY SPECIES 2018.

A) PRODUCTION FOR THE TABLE

PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018 72 TABLE 5

Region A) PRODUCTION FOR THE BY TABLE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES REGION AND BY SPECIES 2018.

Pacific oyster

Highland

Orkney

Shetland

Strathclyde

Western Isles

7

0

0 Region

18

2

27

Western 0 Isles

All Scotland 2

Table 5:oyster NumberHighland of0 businesses by regionShetland and by species 2018.

Orkney Strathclyde Native 0 0 2 A) PRODUCTION FOR THE TABLE A)Pacific Production oyster for the 7 table 0 0 18 Scallop

Native oyster Queen Scallop Mussel Pacific oyster Queen Total Native oyster Mussel Scallop Total Queen

2

0

0

1

2 0

27 3

0 1 Highland 2 6 7 1 16 0 6 2 16 1

0 0 Orkney 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Region 0

2 1 Strathclyde 1 4 18 1 26 2 4 1 26 1

0 0 Western Isles 0 6 2 0 8 0 6 0 8 0

2 2 All Scotland 3 38 27 2 72 2 38 3 72 2

6

38

0 Shetland 0 22 0 0 22 0 22 0 22 0

B) PRODUCTION FOR TO OTHER Mussel 6 ON-GROWING 0 22 PRODUCERS 4 Total

16

0

22

26

8

72

Strathclyde

Western Isles

All Scotland

RegionPRODUCERS B) PRODUCTION FOR ON-GROWING TO OTHER

B) Production for on-growingOrkney to other producers Highland Shetland Pacific oyster

All Scotland

1

0

0 Region

3

1

5

Highland

Orkney

Shetland

Strathclyde

Western 0 Isles

All Scotland 3

Native oyster 1 ON-GROWING 0 0 PRODUCERS 2 B) PRODUCTION FOR TO OTHER Pacific oyster Scallop

1 0

0 0

0 0

3 1

1 0

5 1

Native oyster Queen

1 0 Highland 0 1 1 0 3 1 1 0 3 0

0 0 Orkney 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Region 0 0

2 0 Strathclyde 1 2 3 0 8 2 2 1 8 0

0 0 Western Isles 0 1 1 0 2 0 1 0 2 0

3 0 All Scotland 1 19 5 0 28 3 19 1 28 0

1

19

2

28

Scallop Mussel Pacific oyster Queen Total Native oyster Mussel Scallop Total Queen

Shetland 0 15 0 0 15 0 15 0 15 0

C) NO PRODUCTION, ACTIVELY ON-GROWING OR FALLOW 2

1 0 15 C)Mussel No production, actively on-growing or fallow Total

3

0

15

8

Highland

Orkney

Shetland

Strathclyde

Western Isles

All Scotland

9

1

0 Region

13

3

26

Region C) NO PRODUCTION, ACTIVELY ON-GROWING OR FALLOW Pacific oyster

Highland Orkney Shetland Strathclyde Western All Scotland oyster 3 ACTIVELY 0 0 OR FALLOW 3 0 Isles 6 C)Native NO PRODUCTION, ON-GROWING Pacific oyster 9 1 0 13 3 26 Scallop 6 0 0 3 0 9 Native oyster 3 0 0 3 0 6 Region Queen 1 0 0 1 0 2 Highland Orkney Shetland Strathclyde Western Isles All Scotland Scallop 6 0 0 3 0 9 Mussel 15 9in Table 6.5There were 31 15 Business production levels 21by species00are shown13 Pacific oyster 9 3 26 Queen 1 0 0 1 0 2 Total 34 3 than 100 tonnes 0 29 8 74 businesses producing more of mussels, a decrease of three Native oyster 3 0 0 3 0 6 Mussel 15 2 0 9 5 31 businesses since 2017.

Out of these 15 businesses, nine produced more than Scallop 6 0 0 3 0 9 Total 34 levels 3 0 296.

8 mussel 74 Business production species are7produced shown in Table were 15 businesses 200 tonnes.

These nineby businesses 74% ofThere the total production Queen 1 0 0 1 0 2

producing more than were 100 tonnes mussels, a decrease of three more businesses in Scotland.

There sevenofbusinesses that produced thansince 200,000 Mussel 2 9 5 31 7 0 2017.

Out of these15 15 businesses, produced more than 200 tonnes.

These nine Pacific oysters.

The productionnine from these businesses accounted for 84% of the Total 34 74% of the 3 total mussel 0 production 29 in Scotland.

8 There were 74sevbusinesses produced Scottish Pacific oyster total. en businesses that produced more than 200,000 Pacific oysters. The production from these accounted for 84% of 7the Scottish Pacific oyster total.

TABLEbusinesses 6 BUSINESS PRODUCTION LEVELS BY SPECIES 2018.

Table 6: Business production levels by species 2018.

Species

110

1120

2130

3140

4150

5160

6170

7180

8190

Pacific oyster (000s)

9

1

0

2

2

2

1

2

0

0

1

7

27

Native oyster (000s)

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

2

Scallop (000s)

1

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

Queen (000s)

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

Mussel (tonnes)

6

2

2

3

2

2

3

0

2

1

6

9

38

18

6

2

5

4

4

4

2

2

1

8

16

72

Total

Production Survey - Shellfish.indd 72

91- 101>200 Total 100 200

Top: Bobby Groves Above: Brancaster oyster farmers Ben Sutherland and Richard Loose

05/12/2019 09:43:54

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 73

Spat Settlement

//

Following anecdotal industry reports of poor spat settlement and mortality in 2010, Marine Scotland Science developed a questionnaire which was sent to all authorised aquaculture production businesses farming mussels. The results of this 2011 investigation indicated that poor spat settlement and mortality were not widespread in Scottish waters, although they had major impacts on certain individual producers. The causes were associated with environmental variables, guiding the industry to consider focused spat fall monitoring. As a result of talks between the Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers, Marine Scotland policy and Marine Scotland scientists, to determine the focus of possible research and development, a spat collection question was introduced to the 2013 survey. This question focused on mussel spat collection and was presented in two parts: is this a spat collection site; if yes, was spat settlement sufficient for production purposes?

Responses were received from 232 (100%) of the sites authorised for mussel production 2018. hundred and thirty six (59%) of these were spat collection sites, E M P LinO Y MOne E NT 55 (40%) of which reported that they had sufficient spat settlement for production purposes.

To identify trends a longer timeand series required. and casual workers The industry employed 137 full-time 161is part-time Employment during 2018. The number of full-time staff decreased by nine and the number The industry employed 137 full-time and 161 part-time casual workers during of part-time and casual employees decreased by 21and compared with 2017.

The regional of employment is given Table The number people 2018.

Thebreakdown number of full-time staff decreased byinnine and7.the number of of part-time employed by the shellfish farming in Scotland by breakdown 9% from and casual employees decreased by 21industry compared with 2017.decreased The regional the 2017 totalisofgiven 328.in Table 7. The number of people employed by the shellfish of employment farming industry in Scotland decreased by 9% from the 2017 total of 328.

TABLE 7

REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT 2018.

Table 7: Regional Employment 2018.

Staff Full-time

Full-time

Part-time

Part-time

Casual

Casual

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

45

14

2

22

3

16

3

3

0

0

0

2

3

0

5

Shetland

23

57

2

12

9

17

0

97

Strathclyde Western Isles Scotland

45

37

6

28

8

16

5

100

Region Highland Orkney

Businesses

Total

60

14

18

1

12

2

2

1

36

130

126

11

74

24

54

9

298

The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 introduced integrated management of Scotland’s seas.

The creation of a National Marine Plan, as required by the Act, sets the wider context for planning within Scotland including what should be considered when creating regional marine plans. Eleven Scottish Marine Regions have been created under the Act (see Appendix 2 map) which cover sea areas extending out to 12 nautical miles.

To support the development of Regional Marine Plans by Regional Marine Planning Partnerships, tonnages/shell numbers and financial values of annual shellfish production for mussels and Pacific oysters have been calculated for the regions defined under the Act. These regional data are presented in Appendix 2.

In order to maintain commercial confidentiality mussel production figures for Argyll & Clyde, and the West Highlands, Moray Firth & the North Coast were merged. Pacific oyster production for the West Highlands & the North Coast also required to be merged to maintain commercial confidentiality. Other shellfish species including native oyster (Argyll & Solway), scallop (Argyll & West Highlands) and queen scallop (Clyde & West Highlands) were produced, however these figures cannot be attributed to Scottish Marine Regions due to commercial confidentiality.

Production Survey - Shellfish.indd 73

Top: Oyster farmer Judith Vajk Above: Oyster shucking

05/12/2019 09:44:11

74 PRODUCTION SURVEY 2018

Health influences on the industry

I

n accordance with Council Directive 2006/88/EC, a risk based surveillance programme targeting 121 shellfish site inspections was undertaken during 2018. On these visits, facilities, stock health, bio-security measures plans, movement records and details required for authorisation were checked. Movement restrictions placed due to confirmation of the presence of Bonamia ostrea, remained in force in Loch Sunart, Highland and in West Loch Tarbert, Argyll during 2018. These movement restrictions covering both sea lochs prevent the relaying of native oyster from them (see Appendix 3 for maps of areas under movement restrictions). Approved zone status for bonamiasis, marteiliasis and Ostreid Herpes Virus-1 Microvariant (OsHV-1 µvar) continued to protect the health of both wild and farmed susceptible shellfish stocks for the remainder of Scotland’s waters.

Most of the reported mortalities during 2018 were attributed to: predation from wild ducks, starfish, crabs and oystercatchers; fouling by sea squirts; adverse weather conditions including storms and temperature extremes; damage due to grading and handling and from natural causes. It is the responsibility of shellfish farmers to inform Marine Scotland of any abnormal or unexplained shellfish mortality on their sites (see guidance on shellfish mortality in Appendix 1). High, unexplained shellfish mortalities will be investigated by Marine Scotland’s Fish Health Inspectorate. However, during 2018, there was no requirement to undertake any diagnostic cases.

In 2018 there was a continued demand for imported mussel and Pacific oyster spat in Scotland. The industry should be aware of the increased disease risk with the introduction, movement and deposit of stock on site and the importance of ensuring good bio-security practices when sourcing shellfish from other areas. In addition, consignments imported from outside Great Britain are required to be accompanied by a health certificate.

The whole coastline of Great Britain is recognised as free from infection with Marteilia refringens although there are movement restrictions in place on the River Tamar in Cornwall and Devon. Guernsey, Jersey, Herm and the Isle of Man are all recognised as Marteilia refringens free areas. The whole coastline of Northern Ireland is recognised as free from Marteilia refringens apart from Belfast Lough and Dundrum Bay. The whole coastline of Great Britain is recognised as free from infection with Bonamia ostreae except the following areas: • the south coast of Cornwall from Lizard to Start Point; • the coast of Dorset, Hampshire and Sussex from Portland Bill to Selsey Bill; • the area along the coast of North Kent and Essex from North Foreland to Felixstowe; • the area along the coast in south-west Wales from Wooltack Point to St Govan’s Head, including Milford Haven and the tidal waters of the East and West Cleddau river; • Loch Sunart, Highland; • West Loch Tarbert, Argyll.

In addition, the Menai Strait is currently subject to movement restrictions for Bonamia ostreae. Guernsey, Jersey, Herm and the Isle of Man are all recognised as Bonamia ostreae free areas. The whole coastline of Northern Ireland is recognised as free from Bonamia ostreae apart from Lough Foyle and Strangford Lough.

Above: Oyster farming Opposite: Guernsey Seafarms; Alison Austin

GUERNSEY IS ALSO RECOGNISED AS FREE FROM OsHV-1 µ VAR

The whole coastline of Great Britain is recognised as free from OsHV-1 μvar except for the following areas: • River Roach, River Crouch, Blackwater Estuary and River Colne in Essex; • the north Kent coast;

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05/12/2019 09:44:44

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 75

IN 2018 THERE WAS A CONTINUED DEMAND FOR IMPORTED MUSSEL AND PACIFIC OYSTER SPAT IN SCOTLAND • Poole Harbour in Dorset; • the River Teign in Devon.

Guernsey is also recognised as free from OsHV-1 μvar. In the territory of Northern Ireland, Belfast Lough is the only area approved as free from OsHV-1 μvar.

Movements of shellfish species susceptible to infection by Marteilia refringens, Bonamia ostreae and OsHV-1 μvar, into the Great Britain health zone, must originate from another zone or country recognised as free of that disease. Movements are allowed from disease free areas to non-approved areas. http://www.gov.scot/Topics/marine/Fish-Shellfish/aquaculture/diseases/notifiableDisease/oshvdec

Production Survey - Shellfish.indd 75

05/12/2019 09:45:03

76 NEWS REVIEW

2019 News

REVIEW A look at some of the key aquaculture stories from the past 12 months

N

orway exported 46,400 tonnes of farmed trout for NOK 3 billion (£274 million) in 2018, a rise of 16 per cent in volume, while the value increased

by NOK 127 million, or five per cent on 2017.

Cod exports totalled 127,000 tonnes and earned the country’s fishermen NOK 9.4 billion ( £860 million).

Elsewhere there was news that the man called ‘Mr. Aquacuture’ by his colleagues at BioMar, Niels Alsted, was retiring after 45 years in the industry.

Alsted, executive vice president of business relations in BioMar, began his career in 1974 on a small trout farm in Denmark before studying aquaculture research at the University of Tromsoe, Institute of Fisheries, in 1977 in Norway.

He stayed in academic research for several years and was an associate professor at Aalborg University when he undertook his commercial PhD with BioMar in 1987.

Over the last 32 years, Alsted had

Right: Trout farm

held various positions in BioMar, from R&D, sourcing, food safety and business relations.

He had been part of the executive management team in BioMar Group, where he contributed to opening new markets such as Chile and China.

He was widely recognised for his technical knowledge and while at BioMar published several papers on nutrition and sustainability.

He was instrumental in the creation of the first environmentally friendly aquaculture feed product, Ecoline.

Carlos Diaz, CEO of BioMar Group, said: ‘Niels has been one of the most important people forming not

NORWAY EXPORTED 46,400 TONNES OF FARMED TROUT IN 2018, A RISE OF 16 PER CENT IN VOLUME

2019 News review.indd 76

05/12/2019 09:49:49

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 77

only BioMar but also the industry.

‘His dedication to developing a sustainable and professional aquaculture has led to industry standards and the high-end feed ranges we see in the market.

‘Furthermore, he has been one of the most important people forming the culture in BioMar, a culture built upon trust, relationships, professionalism and a desire to pioneer the future of the industry.’

Other changes announced at BioMar saw Paddy Campbell installed as Vice President of its salmon division, whilst Harvard Jorgensen was promoted from global Research & Development Director to Managing Director of Norway.

Meanwhile, it was announced that a £3.5 million research initiative had been launched in Scotland to improve the health of farmed salmon.

Two Scottish consortiums, backed by the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), were embarking on projects to improve gill health and resilience in salmon.

The first study would explore the factors that can cause gill damage or disease to occur – such as the local environment, water quality and temperatures, as well as nutrition, farming practices, and equipment – while also examining how better to prevent and control the condition.

And the second project would analyse the genetic characteristics which cause some salmon to be more vulnerable to gill disease.

The results could allow the aquaculture industry to breed fish with enhanced resilience to gill infections and other health issues, such as sea lice.

The research would bring together the expertise of a range of businesses and academic institutions, led by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC); the Roslin Institute (part of the University of Edinburgh); salmon farmer Loch Duart; and Landcatch

2019 News review.indd 77

Natural Selection, part of Hendrix Genetics.

Another 10 organisations, including the Scottish Salmon Company and Grieg Seafood Shetland, would also be contributing to the work.

Robin Shields, senior aquaculture innovation manager at SAIC, said: ‘Gill health is up there with sea lice as one of the biggest challenges facing salmon farming, not only in Scotland, but across all salmon producing countries.

‘This is an internationally significant issue, which we’re aiming to address through this focused effort from some of the top minds in the field.

‘The health of a fish’s gills is absolutely critical to its overall wellbeing. The outcomes we are looking for from these projects are to help provide the industry with the knowledge and tools it needs to manage and control outbreaks, and – further down the line – to prevent disease as far as we can by breeding fish with greater natural resistance.’

Also this month, Scotland’s salmon farmers raised several concerns over the proposed regulatory overhaul by the environmental watchdog, outlined in a report published in November.

The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO), which represents the sector, said in a statement on its website that it is ‘delighted SEPA [the Scottish Environment Protection Agency] proposes to

Left: Carlos Diaz Middle: Robin Shields Below: Scottish salmon farm

05/12/2019 09:50:11

78 NEWS REVIEW give salmon farmers the support they need to grow sustainably over the long term’.

However, it warned that SEPA’s ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is not appropriate for Scotland’s salmon industry.

SEPA recommendations to relocate farms, tighten monitoring, and tackle non-compliance require more detail, and more time to implement, and needed to be science based.

The SSPO said it was ‘keen to pursue this new agenda as soon as possible’ but there was still a lot of work to do.

In a written response to SEPA’s aquaculture sector plan, the salmon body said: ‘The sector would like to progress with the new framework with pace, to allow farming in the most appropriate locations, but there is a need to get this change right rather than change it quickly and get it wrong.

There was bad news for Scottish salmon farmer Mowi, as it reported the sinking of one of its feed barges in the Outer Hebrides.

No staff were aboard when the barge sank in the early hours near Lochboisdale, Uist, after taking on water during a storm of 2m swells. Mowi said there was no other significant damage to the site and no fish were harmed.

The cylindrical feed barge, a SeaCap,

contained 170 tonnes of fish feed within the unit, and approximately 1,000 litres of diesel fuel in a sealed tank. There were no reports of debris or fuel visible at sea or on the nearby shore line.

As the weather broke, scuba divers were safely deployed to inspect the unit and planned a recovery of the barge and contents, which sat at 20m depth, said Mowi.

The cause of the water breach was not known and authorities had been notified of the incident.

Finally, there was better news as the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) announced that sea lice numbers recorded at Scottish salmon farms in September had been the lowest for that month in the previous five year and overall numbers for 2018 were the lowest since reporting began.

Below: Lowest sea lice numbers at Scottish farms

FEBRUARY

T

he month started with news that salmon farming giant SalMar had recruited a major seafood high flyer and one of the most experienced players in the international aquaculture sector as it’s new COO. Trine Sæther Romuld would be taking up her post at the beginning of July. She replaced Trond Tuvstein, who announced his resignation before Christmas after six years with the business.

2019 News review.indd 78

Romuld has extensive experience from a broad range of management positions within seafood, consulting and auditing, from both Norwegian and international companies.

SalMar CEO Olav-Andreas Ervik said: ‘I am very pleased to get Trine as part of our team. Her experience from the seafood industry combined with her broad experience from growth companies are qualities that suit very well with our ambitions in the company.’

Above: Trine Sæther Romuld

05/12/2019 09:50:34

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 79 A state authorised accountant from the Norwegian School of Economics, Romuld had worked with a number of financial capital management, industrial and seafood businesses during what had been a varied career.

She entered the fish farming industry when she joined Panfish, which became Marine Harvest (now Mowi), rising to become the group’s chief financial officer.

She later became deputy chair of Aker Seafoods, before moving to accountants Arthur Anderson and Ernst & Young. Her other companies have included the Faroese salmon farmer Bakkafrost and the white fishing company Havfisk, now part of the Lerøy group.

The Scottish parliament announced a date early in the month to debate the important Holyrood committee report on salmon farming, with just over three hours set aside for the discussion.

The report was published last November by the Rural Economy and Connectivity (REC) committee, which launched its inquiry into the salmon sector earlier in 2018.

The inquiry, which followed a shorter probe into the industry by the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (ECCLR) committee, also last year, was prompted by a petition drawn up by the wild salmon lobby.

The focus of the REC investiga-

2019 News review.indd 79

tion, which took evidence from a wide range of industry THE RATIO stakeholders – including farmers, academics, BETWEEN government officials CONVENTIONAL and anti-farming FISHING AND campaigners – was the impact of AQUACULTURE HAD salmon farming on CHANGED the decline in wild stocks.

LITTLE OVER THE The 148-page report PAST 12 found that urgent action was needed to imMONTHS prove the regulation of the Scottish salmon farming industry and to address fish health and environmental challenges.

However, it stopped short of demanding a moratorium on new salmon farm development and expansion of existing sites, something critics of the sector had demanded.

Norwegian seafood exports got off to a strong start in the New Year with revenues last month increasing by almost a billion kroner – or £90.5 million.

The country exported 200,600 tonnes of seafood worth NOK 8.6 billion (£778.3 million), a four per cent decline in volume, but an increase of NOK 992 million or 13 per cent in value compared to January last year.

Asbjørn Warvik Rørtveit, director of market insight at the Norwegian Seafood Council, said higher demand had seen an increase in the price of salmon, which was worth Left: Fergus Ewing NOK 5.7 billion (£515.8 million) Above: Asbjørn last month, adding that this was Warvik Rørtveit accompanied by a strong demand for frozen cod.

The Seafood Council said the ratio between conventional fishing and aquaculture had changed little over the past 12 months. Fish farming brought in 70 per cent of total revenues, but accounted for just 45 per cent of total volume.

Elsewhere, newly rebranded Mowi

05/12/2019 09:50:55

80 NEWS REVIEW

saw strong demand for salmon along with higher prices contribute to an impressive New Year debut under its new identity.

The company, which had changed its name from Marine Harvest, reported a 2018 fourth quarter operational EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) of €213 million, up from €181 million for the corresponding period in 2017.

For the full year, Mowi made an operational EBIT of €753 million.

This, said the company in a statement, was the second best year ever financially for the group.

It achieved operational Q4 revenues of €1,074 million and, for the whole of 2018, a record high turnover of €3,815 million.

The total harvest volume for the fourth quarter was 105,783 tonnes (112,628 tonnes in Q4 2017).

The harvest guidance for 2019 is 430,000 tonnes. The board said it planned to pay a quarterly dividend of NOK 2.60 per share, ‘supported by good results, a strong market outlook, and a solid financial position’.

In Scotland, there were reduced costs due to improved biology and good growth, with significantly higher biomass in the sea. Volume guidance for 2019 is up to 60,000 tonnes (GWT), due to increased smolt stockings.

CEO Alf-Helge Aarskog said: ‘2018 was a very good year for Mowi.

Strong demand for salmon and high prices in all markets resulted

2019 News review.indd 80

in great earnings for the company.

‘I am proud of all my colleagues who work hard to produce healthy and tasty seafood for consumers all over the world. They have all contributed to the strong results.’

The Greig Seafood Group also announced increased income for 2018, despite what had been a challenging year for the group. It ended 2018 with record harvest volumes and increased revenues.

Driven by high prices and cost reductions, the group reported a fourth quarter EBIT of NOK 351 million compared with NOK 151 million 12 months earlier. The EBIT per kg amounted to NOK 14.81 for the period, up from NOK 8.07 in Q4 2017.

The harvest volume was 27 per cent higher at almost 24,000 tonnes, thanks to a strong performance in Norway. But the company said it was still tackling biological challenges in Shetland.

Grieg said: ‘The farming cost (total cost related to fish harvested this quarter) increased by NOK 0.43 per kg compared to the same quarter last year. This is mainly related to the high cost of harvested fish in British Columbia (BC) and on Shetland, which was affected by harmful algal bloom (HAB) and gill related diseases.’

Yet despite these problems, fourth quarter revenues in Shetland were up from NOK 185.7 million to NOK 245.2 million and the year up from NOK 745.9 million to almost NOK 800 million. Grieg also said that the quality of the fish in the final quarter had been high, contributing to good prices.

However, the region experienced reduced survival during Q4, caused by gill related diseases and winter ulcers.

Finally, the month ended with news that one of aquaculture’s most familiar faces, Dougie Johnson of

Above: Grieg Seafood Below: Alf-Helge Aarskog

05/12/2019 09:51:42

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 81 AKVA, had announced his retirement.

Johnson, sales director at Inverness based AKVA Group Scotland, had worked across the industry in a career spanning more than 40 years.

He began as a salmon and trout farmer in the mid-1970s, and went on to work at Kames and for Landcatch, with spells in Norway and Chile.

In an ‘Industry Pioneer’ interview for Fish Farmer, published in 2015, Johnson spoke of his pride in the aquaculture industry’s development and the jobs it has created.

‘There is huge growth potential utilising new technology and farming practices,’ he said. ‘I see opportunities even, eventually, in retirement. It’s a journey we’re on and I’ve been very fortunate to be part of it.’

Johnson was to be replaced by

2019 News review.indd 81

David Peach, AKVA announced.

Peach had more than 25 years’ experience in the marine industry and arrived at AKVA from a senior position as group sales director at 3Si, Safety and Survival Systems International.

Left: Dougie Johnson

05/12/2019 09:52:00

82 NEWS REVIEW

T

“

I’ve genuinely not come into the UK’s second largest across producer of mussels.anyone An experienced direcwho’s tor and entrepreneur, said you he worked on behalf shouldn’t be of the shellfish doing that sector to contribute because to the aquaculyou’re a ture industry’s woman Vision 2030 growth

he month started with news of new appointments to the board at the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC).

Dawnfresh Farming Director Alison Hutchins and Managing strategy.

Director of Shetland Meanwhile, leading Mussels, Michael salmon breeder Tait, were the new and supplier of eggs, appointees.

Aquagen, announced that With a combined 35 years it had signed a deal to purchase very regimented and that’s great if you’re of that Hutchins and Tait would Scottish Sea Farms freshwater hatchery natureof thatexperience, thrives in that environment.

‘Butenhance I love talking tothe peopleboard’s and I love being out existing expertise, at Holywood, near Dumfries in Scotland. and about and being in the thick of it and I didn’t said in aforpress release.

The acquisition followed a successful think that wasSAIC a good route my personality.’

Hutchins has planned her professional journey The board consists of 10 members, trial production of eggs under licence from the start, and Hawthorn was the latest in a line of distiincluding nguished role models, following Pringle and, producers, academics, and obin autumn 2018 and would enable the at the beginning of her working life, Ben Hadfield, servers the Scottish Norwegian owned company to offer Scotnow the managingfrom director of Marine Harvest Funding Council Scotland. and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. land’s salmon farmers a reliable supply ‘My first job was for Marine Harvest as environin Argyll, of eggs from locally farmed AquaGen ment andBased quality assistant manager,Hutchins working with had 17 years’ Ben –experience you could say he was first mentor. inmyaquaculture, working broodstock, increasing food security.

‘Part of my job was doing environmental impact across such It would also facilitate a targeted assessments.

Benorganisations had created a consolidati on planas the Scottish for Marine Harvest at that time, the regulations had Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) breeding programme to identify the changed and they were looking at the environmental impact and neededSalmon a lot more focus andregulati theonsScottish Company, before genetic and biological traits most suited and emphasis on what the current status of the joining Dawnfresh, the UK’s largest trout to performing well in Scottish farming environment was.

‘It was all about getting rid of smaller, unproducproducer. conditions, resulting in robust fish Aft er Marine Harvest, she took an unusual sidestep, joining the Scottish tive sites and making larger sites.’

Environment (Sepa).and a high quality product She strong of Protection Agency stocks That was back had in 2006,aand Hutchins understanding said she ‘I spoke to Ben about that – I said this is the path I want to do, do you think learntregulatory a lot about farming and the theory behind processes, as wellthis asis developmarket. a good option for me.for And he said it would give me a great breadth of the operations from Ben (‘a natural leader’). knowledge.and ing strategies for site development Welcoming the news, Cabinet business growth.

Secretary for the Rural Economy 37 www.fishfarmer-magazine.com Tait, meanwhile, had been the chairman Fergus Ewing said: ‘AquaGen’s of the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group investment speaks volumes of Farm Visit - Dawnfresh.indd 37 09/05/2018 16:24:58 since 2012 and built Shetland Mussels the confidence from the sector of doing business in Scotland and supports the aims of Scotland’s Top: Alison Hutchins 10-Year Farmed Fish Health Framework, Above: Nina Santi helping to improve the security of Scotland’s ova supply.’

AquaGen CEO Nina Santi said: ‘We are committed to providing our customers in Scotland with a secure supply of eggs and this latest investment opens up the possibility of us supplying these eggs from locally grown broodstock.

‘We’re planning a series of upgrades to the existing facilities at Holywood, using

”

2019 News review.indd 82

05/12/2019 09:52:24

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 83 Scottish suppliers as much as possible, then we will go into full production later this year.

‘Deliveries will be from November to June initially; longer term, we hope to extend to year-round production of up to 50 million eggs annually.’

Elsewhere, a new consortium led by Stirling University’s institute of Aquaculture (IoA) was set to investigate the impact of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) on salmon smolts.

The £2 million Robust-Smolt study – involving 14 institutions and organisations – would compare the robustness and susceptibility of RAS reared Atlantic salmon to pathogens.

Over the next three years, the research, backed by leading salmon farmers, would aim to provide new knowledge and scientific tools to monitor and enhance farming practices.

The IoA’s Professor Herve Migaud, principal investigator on the project, said: ‘The rapid global expansion of the salmon industry has been made possible through the adoption of new farming technologies

– including contained systems such as RAS – and husbandry regimes.

‘These systems have clear advantages over land-based flow through and freshwater loch systems, and young salmon produced in RAS under manipulated regimes – such as constant temperature and light – reach larger sizes and can be transferred to sea water earlier than ever before.

‘However, our knowledge of the impacts these new rearing systems have on salmon physiology is very limited.’

Both Mowi and Scottish Sea Farms, which are part of the consortium, had invested recently in new RAS hatcheries, growing larger smolts on land before transferring them to sea pens.

Migaud said: ‘The impact of differing microbiota, water chemistry, altered photo-thermal regimes on fish disease resistance at sea, immune function and microbiome have not been characterised and these may explain the variable performance observed in farmed stocks.’

Above: Herve Migaud

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21.11.2019 2019 News review.indd 83

05/12/2019 09:52:47

84 NEWS REVIEW As well as Mowi and Scottish Sea Farms, the consortium included the Scottish Salmon Company, Cooke Aquaculture Scotland and Grieg Seafood; the universities of Aberdeen, Exeter and Edinburgh; the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas); feed company BioMar; Pharmaq; the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC); and the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation.

Finally, Scottish salmon farmers expressed concerns over the latest UK parliamentary impasse on Brexit, with fears focused in particular on the linking of seafood exports to fishing quotas in anyt future deal.

Julie Hesketh-Laird, CEO of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation, said: ‘The Scottish salmon farming industry is optimistic in the long term and sees a bright future ahead.

‘The EU is a big market for Scottish salmon, worth over £290 million annually, playing its part in fuelling increasing global demand for what has become a much sought after product.

‘A no-deal exit would cause immediate problems for the Scottish farmed salmon

sector, including tariffs for product being exported to European markets and the very real threat of logistical delays of getting salmon into the EU. ‘For hauliers carrying perishable goods such as fresh fish, this is obviously more of a risk than for other carriers.

‘There is still confusion over how many certificates will be required, who can issue them and even if there will be a temporary grace period when the certificates won’t be needed.

‘Nobody knows the answers to this one either but, as the clock ticks down towards March 29, this is obviously another area of concern.

‘The current Withdrawal Deal poses problems as it couples all seafood exports to Europe with access to North Sea fishing grounds and caught fish quotas.

‘We believe salmon exports should continue, regardless of discussions over quotas and fishing grounds, and we will be arguing for that to continue.

‘The SSPO is watching parliamentary developments closely and working with both the Scottish and Westminster governments to try to ease the pressure on any potential pinch points.’

Top: Julie Hesketh-Laird Above: Salmon farm

APRIL

T

he month started with news that higher prices, a weak krone, and rising demand from the US had combined to deliver strong growth to Norway’s salmon exporters during Q1 2019.

The country exported 245,000 tonnes of salmon worth NOK 16.7 billion (£1.49 billion) between January and March 2019.

The volume increase was small – just one per cent – but the value rose by seven per cent or NOK 1.1 billion.

While the growth in value to the European Union bloc was five per cent, exports to the US increased by around 20 per cent, compared with a year ago. The export value of fresh

2019 News review.indd 84

Above: Norwegian salmon

fillets alone to America was even higher, at 58 per cent.

Seafood Council analyst Paul T. Aandahl said: ‘Compared to a year ago, the dollar is 10 per cent stronger against the Norwegian kroner, which favours exports towards dollar markets when set against euro markets.’

The figure for March showed 83,000 tonnes of salmon worth NOK 6 billion were sold overseas, with volumes down by four per cent.

However, the value remained the same and the average price per kilo is up from NOK 67.45 in March 2018 to NOK 68.78 in March this year.

Farmed trout exports had also enjoyed a bumper quarter. Sales rose

05/12/2019 09:53:13

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 85 by 13 per cent to 11,100 tonnes, but the value was up by 22 per cent to NOK 775 million.

Both fresh and frozen trout fillets ER did exceptionally well, up by 176 and 147 per cent respectively. The March figure showed trout exports running at 3,600 tonnes, worth NOK 270 million, a value rise of nine per cent.

Total Norwegian seafood exports enjoyed their best earnings quarter ever. The volume at 640,000 tonnes was down due to lower quotas and bad weather, but the value rose by seven per cent to NOK 25.6 billion (£2.7 billion) with revenues from frozen cod in particular rising by 40 per cent.

The UK was one of the largest markets, suggesting British importers had been stockpiling in anticipation of a no-deal Brexit. Exports of shellfish, such as shrimp and king crab, were also well up.

Meanwhile, the shortlist for the 2019 Aquaculture Awards in Edin-

JUNE

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BE THE DIFFERENCE

2019 News review.indd 85

burgh was announced, with a strong focus on international high fliers.

Taking place in Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, on May 29, the awards had eight, mostly new, categories this year and highlighted the range of talent involved in the global aquaculture sector.

Event organiser Susan Tinch said: ‘We were pleased to gather a diverse panel of judges, featuring Alex Adrian, aquaculture operations manager of Crown Estate Scotland; Martin Gill, head of aquaculture and fisheries at Lloyds Register; Nicki Holmyard, director of Offshore Shellfish; Professor Dave Little, head of research at Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture; Ruth Layton, co-founder of and sustainability director at Benchmark Holdings; and the Fish Site’s Rob Fletcher.’

The judges met in Edinburgh on March 29 to draw up the shortlist.

‘It was an interesting day, with no shortage of debate over the relative

Shellfish

Above: Martin Gill,

BY NICKI HOLMYARD Nicki Holmyard

The oy

Author’s passion shines

O

YSTER Isles: A Journey Through B read; a clever melange of travelo anecdotes, restaurant and oyste tions with many of the UK’s oyst everywhere.

The book is the tale of a pilgrimage u ate oyster lover, and, for the past five y Chiltern Firehouse restaurant in Londo upwards of 150,000 oysters each year.

‘That’s not a bad tally for a restauran Groves, who reckons he has opened s just 32, he has many millions more ah ‘I spent my teenage years on the Bla Maldon Oysters, learning how to farm promote them.

‘Later, when I was studying, I started selling several thousand each day,’ he Following a short spell back on the fa up his own business, Bobby’s Oysters, 05/12/2019 09:55:39

86 NEWS REVIEW merits of the 67 entries and nominations,’ said Tinch.

‘But the six judges managed to whittle down the contenders for each category to make the shortlists. And we look forward to announcing the winners on May 29’.

There was a lot of interest in the ‘Most promising new entrant’ category, with those nominated comprising Underwater Contracting Limited for their ‘Foover’ mort removal system, Farm Manager at Mowi Scotland, Kendal Hunter, Manolin for their software analytics for optimising treatments and a second Mowi nominee, farm technician Clare McGhee.

Mowi was also in the news for being ‘rationed’ to two development licences for its marine ‘donut’ concept in Norway.

The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries approved two permits out of an original eight for the floating closed containment innovation which, it said, was ‘unlike anything else that is in general commercial use in the aquaculture industry’.

The two licences were for a maximum total biomass of 1,100 tonnes of salmon, trout and rainbow trout fish, for a period of up to seven years.

Mowi had earlier lost an appeal over the number of donut licences approved and was thought to be considering whether to proceed with the project.

The marine donut, designed

by Norwegian firm OPD, is a fully covered and escape proof construction, 90 per cent of which will be submerged.

Mowi had also been awarded three development licences for its Blue Revolution Centre.

This was a large-scale research station where the company planned to develop new offshore salmon farming technology.

2019 News review.indd 86

And Mowi had previously been granted six development licences for its ‘egg’ concept, worth 3,120 tonnes of biomass.

Elsewhere, Scottish salmon farmers were celebrating after three of their products made the finals of the Seafood Excellence Global awards, a highlight of the forthcoming Global Seafood Expo in Brussels.

The Scottish Salmon Company’s Salmon Label Rouge Royal Mile Cut, St James Smokehouse’s Saint Pure Salmon, and John Ross Jr’s Original Rum Cured Smoked Salmon were among the 39 finalists, representing 12 countries.

The shortlist was dominated by entries from France, with 10 products making the finals; Belgium, Malaysia, and Finland also featured prominently, with at least four entries each being selected; while Estonia, Korea, Italy, Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands and Ireland all had products in contention.

In Shetland, Grieg Seafood outlined the measures it was taking to overcome some of the biological problems facing its operations there.

Writing in the company’s annual report, CEO Andreas Kvame said: ‘Unfortunately, we got a hit back (in Shetland) to 2016 levels.

‘Mortality was caused by the diseases winter ulcers and furunculosis, along with gill and heart diseases and mechanical treatments against sea lice.

‘We are not satisfied with the results and have implemented mitigating efforts. For instance, we are working on improving smolt health and robustness and on reducing the number of mechanical treatments.’

Shetland, he added, worked hard last year to decrease levels of sea lice, which seemed to stabilise at a slightly lower level.

Top: Kendal Hunter.

Above: The Scottish Salmon Company’s Salmon Label Rouge Royal Mile Cut. Left: Andreas Kvame

05/12/2019 09:56:13

‘We need to work harder to get the levels even lower in 2019. In the UK and Norway, we count sea lice every week at water temperatures above four degrees, and every other week at water temperatures below four degrees.

‘But in British Columbia (BC) we follow local regulations where counts depend on all sea lice levels.

‘In BC, farmed salmon usually catches sea lice from the wild salmon when they pass farms on their way out to the ocean. Here, unlike Norway, the wild salmon population greatly outnumbers the farmed salmon population.’

The CEO explained that the focus in Shetland was also on improving the gill health programme, through monitoring water quality and greater algae control.

Grieg was the largest salmon producer on Shetland, employing almost 200 people, with 13 sites, plus four on the Isle of Skye.

Top: Fish Farm, British Columbia. Above: Ocean Matters

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 87 In Wales, lumpfish farmer, Ocean Matters, confirmed that it had been bought by Mowi Scotland in a deal that had just been completed.

The facility, in Penmon, Anglesey, North Wales, had the capacity to produce two million of the cleaner fish, which it had been supplying to the salmon farming industry in Scotland to control sea lice.

Its main customer was Mowi, which had said it would need to deploy more than two million lumpfish by 2020.

Ocean Matters, formed in 2015 on the site of an old turbot farm, harvested its first lumpfish in 2016.

Production manager Daniel Phillips told Fish Farmer in 2017 that the facility had the potential to produce up to six million cleaner fish.

‘If we can do six million fish in one building we can probably do pretty much the whole UK market,’ he said.

Top: Sxxxxxx

2019 News review.indd 87

05/12/2019 09:56:30

88 NEWS REVIEW

T

he month started with the release of the annual report from Leroy Seafood Group, the co-owners of Scottish Sea Farms, who said that it expected good underlying demand to continue but that costs were still too high.

Despite a two per cent decline in the harvest volumes forecast, the actual figure was up from 173,200 tonnes in 2017 to 175,800 tonnes. Revenues were up from NOK 18,623 million to NOK 19,837 million, while the operating profit was down from NOK 435 million in 2017 to NOK 333 million last year. The 2019 harvest volume forecast for Scottish Sea Farms, which it shares with SalMar, was 15,000 tonnes, up from 13,700 tonnes in 2018. Lerøy said lower growth at the end of 2018 resulted in reduced harvest volume in the first quarter of 2019. ‘The board of directors and management have acknowledged that the group’s release from stock costs for red fish (salmon and trout) are lower in 2018 than in 2017, but at the same time specify that they are not satisfied with the cost levels. ‘With time, the group’s investments and continuous work on improvements will result in lower cost levels. ‘As a result of the investments in new smolt facilities, the smolt released to sea by Lerøy in 2019, for example, will be of a higher quality and considerably larger than before. ‘The group expects to see Lerøy gradually increase production and competitive strength from 2020. ‘The group’s contract share for salmon for 2019 is currently around 30 per cent of the estimated harvest volume of salmon.

‘Estimates for harvest volume of salmon and trout in 2019, including the share from associates, remains around 189,000 tonnes.’

Meanwhile, Mowi’s Ben Hadfield said that the company had a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to build a new state-ofthe-art fish processing facility in Scotland.

The preferred option was to construct a new factory on Skye, on the site of the company’s new feed plant in Kyleakin.

With bumper harvests expected in 2019

2019 News review.indd 88

and a long-term strategy for growing the business, Mowi Scotland would need to increase existing processing capacity, currently located at the Blar Mhor plant in Fort William and in Rosyth.

‘We can develop a processing programme that not only provides high quality fish to our customers, but also ensures we best utilise our talented staff alongside the latest technologies to create a workplace that can provide a proper work-life balance,’ Hadfield told The Scoop, Mowi’s monthly newsletter. ‘The fact that we are reaching capacity at Blar Mhor is testament to the hard work of staff across Scotland and a very positive indication for the business.’ He said there were several options to expand the company’s processing facilities: increasing capacity in Fort William, either by expanding the current facility at Blar Mhor, or by identifying a suitable site elsewhere in Fort William; increasing the capacity at Mowi’s Irish factory in Donegal; expanding the value-added facility at Rosyth and increasing its scope; introducing ocean processing on board Mowi’s vessels; or building a new processing facility at Kyleakin. ‘While all options are on the table at this point, and whilst it is still early days and there is a lot of work to do, a preferred option is to build a new state-of-the-art facility at our feed plant at Kyleakin,’ said Hadfield.

On the eve of the Global Seafood Expo in Brussels this month, Scotland’s seafood industry launched a new growth blueprint 18 point ‘action plan’ that included strategies for better marketing, access to funding, improving skills and building processing capacity.

The ‘Changing Tides’ document was designed to be a catalyst for change in Scotland’s seafood sector, in line with the country’s goal to double the value of food and drink to £30 billion by 2030.

Patrick Hughes, head of Seafood Scotland, which compiled the report, said:

Above: Ben Hadfield Below: The ‘Changing Tides’ document

Changing Tides

A strategy for Scotland’s seafood industry

2

05/12/2019 09:56:54

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 89

‘Irrespective of Brexit, the actions laid out in Changing Tides are necessary to move the industry forward. ‘Without action we will be unable to realise the industry’s full potential. We have a real opportunity to act collaboratively across the sector.’ The strategy acknowledged the work already being done by the aquaculture sector in its industry led Aquaculture Growth to 2030 vision, created in 2017. ‘We echo the plan’s call for enabling and proportionate regulation and policymaking that is conducive to sustainable economic growth,’ the Changing Tides report said.

‘This approach should apply across the seafood industry – to the catching sector as well as aquaculture – and balance the needs of both sectors.’

It was another record month for Norway’s salmon and trout farmers, with exports continuing their relentless and impressive rise.

Thanks to strong global demand, sales of salmon hit a record at 86,000 tonnes and were worth NOK 6.2 billion (£540

THANKS TO STRONG GLOBAL DEMAND, SALES OF SALMON HIT A RECORD 86,000 TONNES

million), a volume rise of 17 per cent and an increase in value of NOK 995 million or 19 per cent.

These latest figures brought total salmon exports so far this year to 333,000 tonnes worth almost NOK 23 billion (around £2 billion). Paul T. Aandahl, analyst at the Norwegian Seafood Council, said Poland was the most important export market for Norwegian salmon and also showed the largest growth last month. This was due to higher domestic consumption and increased processing of frozen fillets and smoked salmon for onward export, especially to Germany.

Ingrid K. Pettersen, his analyst colleague at the council, said Asia and the United States also showed strong demand, with a weaker kroner helping sales.

Above: Nowegian salmon

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05/12/2019 09:57:14

90 NEWS REVIEW Elsewhere, Faroese salmon farming group Bakkafrost announced a Q1 operating profit of 267.7 million Danish Kroner (£30.6 million), down slightly from the same period 12 months earlier.

Harvest volumes, however, were up from 12,200 tonnes to 13,700 tonnes this year. The company said that while salmon spot prices had picked up since the end of last year, they were still lower than those for Q1 2018 and this had a negative effect on the overall operational EBIT. The farming segment made an operational EBIT of DKK 229.7 million which corresponded to (Norwegian) NOK 21.86 per kg. The VAP segment made an operational EBIT of DKK 1.3 million for Q1 2019. The VAP production was 4,700 tonnes gutted weight in Q1 2019, compared to 2,100 tonnes in Q1 2018.

The combined farming and VAP segments made an operational EBIT of DKK 231.1 million for Q1 2019, which corresponds to NOK 21.99 per kg. The operational

EBITDA for the fishmeal, oil and feed (FOF) segment was DKK 65.3 million. Commenting on the results, CEO Regin Jacobsen said: ‘The disrupted market balance from Q4 2018 into Q1 2019 resulted in a weaker than expected result in the farming segment in the first part of Q1 2019.

‘We are pleased, however, to experience a better market development and more activity in the VAP segment.

‘Our new hatchery at Strond is now about to start the fourth batch, since the first eggs were hatched last summer. The first smolts will be transferred to sea sites in the second half of 2019.’

Left: Regin Jacobsen Below: Faroese salmon farming at Bakkafrost

JUNE

T

he month started with the news that Scottish Sea Farms had won approval for a new salmon farm in Orkney which, it said, would bring a £3.2 million boost to the Scottish supply chain.

The site, off the small island of Hunda within Scapa Flow, had been years in the planning. With consent to grow up to 1,677 tonnes of salmon, the new farm would see investment in infrastructure including: • 60m grid structure and associated mooring systems; • 12 x 100m diameter pens which will benefit from innovative new netting to keep salmon and local marine life safely separate;

2019 News review.indd 90

Above: Richard Darbyshire

• 200-tonne feed barge with hightech control room and capacity to control feed portions to the nearest 50g; • Underwater cameras to monitor fish health and behaviour in real-time; • Environmental monitoring technology to detect any changes in oxygen levels or water quality; and • 14m catamaran-style workboat.

Scottish Sea Farms’ production manager for Orkney, Richard Darbyshire, said: ‘Salmon farming continues to advance at great pace and this new farm at Hunda will benefit from the latest know-how and technologies.

‘Each and every aspect of our

05/12/2019 09:57:48

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 91 farming activity has been carefully considered: from enhancing fish health and welfare, to protecting local marine life and the surrounding environment.’

Elsewhere, new regulations introduced by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) meant that larger fish farms could now operate in Scottish waters if they were sited in sustainable locations.

The new rules, first outlined last November and subjected to a Scotland wide consultation, would also see the introduction of more accurate computer modelling to better assess any environmental risks.

Tighter standards will be applied to the organic waste deposited by fish farms, limiting the ‘spatial extent of the mixing zone around farms’.

‘The controls applied to these mixing zones will bring them into equivalence with modern practice on mixing zones for other waste effluent discharges into the sea, including those from urban waste water,’ said SEPA in a press release announcing the new measures.

Farm operators were now required to invest in more accurate monitoring, including of waste coming from fish farms.

‘SEPA will also increase and strengthen monitoring of the impact of fish farms in surrounding areas,’ the organisation said.

SEPA said its officers are already engaged in a programme of unannounced visits to confirm compliance with its regulatory requirements.

The agency said its framework ‘has the potential to significantly improve the environmental performance of the industry’, and follows research last year into the impact of salmon farm medicine.

Meanwhile, Norwegian salmon exports were stalled this month as lower prices and a serious algae

2019 News review.indd 91

outbreak in two important fish farming regions had an impact.

The country sold 91,000 tonnes of salmon during May to a value of 6.1 billion kroner, a volume increase of 14 per cent, but only a one per cent rise in value, with prices well down on a year ago.

So far this year, Norway had exported 425,000 tonnes of salmon worth NOK 29 billion. This represents an increase in volume of six per cent, while the value has gone up by NOK 2 billion or eight per cent.

The average price for fresh whole salmon in May was NOK 62.17 per kg compared to NOK 73.16 per kilo in May 2018. Poland, France and Denmark continue to be the largest markets.

Paul T. Aandahl, seafood analyst at the Norwegian Seafood Council, said: ‘Strong growth in export volumes over the past two months has put pressure on salmon prices.

‘Historically, prices have generally increased in May, but the strong volume growth has reversed the

Above: Scottish salmon farm. Below: Norwegian farm

05/12/2019 09:58:09

92 NEWS REVIEW picture this year.

‘So far this year there have been favourable production conditions in large parts of the country, partly because of a warm winter.

‘This has resulted in increased exports in recent months. At the same time, demand for Norwegian salmon is still increasing, especially in the EU and Asia.’

More than eight million salmon died in the algae outbreak in the Nordland and Troms regions, but most of them had not reached maturity and therefore had not affected the May figures.

Back in Scotland, the government announced that it was to introduce new legislation in 2020 requiring all marine fish farms to report weekly sea lice levels, one week in arrears.

Fergus Ewing, Rural Economy and Connectivity Secretary, outlined the first part of a programme of regulatory reform in the industry, following two parliamentary inquiries into the sector last year.

These concluded that the status quo in relation to regulatory arrangements was not an option.

‘Today’s statement demonstrates our determination to deliver the necessary changes to strengthen those arrangements,’ Ewing told MSPs. ‘Taken together, these new measures signal a major shift from self to statutory regulation.’

Although the sector announced its own sea lice publication plans in the last year, the government will strengthen the statutory basis of the sea lice regime, ‘to ensure there is consistency of approach and to deliver confidence in the system’.

‘The introduction of legislation will remove any ambiguity with regards to reporting requirements and deliver more detailed information – at both salmon and rainbow trout

2019 News review.indd 92

farms,’ said Ewing.

This will provide data to monitor specific farms and issues as they arise, as well as allow for further policy change, if needed.

In another move, the current ‘trigger’ thresholds from three adult female lice per fish for reporting and eight for enforcement were to be reduced to two and six.

The lower reporting levels will allow for earlier intervention, said the minister, who added that a further reduction in reporting thresholds, to two and four average adult female lice per fish, will be introduced , if confirmed by a review of the evidence, 12 months following the implementation of the new statutory reporting regime.

Staying in Scotland, Scottish farmed salmon received a boost as it reclaimed its spot as the UK’s largest food export, following news that sales to overseas buyers had totalled £206.5 million in Q1 2019.

Volumes for Q1 were up 19.9 per cent, bringing increased sales of £59.9 million.

Overall UK exports of food and drink for Q1 were valued at £5.8 billion, up year on year by almost 11 per cent.

The figures, from Her Majesty’s Customs & Excise, showed export growth was strongest in non-EU markets, with countries including Japan, Taiwan and Australia buying increasing amounts of UK food and drink products.

Julie Hesketh-Laird, chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO), said: ‘These latest export figures confirm Scottish salmon’s position as the UK’s largest food export.

‘With France, USA and China firmly established as strategically important markets, the international appetite for salmon sees exports

Top: Algae. Middle: Sea lice. Above: Julie Hesketh-Laird

05/12/2019 09:58:36

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 93 extending to areas as far flung as Asia, the Middle East and throughout the EU. ‘All markets look for quality, taste and provenance and clearly Scottish salmon delivers on those attributes.

‘It’s a very positive start to 2019 and the salmon farmers are working hard to meet the growing demands for the rest of the year.’

She added: ‘The growth currently being enjoyed by the Scottish salmon sector is the result of continued innovation and investment, by farmers and partners in

T

he month started with a tribute from the industry to former Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott, as he announced his retirement from politics.

The former Liberal Democrat leader and MSP for the Shetlands was elected to the first parliament 20 years ago and has long celebrated the impact of aquaculture in his constituency and beyond.

During the salmon farming debate in the Scottish parliament in February, when MSPs discussed the Rural Economy and Connectivity (REC) committee’s inquiry of 2018, Scott was quick to defend a sector that boosts the economy and local employment.

‘Over the years, the industry has been attacked by big landed interests with fishing rivers and by the Greens,’ said Scott, who is to take up a job as head of external affairs for Scottish Rugby.

He said while the industry had changed overwhelmingly, what has not changed is the number of people who are employed ‘in parts of Scotland who simply would not have jobs if salmon farming did not exist’.

‘Unst, Yell and Fetlar are the best

2019 News review.indd 93

the supply chain, in people, skills, research and new facilities.

‘Taking the number one position in such a dynamic manufacturing industry is testament to the dedication of the thousands of people directly employed

by Scottish salmon farming in some of the UK’s most remote, rural communities and the thousands more employed in supporting the sector.’

ALL MARKETS LOOK FOR QUALITY, TASTE AND PROVENANCE AND SCOTTISH SALMON DELIVERS

examples of that that I know of anywhere in Scotland.

Salmon farming accounts for 110 direct jobs on those islands and any number of hundreds of indirect jobs.

Those jobs and the communities on those islands would not exist were it not for that industry.

‘The idea that those people deliberately pollute and deliberately do nothing about the issues of sea lice, mortality and so on is a line of argument that I simply do not recognise.’

Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation general manager David Sandison said: ‘Tavish has been a staunch ally of the salmon farming industry throughout his time representing Shetland in Holyrood.

‘He has always recognised how vital our industry is to the economic and social wellbeing of these islands and indeed the whole of Scotland.

‘He has kept abreast of the tremendous pace of change that our industry has gone through in the 20 years since the parliament came into being and I would wish him well in his new ventures.’

Scottish Sea Farms’ managing director Jim Gallagher said: ‘Throughout his

Left: Tavish Scott Above: David Sandison

05/12/2019 09:58:56

94 NEWS REVIEW

Top: Bill Showalter Above: Young’s Seafood. Below: Di Walker

2019 News review.indd 94

years as MSP for Shetland, Tavish has shown great diligence in engaging with a sector that’s of huge importance to his constituents.

‘Therefore, when he speaks on the subject, he speaks with authority, whether that’s discussing the local jobs supported by the sector, the boost to local skills and training, or the role of salmon farming in helping ensure that those living in remote communities enjoy the same opportunities to prosper as those living on mainland Scotland.

‘As a farmer himself, Tavish also understands the challenges that come with raising livestock of any kind and has invested a lot of time in learning just how much is being done to farm evermore responsibly.

‘We’re hugely sad to see such knowledge leave Scottish politics but wish Tavish every success in his new role with Scottish Rugby.’

There was also big news as it was announced that Young’s Seafood had changed hands in a multi-million pound deal.

Britain’s largest seafood business had been bought by CapVest, its former private equity owner, and would now become part of a multi-protein food group involving Karro, a leading UK pork processor.

CapVest Partners said the new group has significant potential for further growth and would have a strong market presence in the pork and chilled and frozen seafood markets, with sales of £1.2 billion and a workforce of more than 5,000 people across the UK and Ireland.

The sale figure had not been revealed, but some reports put it at around £175 million.

A statement said: ‘Karro and Grimsby based Young’s will operate as two separate businesses within the enlarged group and will continue to focus on providing great food to customers across pork and seafood.’

Di Walker, current executive chair of Karro, was appointed CEO of the new group.

She said: ‘We are very excited about the opportunity to create an ambitious, multi-protein food business of considerable scale.

‘Young’s and Karro are highly complementary businesses and the combined platform will have strong market positions in two important protein categories that are experiencing consistent long-term growth.

‘Today’s agreement will provide both businesses with the opportunity to further develop and broaden our relationships with our key partners.’

Bill Showalter, CEO of Young’s, said: ‘We are delighted to be moving forward with Karro and CapVest and we believe this move will be positive for the fish and seafood industry as a whole.

‘With CapVest’s existing understanding of our industry, and as part of a multi-protein food group, we will have the opportunity to inspire more consumers to love fish through our fresh, frozen, own label and branded products.

‘The transaction will build an even stronger foundation from which we can drive growth, providing exceptional quality fish and stand out innovation to countries around the world.’

Meanwhile, it was announced that the Scottish aquaculture sector was set to invest £2 million to further explore tools to improve fish health.

The Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) confirmed funding for five new innovation projects which, with combined investment from industry and academia, would help deliver the Scottish government’s 10-year Farmed Fish Health Framework.

Initiatives selected for funding include using novel technologies for sea lice control, finding quicker ways to diagnose disease, and looking at methods for minimising the risks from natural causes that lead to mortality in farmed fish at sea.

Supporting SAIC’s commitment of more than £743,000, some 55 per cent of the

05/12/2019 09:59:43

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 95

£2 million total project funding comes from industry and nine per cent from academia.

Projects ranged from 12 to 24 months in duration and underpin the innovation centre’s commitment to encouraging collaboration and driving innovation, said SAIC. Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: ‘Government and industry in Scotland are working to improve farmed fish health in Scotland, and ensure the sustainable growth of Scotland’s most valuable food export.

‘Innovation projects like these are vital to those ambitions, making the industry more streamlined, improving the environment and fish health, and helping to create and support jobs.

‘It’s great to see projects like this, which directly align with the ambitions of Scotland’s 10-year Farmed Fish Health Framework, receiving funding.’

Heather Jones, CEO of SAIC, added: ‘Committing to fund additional projects allows us to support collaboration between producers and academia.

‘The valuable research should help the industry to find ways to better control sea lice and mitigate disease and climate change risks in future. Fish health is a priority and critical to the future of aquaculture.’

It was also reported this month that the Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) was considering offers to buy part or all of the company.

2019 News review.indd 95

The possible sale was part of an ongoing review to maximise value for shareholders and it was expected to be completed in September.

In a statement, the SSC PLC, which owns Edinburgh based SSC, said: ‘Among the options being considered within the framework of the review are several formal, non-binding expressions of interest to purchase part or all of the company that have been received by the company via its financial advisor Daiwa Corporate Advisory Limited.

‘As part of this process, the company will allow selected parties access to non-public information. No assurance can be given that any specific outcome will be proposed or completed as a result of this process.’

The company added that it did not expect to disclose further information on the development of the review until the process has been completed or terminated.

Last year, the SSC was Scotland’s second biggest producer, harvesting almost 30,000 tonnes of salmon and reporting record revenue and operating profit.

The company’s CEO, Craig Anderson, who has been in the post for six years, told Fish Farmer last month that they spent more than £112 million with over 650 Scottish suppliers last year.

The SSC’s exports have increased 122 per cent in the last two years and now account for more than 60 per cent of revenue.

Top: Scottish salmon farm. Above: Craig Anderson

05/12/2019 10:00:02

96 NEWS REVIEW

AUGUST

T

he month started on a very dark and sombre note, with the news that our long time colleague William Dowds had lost his brave fight against cancer.

William passed away, aged 52, after a long battle with the disease.

Originally from Northern Ireland, he worked for international brands such as Coca-Cola, Diageo and British Aerospace, soon emerging as a talented salesman.

But his route to this fairly conventional profession was, in typical William style, idiosyncratic. He spent his early adult life playing keyboards in a Belfast rock band, even though – by his own admission – he had never had a music lesson in his life.

The skills he picked up may not have appeared transferable to his future livelihood, but the touring routine obviously suited him.

He settled in Scotland and when he joined the world of aquaculture, he quickly made a name for himself, not only on his home turf, but around the world, on his extensive travels for Fish Farmer.

He had a particular affinity with Norwegians – an invaluable trait in the salmon farming sector – and had enviable access to the CEOs of many of the biggest companies, a

2019 News review.indd 96

Above: William in San Sebastion Below: With Sir Jackie Stewart and Nicola Sturgeon at the Concours of Elegance in Edinburgh 2015

tribute to his easy Irish charm (and all those late nights in the bars of Trondheim).

William – latterly donning his beloved kilt – became a familiar sight at the aquaculture trade shows, even after poor health might have dictated a slower pace.

He bounced back from repeated bouts of cancer treatment in the last six years to re-connect with his old contacts and make new friends, and he never gave up hope that he would make it to Aqua Nor again later this month.

In Scotland, as elsewhere, his industry colleagues were his friends and his job was also his favourite pastime.

He acquired a deep understanding of the salmon farming business and used his acumen to raise Fish Farmer’s profile in the growing industry.

He rarely missed an opportunity to turn a good story into an excellent advertising bonanza, but he was also unfailingly generous with his expertise, and was as often on the phone dishing out advice as he was closing a deal.

In the offices of Fish Farmer, William would walk around with a headset, usually out of earshot as he chatted – for hours sometimes – to his valued customers. It therefore remains a mystery to most of

05/12/2019 10:01:21

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 97

us how he worked his magic.

Outside, on the farms or in the exhibition halls, we could better witness him in action – but William never made work look like work, and that was perhaps the secret of his success.

He retired from Fish Farmer in 2018 on medical grounds but was immediately snapped up by another title in the industry, International Aquafeed.

He was proud of the magazines he represented, and especially thrilled by the recognition he received at the Aquaculture Awards in Edinburgh in May, where he was presented with a special lifetime achievement award.

The stoicism William brought to professional challenges was very much in evidence as he coped with one health setback after another.

He made light of his aliments, joking ‘I’ve put my foot in my mouth’ when he had to have his jaw rebuilt with a bone from his leg, and complaining that his surgeons had not made him look more like Tom Cruise.

In his final weeks, his wit never deserted him, even when a new tumour robbed him of the ability to speak clearly.

William died peacefully at home in Glenrothes, with his wife Wendy by his side.

August also brought the news that Gael Force Group had signed an exclusive £4 million plus deal with Scotland’s newest salmon farmer, Organic Sea Harvest, to supply its two new sites in 2020.

2019 News review.indd 97

The Inverness based company would supply turnkey solutions for two exposed sites at Invertote and Culnacnoc, off the coast of Skye, with a full range of marine equipment, technology and supporting services.

This was to include SeaMate 350 tonne feed barges and SeaFeed feeding systems, SeaQurePen fish pens, SeaQureMoor moorings, and underwater technology.

The two Highland based companies have been closely collaborating over the course of three years, sharing knowledge, experiences and expertise to ascertain the best and most suitable equipment specification for the challenging site conditions.

Speaking after the two companies signed the deal, Gael Force Group sales director Jamie Young said: ‘We have taken the time to understand Organic Sea Harvest’s needs and challenges for many months now and, as a result, we have become very attuned to their objectives.

‘This has given both parties the complete confidence that we can be a key supply partner in helping Organic Sea Harvest to achieve the best possible results on their new farms.’

He added: ‘Throughout our discussions with the team from Organic Sea Harvest, it has also been very clear to us how much they value the importance of working with a local supply partner.

‘For our employees and the local communities in which we are present across Scotland, this is terrific news.’

Left: William Dowds entertaining Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and the then Norwegian fisheries minister Per Sandberg on the Scottish pavilion at Aqua Nor 2017.

Below: Left to right: Robert Gray (Director, Organic Sea Harvest) Alex MacInnes (Director, Organic Sea Harvest), Jamie Young (Sales Director, Gael Force Group), Alister Mackinnon (Director, Organic Sea Harvest).

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98 NEWS REVIEW Alex MacInnes, director of Organic Sea Harvest – the first independent farming start up in Scotland since 1999 – said: ‘It means a huge amount to us that we have been able to source the highest quality of equipment and competence at competitive prices locally, and also, that we will be partnering with a Highlands and islands based supplier who has shown the enthusiasm and motivation to grow with us and help us in our objective to support the local community of Staffin.’

Elsewhere, Norwegian aquaculture supplier Morenot announced that it had acquired the Danish net maker Hvalpsund Net. The move came as Mørenot, which was itself bought by northern European investment fund FSN Capital last year, continued to expand.

The acquisition of family firm Hvalpsund is the fourth time the FSN group had invested additional capital in Mørenot.

The company now had sales worth more than NOK 1.2 billion and over 700 employees.

Arne Birkeland, CEO of Mørenot, said of the latest purchase: ‘Through hard work and solid dedication for a long period of time, Hvalpsund Net has been developed into an agile company with strong customer relationships, and a safe and good workplace for its employees.

‘Mørenot, which provides solutions for sustainable harvesting of seafood, combined with Hvalpsund will be able to offer more competitive solutions and develop even more innovative products across all markets.

‘We will continue to develop the

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position Hvalpsund has built on plastic cages, nets and fishing gear by investing in further product development across the product portfolio.

‘At the same time, we will continue to deliver individual products separately, but at the same time also develop complete and integrated cage solutions in some markets.’

Hvalspund Net’s Peter Polsen, who joined the company in 1966 and took over as CEO in 1974, and his family have been majority shareholders in Hvalpsund Net since 1974.

They will reinvest a significant share of the proceeds in Mørenot and remain an active part of the future development of the partnership.

Poulsen said: ‘Hvalpsund Net and Mørenot together is a great fit and will strengthen our efforts to continuously develop the business and organisation.

‘It was important for us to bring in a partner who shared our values and visions and wanted to invest for the future’.

Back in Scotland, the former head of news and current affairs at BBC Scotland, Atholl Duncan, was announced as the new Chairman of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO).

He replaced Gilpin Bradley, managing director of Wester Ross Fisheries, who took on the role on a temporary basis two years ago.

Duncan – who was the chairman of UK Coaching, the national body for sports coaches, and was the former ex-

Above: Arne Birkeland.

Left: Jennie Torp, Ole Kristian Flaaen, Ryan Poulsen, Kristian Steinshylla, Myrna Poulsen, Peter Poulsen, Ola Kvalheim, Casper Petersen. Below: Atholl Duncan

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 99 ecutive director of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, and a former chair of the British Horseracing Authority – would take up the post in September, working 30 days a year.

He said: ‘It is a great privilege for me to work with a farming sector which is the UK’s leading food exporter and contributes so much in terms of economic and social value.

‘I look forward to helping the sector’s leaders to fulfil their ambitious growth plans and to working with the local communities, politicians and regulators, who all have such an important stake in the continued development of Scottish salmon.

‘The Scottish farmed salmon sector is world leading today and keen to play an even larger part in the economic development of Scotland in the future.

‘But we fully appreciate the challenges of doing that in a way which is sympathetic to the communities

T

he month started with news that the Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) had achieved record half year sales in 2019, despite various market related challenges.

It was only two months ago that the Edinburgh based company, which operates some 60 sites on the west coast of Scotland and in the Hebrides, announced that it was considering offers to buy all or part of the business.

Revenues for the six months to June 30 rose to a record high of £111.8 million, with exports accounting for 67 per cent of that total, thanks to a successful export strategy. That is an export increase of eight per cent on the same period a year ago.

CEO Craig Anderson said: ‘The business has delivered strong results in the first

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we work in, while embracing the new regulatory and environmental standards being developed wherever the sector operates around the world.’

Bradley said: ‘We are delighted to have secured Atholl Duncan as the SSPO’s new chair. He will bring his undoubted qualities as a leader, his experience as a manager and his dynamism and drive to this successful Scottish farming sector.’

And Julie Hesketh-Laird, chief executive of the SSPO, also welcomed the appointment, saying: ‘The SSPO was looking for someone with undoubted leadership skills, a passion for high performance, as well as experience of international business and it has found all these qualities in Atholl Duncan.

‘I am looking forward to working with him in what promises to be an exciting time for one of the UK’s most successful and innovative food sectors.’

THE SCOTTISH FARMED SALMON SECTOR IS WORLD LEADING TODAY

Above: Scottish salmon

half of the year and we remain committed to responsible business growth through our well defined strategy.

‘Priorities are: to invest in our operations, enhance operating efficiencies and maximise value; further strengthen the position of our brands; and increase exposure into key export markets, which now account for 67 per cent of sales.

‘In the first half of the year, we delivered record revenues of £111.8 million, despite a softening in market conditions and contending with localised operational and biological events that impacted production in Q2.

‘Over the long term, the aim remains to deliver steady and sustainable growth. We remain on track to achieve

Above: SSC salmon

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100 NEWS REVIEW our target volume of 33,000 tonnes by the year end and 45,000 tonnes by 2025, with planning consent being obtained for two sites.’

He added: ‘Our ongoing investment strategy continues to demonstrate results and support increased production.

‘As we achieve greater scale, we continue to make significant investments in site development, operational capacity, biological innovations and infrastructure.

‘The full benefit of this investment cycle will be realised going forward, ensuring we take advantage of an increasing share of global market potential as the demand for our Scottish salmon continues to grow.’

Meanwhile, a new £300,00 study from the Institute of Aquaculture (IoA) in Stirling, in conjunction with a leading animal feed manufacturer, was set to explore how feed ingredients could reduce infections in farmed fish.

Led by Dr Armin Sturm, a senior lecturer at the Institute and a sea lice expert, the research could reduce the need for anti-parasite treatments in aquaculture.

If effective, such feed ingredients could add to the growing arsenal of non-medicinal control strategies currently employed to tackle sea lice infections, said the university in a press release.

The IoA was working with Devon based Denis Brinicombe Group, which makes feed products for the ruminant and equestrian markets, on the three-year project.

Dr Sturm said: ‘I am very excited about this project, which will allow us to assess the effectiveness of specific feed ingredients in preventing sea lice infections.

‘While some of the veterinary drugs used to control sea lice can affect other marine organisms and may accumulate in marine sediments,

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the novel product tested here is non-toxic and short-lived in the environment.’

The team would test the theory that modified aquaculture diets that include Brinicombe’s patented bioactive compound premix – derived from natural feed sources – will have a positive impact on the health of farmed fish by reducing infection rates, survival and reproductive output of sea lice.

Sea lice infections can adversely affect farmed fish performance by reducing appetite and growth, and compromising the animal’s immune responses, potentially leading to secondary infections.

Dr Sturm would be working alongside a wider IoA team, including Professor James Bron and Professor Brett Glencross, on the project.

They believe that their work will help combat resistance to existing salmon delousing treatments and that developments in the use of novel feed Top: Dr Armin Sturm. ingredients could substantially improve Above: Keith Greig aquatic animal health and reduce depend- Left: Sea lice ence upon medicinal and other non-medicinal treatments.

Keith Greig, managing director of Brinicombe, said that the diet based approach to pest management could also prove effective in combating aquaculture parasites other than sea lice.

‘We have used our unique anti-parasitic technology for several years with good success in large animals globally and have had recent breakthroughs in the poultry sector, resulting in farms reducing their reliance on a medicated approach to parasite control.

‘We have already seen encouraging results in preliminary aquatic trials on monogeneans, confirming that our technology has the potential to be transferable between fish host species and target parasites.

‘This project comes at an exciting time for our business and, if we can establish

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 101 that the technology is transferable fully to the aquaculture market, it could be transformational for an industry that is battling an increasing parasitic population as seas warm, along with the ongoing dilemma of antimicrobial resistance.’

There is to be a new venue (and country) for the annual Global Seafood Expo from 2021, after organisers of the event announced this month that they were switching it from Brussels to Barcelona moving forwards.

Diversified Communications said the change of location after 28 years was because the show had outgrown its Belgian venue.

The decision was the result of extensive market research based on exhibitor and attendee feedback over the years and an evaluation of major destinations throughout Europe, said Diversified in a press release.

Barcelona’s wealth of hotels would provide visitors and exhibitors with value for their investment, and the larger, modern venue will present long-term growth opportunities, the organiser added.

Seafood Expo Global has taken place in Brussels since 1993, and this year – at the later date of May 7-9 – it attracted a total of 29,288 buyers and suppliers, with more than 2,000 exhibiting companies, making it the largest and most successful event in the expo’s history.

Diversified is working to ensure that the transition to Barcelona in 2021 ‘prioritises visitor and exhibitor comfort’, said Mary Larkin, president of Diversified Communications’ US operating division.

The event is scheduled to take place from April 27-29 at the Fira de Barcelona,

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Above: Barcelona Below: Cooke announced that it had bought the former Skretting fish feed mill in Invergordon

Gran Via, described by Diversified as ‘one of the largest and most innovative venues in Europe’.

‘The location of our event contributes to our customers’ overall experience,’ said Larkin.

‘The Brussels Expo and the city of Brussels were great partners to launch and grow this event, and we appreciate the services and support they provided over the years.

‘Moving the event to a larger city and venue, with opportunity for long term growth, is a necessary evolution. It will enhance the visitor experience and the business being done between buyers and sellers.’

The venue features 200,000 square meters of floor space, eight exhibit halls, more than 40 restaurants, and is accessible using the city’s mass transit system, she added.

Liz Plizga, group vice president of Diversified Communications, said: ‘Barcelona is an international destination and major seafood hub in Europe, which makes it the perfect location to hold a global event like Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global.’

Diversifed was now liaising with accommodations company B-Network and had secured a hotel room block.

‘We strongly encourage exhibitors and attendees to book through the show block for the best rates in the city,’ Larkin said.

Meanwhile, the 2020 show would take

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102 NEWS REVIEW

Above: The Mowi plant. Right: Glenn Cooke

place from April 21-23 at the Brussels Expo, as usual.

Canadian owned salmon farmer Cooke revealed that it had purchased the former Skretting feed mill in Invergordon, Scotland, which had ceased production in April.

New Brunswick based Cooke announced the establishment of Northeast Nutrition Scotland at the Easter Ross site.

Skretting, owned by Nutreco, said last year that the decision to close its UK operation was due to an oversupply in the salmon feed market.

The move followed the construction by salmon farmer Mowi of its Kyleakin, Skye, feed factory, which has capacity for 170,00 tonnes of fish feed.

The Mowi plant, estimated to cost more than £125 million, became operational in the summer and would supply feed to Mowi farms in Scotland, Ireland and the Faroes, with the potential for sales to other companies.

Northeast Nutrition Scotland would manufacture fish feed for Cooke Aqua-

culture Scotland, which farms in Shetland and Orkney.

‘We are excited to include domestic feed manufacturing in Scotland, adding to the vertical integration of our operations and further enhancing the full traceability of our fish,’ said Glenn Cooke, CEO of Cooke.

Cooke plans to work with former Skretting employees who were affected by the closure, to resume operations at the mill.

‘We are thrilled to be in a position to offer new opportunities to those employees and have an engaged and experienced team in place from day one,’ said Chris Bryden, mill manager.

‘As a rural coastal community, Invergordon has a population of approximately 4,000 residents. Joining the Cooke family of companies provides us with the opportunity to keep Scottish jobs and be an important part of a globally respected growing seafood leader.’

Skretting produced 100,000 tonnes of feed in the United Kingdom in 2017, mostly Atlantic salmon and trout feed.

OCTOBER

T

he month started with the big news story that the Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) had been sold to the Faroese salmon farmer Bakkafrost.

Bakkafrost acquired 68.6 per cent of SSC from Northern Link, ending much speculation in the industry after the company was put up for sale in July.

Listed on the Olso Stock Exchange seafood index, SSC was acquired for £517 million, according to a statement on the Oslo Bors website.

Scottish Salmon Company CEO Craig Anderson said: ‘I’m proud of the way the SSC team has conducted itself under my tenure, and they have all contributed to building a highly successful business that has

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Above: Craig Anderson

ultimately become a compelling investment opportunity for Bakkafrost.

‘The management team will now work closely with the new owners of the business to understand its strategic vision and implications for all SSC stakeholders.’

Edinburgh headquartered SSC produced 29,913 tonnes of salmon in 2018, and 18,463 tonnes in the first half of this year.

The company, which farms on the west coast of Scotland and the Hebrides, generated an EBITDA of £56.7 million in 2018 and £35.7 million in H1 this year. Exports accounted for 65 per cent of sales.

Regin Jacobsen, CEO of Bakkafrost, said: ‘Bakkafrost’s journey has

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 103

been characterised by delivering industry leading growth and profitability combined with a focus on shareholder value creation.

‘The Scottish Salmon Company represents an attractive acquisition at this juncture, providing exposure to the attractive and premium Scottish salmon farming region with potential for synergies and transfer of best practices.

‘The entire Bakkafrost team is looking forward to working with the SSC management team to continue to enhance performance of the business and drive value in the years ahead.’

SSC provides Bakkafrost with access to the ‘niche’ Scottish farming region, with Scottish provenance products priced at a premium.

The fully integrated Faroese company said it expected to generate synergies in key areas, including feed, which it manufactures, and sales.

Meanwhile, Scotland’s largest salmon farmer, Mowi, confirmed that it would be closing its Loch Ewe site at the end of the current production cycle, and relocating the biomass to a new high energy farm near Scalpay.

The new farm would combine salmon farming with the rearing of other marine species, and could also become a visitor attraction, with tours part of the proposal.

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Above: Bakkafrost farm Right: The Loch Ewe site

The company announced in July its intention to move from Loch Ewe and Loch Duich to ‘locations more appropriate for modern day aquaculture’.

Stephen MacIntyre, head of environmental management at Mowi Scotland, said: ‘This relocation initiative aligns our growth plans with the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee’s (RECC) recent recommendations to sustainably grow our fish production levels over the next few years, by expanding into new high energy farming areas in more appropriate open water locations.’

The company said its relocation plan will increase employment in remote locations, while retaining the services of its experienced and dedicated staff.

Employees currently working at Loch Ewe have been consulted and may continue their employment at other new or expanded locations, said Mowi.

The Loch Ewe location was set to be retired at the end of the current fish cycle, at the end of 2020.

Staying in Scotland, its salmon farmers this month rejected a proposal by the country’s environmental regulator to introduce a feed cap.

The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) described the

05/12/2019 10:07:09

104 NEWS REVIEW initiative as ‘lazy regulation’ which, if introduced, would raise significant fish health and welfare concerns and could undermine the global reputation for quality the sector has built up over the last few decades.

Julie Hesketh-Laird, chief executive of the SSPO, had written to Terry A’Hearn, chief executive of SEPA (the Scottish Environment Protection Agency), raising serious concerns about the performance of the regulator.

On the consultation launched by SEPA, controlling organic deposits from salmon farms, Hesketh-Laird said: ‘SEPA’s decision to consider a feed cap as a way of controlling organic deposits from salmon farms has no environmental basis, is wrong, misguided and could threaten fish health and welfare.

‘It would also undermine the global reputation for quality Scottish salmon that farmers have built up over decades.’

She added: ‘The consultation proposes to introduce a limit on the amount of feed given to salmon. But farmers must be able to judge the appropriate amount of feed necessary to rear their stock and keep them healthy.

‘This sets a dangerous precedent for a regulator to limit how farmers feed their stock.

Elsewhere, Iceland’s largest salmon farming company, Arnalax, announced a loss of €16 million

2019 News review.indd 104

for 2018, several times the figure of a year earlier.

The company, in which Norwegian outfit SalMar had a majority stake, was currently investing heavily in developing new fish farms, but had seen its plan disrupted after objections from environmental groups.

However, it had since been given a clean bill of health and its operating licences were restored last month.

The company was now pressing ahead with its expansion plans. The €16 million loss compares with a deficit of just €587,000 in 2017.

According to the news website Vidskiptabladid, Arnarlax saw its operating income fall from €67 million in 2017 to €42 million last year. But liabilities fell by €9.5 million from the previous year.

Eight months ago, fish farming giant SalMar took control of Arnarlax by increasing its holding from 42 per cent to 54.23 per cent. The company immediately announced it would fund expansion.

Arnarlax had grown into one of Iceland’s most valuable salmon farming firms, worth an estimated 21 billion Icelandic kroner, almost as much as the national airline.

Launched in 2009, it was now a fully integrated producer with its own smolt plants, sea locations, wellboat, slaughter plant and sales unit.

The company had a wage bill of more than eight million euros and was providing dozens of new jobs in the Westfjord region of the country.

SalMar was also in the news this month, as it announced that its owner and co-founder would be taking over the reigns as CEO. Gustav Witzøe would be replacing Olav Andreas Ervik, who would become managing director of the new

Left: Terry A’Hearn Below left: Arnalax farm. Below: Gustav Witzøe

05/12/2019 10:07:31

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 105 subsidiary SalMar Ocean AS and be responsible for the company’s ocean based farming. The changes were to take effect immediately.

SalMar, which owns 50 per cent of Scottish Sea Farms, had become a leading pioneer of offshore farming, with its experimental Ocean Farm 1 already farming commercially.

It was also developing its Smart Fish Farm which, with a biomass of more than 12,000 tonnes, will have twice the capacity of Ocean Farm 1 and is to cost an estimated NOK 1.5 billion (£134 million).

SalMar’s ocean based enterprises

had been operating as a business area within SalMar and headed by Witzøe. These activities would now be transferred to a subsidiary led by Ervik.

Ervik became CEO last year after the then CEO, Trond Williksen, left in the wake of the company’s alleged links to salmon smuggling in China.

Both Witzøe and Ervik said the change would ensure continuity in management and were a logical consequence of SalMar’s ambition to lead in the development of ocean based fish farming.

T

he month started with Norway’s salmon and trout farmers anxiously awaiting the results of an inquiry into future taxation plans for the industry.

An independent committee, chaired by economics professor Karen Helene Ulltveit-Moe and set up in 2018, was thought to be ready to present a new tax model for aquaculture, and possibly the catching sector too.

And already there were fears that companies may be hit hard.

There was also speculation in the Norwegian press that the Aquaculture Fund, which had paid out hundreds of millions of kroner to fish farming communities in return for the granting of licences, may be scrapped and replaced by payments from the central state.

Geir Ove Ystmark, head of the fishing and aquaculture employers body Seafood Norway, said he feared that the Marine Tax Committee would propose tax streamlining measures similar to those that recently hit the oil and power industry.

This tax scheme brought strong criticism from the industry and those parts of the country where power facilities were based.

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Above: Karen Helene Ulltveit-Moe. Below: Geir Ove Ystmark

Above: Ocean Farm 1

Ystmark warned that while power stations and the like are difficult to move to countries with a lower tax burden, this is not the case for aquaculture.

‘If aquaculture is taxed too highly, businesses will move out,’ he said, citing the case of the Norwegian company Vikings Label, which planned to build an aquaculture plant in the Middle East.

There is no doubt that politicians had cast envious eyes on the high profits from fish farming over the past few years, although these had slowed down recently due the fall in salmon prices and high costs involved in dealing with problems like salmon lice and algae.

One news headline in Norway said, somewhat crudely: ‘After the power tax bombshell, fish farmers should tremble in their pants.’

Meanwhile, there was news that the CEO of Norwegian aquaculture equipment supplier AKVA was to stand

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106 NEWS REVIEW down, with immediate effect.

Hallvard Muri, who took up the post in November 2016, had resigned.

He was to be be replaced by an interim leader, Knut Nesse, current chair of the AKVA board and until last year CEO of feed giant Nutreco.

Nesse would be resigning from the board of directors, who had elected Hans Kristian Mong as the new chair, also with immediate effect.

Mong was previously chair of the AKVA board, stepping down earlier this year after six years, to be succeeded

by Nesse. He had since remained as a board member.

Elsewhere, there was good news this month for Grieg Seafood, as it reported that survival rates had been increasing at its Shetland operation, where it had previously been experiencing ongoing biological problems.

The announcement was made as the world’s seventh largest fish farmer presented its 2019 third quarter results, which delivered solid earnings on the back of a strong performance from Norway.

In August, Grieg suggested it may sell its operations on Skye. It had not added to that speculation this time except to say that its Skye strategic evaluation was continuing.

Grieg Shetland made a Q3 operating EBIT or loss of 13.6 million kroner (NOK) compared with a loss of NOK 5.5 million this time last year.

However, the figure is an improvement on the Q2 loss of NOK 19.8 million announced in August.

Harvest volumes fell by 15 per cent to 3,856 tonnes, but Shetland expected to produce a total harvest of 12,000 tonnes this year, rising impressively to 17,000 tonnes in 2020.

The company said that while costs in

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Above: Knut Nesse Left: Grieg Shetland Below: Ivan Vindheim

Shetland were not yet at target level because of the gill disease biological issues, survival rates were increasing and this was expected to bring down costs ‘going forward’.

Revenues fell from NOK 274.6 million in Q3 2018 to NOK 232.6 million this year, mainly due to lower spot prices, which had affected all salmon farming companies.

Staying in Scotland, Bakkafrost this month moved to purchase the entire remaining share capital of the Scottish Salmon Company (SSC).

The bid was not entirely unexpected as Bakkafrost CEO Regin Jacobsen suggested as much in September, when the sale to the Faroese salmon farmer was first announced. But it had probably come sooner than thought.

Initially, Bakkafrost purchased 68.6 per cent of the shares from the investment fund Northern Link, the then majority owners, for £517 million. Since then, the holding had been increased to just over 80 per cent.

Now it declared that it would make a mandatory bid for all the shares it did not currently own.

The new offer represented 19.23 per cent of all shares issued by the company. The offer price was NOK 28.25, which was the highest price Bakkafrost had paid for the company’s shares over the past few weeks.

Bakkafrost said its new offer was to end on December 9, subject to possible extensions of up to two weeks.

The transaction was being managed

by DNB and Nordea, two of Scandinavia’s largest financial groups.

There was another new CEO announcement, as Mowi announced Ivan Vindheim as the new incumbent, replacing Alf-Helge Aarskog after a ten year stint in the role.

Vindheim, who had been Mowi’s CFO since 2012, ook up the role immediately. He told Intrafish it would be ‘business as usual’, and he paid tribute to Aarskog who, he said, had delivered the company to him ‘in

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 107 excellent shape’.

Vindheim had held various executive positions in the seafood industry, including being the CFO of Lerøy Seafood.

‘I am honored to be given the opportunity to lead Mowi together with more than 14,500 highly competent colleagues,’ he said.

‘It is with humbleness I take on this task. Mowi is the leading global aquaculture company and we have many opportunities ahead of us.

‘The board’s strategy for Mowi of being a leading integrated seafood provider remains unchanged, and together with the rest of the organisation I look forward to continuing to make Mowi a stronger company and execute on our strategy.

‘Alf-Helge has been a great leader and colleague over the years and I would also like to take the opportunity to thank him for making such a valuable contribution.’

Aarskog transformed the company during his decade at its helm. His key achievements, said Mowi, included the creation of the group’s own fish feed operations, significant growth in value-added processing, substantial farming volume growth and most recently the launch of the company’s branding strategy.

ALF-HELGE HAS BEEN A GREAT LEADER AND COLLEAGUE OVER THE YEARS

DECEMBER The month started with the revelation that Loch Duart managing director Alban Denton was to retire at the end of 2019 after five years in the role.

The board had beeninformed of his decision several months ago, said the company, which was celebrating its 20th anniversary this year Loch Duart, which farms in Sutherland and the Uists, said Denton had led the company through the recovery and strengthening of the business, which had delivered a sustained period of investment and growth.

He had committed to the role for five years when he joined in 2015, and as the business approached its next cycle of investment and renewal, he had decided not to commit to the next stage.

Denton said: ‘I have thoroughly enjoyed myself and the success

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Above: Marine Products (Scotland) Below: Angus MacKenzie

we have had over the past five years.

‘As managing director of a tremendous company, brand and team, it has been a privilege to be part of the story that is Loch Duart.

‘I wish the board, the executive and all my colleague employees great success in the future.’

Denton had championed smaller salmon farmers and Loch Duart’s different approach to salmon farming. In an interview with Fish Farmer in the summer he said the unique scale of the company, which produces around 6,000 tonnes, gave him a ‘relatively lonely voice’ on the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation.

Chairman Alistair Erskine, on behalf of the board, said: ‘We would like to thank Alban for his energy, resilience, commitment and positive impact on the business and the wider industry throughout his service.

‘There can be no doubting that the Loch Duart of today is a much

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108 NEWS REVIEW stronger business than when Alban joined us.’

Finance director Simon Maguire would be acting as interim managing director with immediate effect, while the board looked to recruit a successor.

Scottish Sea Farms announced two major catches this month.

Gideon Pringle, who recently announced he was to leave his post as operations director of farming at Mowi, is to take up a senior role at SSF. He will start in April next year as director of farming, a new post created in a restructuring at the company.

Joining him will be Innes Weir, the UK general manager for Steinsvik, who becomes regional manager for Scottish mainland at Scottish Sea Farms from today.

The appointments follow the announcement in September that long-standing production manager John Rea is to leave the business to pursue other interests.

Scottish Sea Farms’ managing director Jim Gallagher said: ‘Our business has evolved hugely during John’s 20-year tenure: from the number of locations and regions we farm in, to the innovative new approaches we’re adopting and the range of skill sets we employ.

‘On learning that John was to leave us, it seemed like the natural time to review how we do things currently and what else we could be doing to better equip us for the future.

‘As part of this review, we decided to divide what formerly the remit of production director into two distinct roles: regional manager for Scottish mainland with responsibility for all our marine farms in the area; and director of farming with responsibility for

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Top: Alban Denton Above: Simon Maguire Below: Gideon Pringle

overseeing both freshwater and marine production in all three of our farming regions.

‘This will ensure that each region now has its own manager concentrating on the challenges and opportunities of the specific marine environment, supported at a strategic level by a dedicated resource focused on improving biological performance and growing our business in the most responsible and sustainable way.’

Pringle, who was farming director at trout farmer Dawnfresh for five years before returning to Mowi (then Marine Harvest) in 2016, brings a PhD in salmon genetics and more than 20 years’ practical experience in freshwater and marine farming.

Weir, also well known in the industry, is a former farm manager with Scottish Sea Farms who went on to several international roles.

05/12/2019 10:11:30

V. 3, 29 January 2019

AKVA FNC8 v 2.0 A powerful and robust remote net cleaning rig. Easy to operate and maintain with a new and intuitive visual presentation.

The Flying Net Cleaner 8 has a cleaning efficiency that outperforms nearly every other option. It is built with standard ROV components that are easy to clean and disinfect. It also has several built-in auto features and advanced IP camera systems and sensors for complete monitoring during the entire cleaning process.

Principal advantages Efficiently clean nets and lice skirts without damage and with minimal waste spread Prepared for up to 250 bar pressure and 750 L/min Robust components and rugged design Easy to operate with automated functions Open construction, easy to maintain and disinfect Thrusters propulsion (no damages from wheels/ tracks) Graphic visual presentation Advanced control system prepared for autonomous operation

www.akvagroup.com

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04/12/2019 16:51:27

110 PHOTO GALLERY

PICTURE - Captions.indd 110

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 111

Image: Kevin O’Leary, site manager of Mowi’s new feed plant at Kyleakin, Skye Photo: Angus Blackburn

PICTURE - Captions.indd 111

04/12/2019 16:56:07

112 COMMENT - OBSERVING, THE FUTURE

Gills on film New camera technology can help in the fight against sea lice

‘W

e are a relatively new Sector’ is a phrase that continues to preface, or at least be included in, many conversations and discussions about industrial fish farming; But does it still ring as true today as when I first heard it nearly 40 years ago as a new start in Scottish aquaculture?.

‘New relative to what?’ might be a legitimate question and ‘so what?’ another. Is civil aviation a ‘relatively new Sector’ within the transport sector? Perhaps if you are a manufacturer of stage coaches then the answer is probably yes. In this sense aquaculture is normally measured against agriculture whose own heritage is measured in millennia – so I guess there is at least one sense in which we will always be new!

Our ‘newness’ is often highlighted, mostly with sound justification, to help explain outcomes which haven’t quite gone according to plan. Open system aquaculture remains a ‘black box’ system (or at least dark grey one) whereby known inputs (fish) are exposed to often unknown influences

Chris Mitchell.indd 112

Above: Chris Mitchell Opposite: Fish health research, Professor Marian Stamp Dawkins

in a largely uncontrolled environment. In such circumstances the white heat of necessity really does become the driving mother of invention, and new technology not only moves fast but is often embraced with a pace and passion less evident in older more established Industries where inertia can sometimes fetter progress.

In the realm of fish health, the traditional tools of histology and PCR (now traditional I think!) continue to be mainstays in the diagnostician’s tool box and classical bacteriology is also making a much needed comeback. But what of the future? Interest in haematology and plasma proteins is beginning to cross from production and companion animal medicine into aquaculture.

Currently the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) are funding a couple of projects in this field, one looking at biomarkers for Cardiomyopathy Syndrome whilst the other is a broader based project examining 22 potential biomarkers in farmed salmonids as health and welfare indicators. I remember well a health practitioner from the Scottish salmon Sector reporting to the PD Trinations conference in 2014 that CPK

05/12/2019 10:42:25

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 113

(Creatine Phosphokinase) levels in his stock correlated well with customer complaints about salmon carcass quality – albeit with a lag. This came as no surprise as the enzyme is a very reliable indicator of muscle damage, in this case normally following infection with PRV (Piscine orthoreovirus) resulting in HSMI (Heart and Skeletal Muscle Inflammation).

So much for traditional physical interventions yielding clinical informa-

Chris Mitchell.indd 113

tion upon which diagnoses can be formed, and treatment recommended. But as with many aspects in modern life, Information Technology is also entering the health and welfare space of animal medicine and principally from an observational perspective.

In 2015 Professor Marian Stamp Dawkins shared with delegates attending PHARMAQs annual conference of that year, aspects of her research into how the movement of broiler chick populations in poultry houses can be recorded and analysed to make predictions about flock health.

In her analysis Marian developed an optical flow algorithm to measure changes in image density of the flock, as a unit, recorded by a watching camera. The data emanating from the study showed that kurtosis, which is a measure of extreme events or a lack of uniformity in a population, was a key indicator of flock health. Normally, high kurtosis in any data set is suggestive of an effect i.e. a movement away from the random state and is what researchers like to see in their results. For Marian, however it was actually low kurtosis that was found to be one indicator of good flock health on the shed floor, with animals moving randomly and not clumping together. By combining kurtosis with three other statistical variables describing flock movement, Marian showed that the incidence of hockburn (a condition affecting gait) in adult birds can be predicted in ones that are only 3 days old.

Observable behaviour data mediated through IT, but

05/12/2019 10:42:52

114 COMMENT - OBSERVING, THE FUTURE

this time in individual animals, forms the basis of Zoetis’s Smartbow® system. By attaching an ‘intelligent ear tag’ to each cow in a dairy herd, the behaviour and activity of individual animals can be monitored 24/7. The system can learn individual patterns of behaviour over time allowing the farmer, using a smart device, to respond to changes in rumination activity as well as detect heats - both vital pieces of information in successful dairy herd management.

In aquaculture cameras are routinely used to observe fish stock behaviour but normally from the perspective of feed rather health management. In the case of the latter however camera technology has recently been developed to assist in the management of sea lice. The SpectraLice louse counter is a camera-based system which counts lice in situ so eliminating the need for handling fish as is current practice. The technology was shortlisted for the Norfishing innovation award 2019.

Insights into fish behaviour as an indicator of fish health is a very new area of research and has hitherto been focussed on thermal preferencing whereby some species of fish will, given the choice, move to or ‘prefer’ warmer or colder water in response to, or freedom from, infection. It is quite probable that in salmonid aquaculture behaviour patterns are also influenced by infection status. It is quite

possible that machine learning could record and map behaviours with a view to distinguishing those that are significant from those that are not, within the context of disease.

Suffice to say aquaculture medicine continues to track the progress of advances in other animal health sectors, but the time lag between the two is diminishing rapidly which makes fish health an exciting space to occupy just now!

Above: Chris Mitchell Below: The SpectraLice louse counter

“Insights into fish behaviour

as an indicator of fish health is a very new area of research”

Chris Mitchell.indd 114

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16:42:36

116 FISHERIES ICELAND

The Ice Man Cometh 2020 set to be the year that Iceland emerges from the shadows

By VINCE MCDONAGH

T

HE established North Atlantic salmon farming countries are soon to face a serious new challenger.

While Iceland is not a newcomer to aquaculture it has remained in the shadow of competitor nations, resting on its laurels as one of the world’s leading providers of cod and haddock.

That is until now. In 2016 annual

Iceland SFS.indd 116

Below: Fish farming in Iceland Opposite: Einar K. Gudfinnsson

production was just 8,000 tonnes. By 2022 or soon afterwards it expects to be producing 50,000 tonnes of salmon a year.

Einar K. Gudfinnsson, the aquaculture spokesman for Fisheries Iceland or SFS, (Samtök fyrirtækja í sjávarútvegi) says the sector has taken years to mature.

The turning point came in 2018 when two more companies commenced production and a third business joined in

05/12/2019 10:50:20

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 117

last year. ‘The issuing of productions licences in past years is now gradually being translated into growth.

‘Iceland is unique in many ways when it comes to aquaculture.

Because it takes place in the northern hemisphere there are clearly challenges but it is also blessed with natural advantages.

‘For example, land based farming such as hatcheries and smolt production facilities have access to geothermal crystal-clear waters and green energy in an environment where there are no viral diseases and therefore no use of antibiotics both in land and sea based farming.’

Sea farming is carried out in an envious environment which also includes green hydro-electric and geothermal energy and therefore makes its products unique throughout the entire process from the growth of smolts, to hatcheries and processing leading to a low carbon footprint.

‘The dynamic conditions with pristine

cold sea water are giving us perfect settings

SEA for healthy, natural salmon of good colour , continued Gudfinnsson.

FARMING IS andIt texture’ also means Iceland is less impacted CARRIED OUT by sea lice. ‘While we are well aware of problem it has not had the same effect IN AN ENVIOUS the on us because the waters which surround ENVIRONMENT our island are arguably a natural defence.

Iceland SFS.indd 117

However, experience tells us that it does not exclude this potential threat.’

The Icelandic government itself has taken a cautionary approach, limiting the granting of licences to the north west and certain eastern regions of the country to lessen possible impact on wild salmon stocks. But even this hasn’t stopped opposition from certain environmental groups.

Gudfinnsson doubted if these groups would ever be swayed from their views, adding it was important that the official approach to salmon farming should remain science based.

Does the industry feel it is getting enough support from the government? Gudfinnsson said the issuing of new production licences has been very slow, delaying growth in the past. Changes to legislation had not helped either, but the positive economic and social impact of aquaculture was now more clearly felt and understood.

‘The latest revision of the legal framework has imposed further regulations and restrictions. The good news, however, is that one hopes that the new laws will form a clearer framework for the industry and thus reduce the level of

05/12/2019 10:50:37

118 FISHERIES ICELAND

uncertainty for our aquaculture.’

As with Norway, tax has become an issue and at a time when companies are spending heavily on new investment. ‘It was therefore very surprising that one part of the new and revised legal framework was an issuing of a new specialised tax,’ he said. ‘Although the industry has not ruled out a possibility of specialised taxations of aquaculture in the future, we fear that this could erode the foundations for necessary investments and thus delay further progress within the industry.’

One of the biggest economic benefits has been to the many coastal communities suffering population decline mainly through loss of traditional fishing activities.

Gudfinnsson said: ‘Salmon farming has been extremely important in help-

Iceland SFS.indd 118

“In 2016 annual

production was just 8,000 tonnes.

By 2022…it expects to be producing 50,000 tonnes of salmon”

Above: Icelandic fish farming scene

ing to revive those areas. It has been especially encouraging to see these new possibilities attracting young peo-

05/12/2019 10:50:55

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 119

‘Salmon farming has been extremely important in helping to revive ple with a variety of educational backgrounds, thus making the communities stronger. Local communities which previously had been struggling are now thriving and are therefore able to increase their services, thus becoming more attractive to new inhabitants.‘ There is no doubt that the industry is cautiously upbeat. ‘We reckon that we will see a continuous growth in the near future. The prediction for this year is a doubling of our salmon production and further growth, although relatively slower, next year. At present, production licences account for production of some 50,000 tonnes of salmon and that should materialise in the near future.’

Despite a highly publicised shipment to China last year, Europe and the United States remain Iceland’s markets

Iceland SFS.indd 119

those areas. It has been especially encouraging to see these new possibilities attracting young people

for the foreseeable future. And this was also true for Arctic char, a specialist form of farmed fish produced in lightly salted water and bought by high end supermarkets in the US. Asia beckons. ‘New and emerging markets will most probably play an increasingly important role. Iceland and China signed a free trade agreement which came into effect in 2014. Since then, we have been working with Chinese authorities on its implementation for our aquaculture products.

‘And Iceland is the only aquaculture producing nation in the North Atlantic which (currently) has the advantage of a free trade deal with China, a fast-growing market with enormous potential for us.’

He also agreed that Iceland’s geographical position put it at a disadvantage against its competitors because the cost of transporting fish to foreign markets, particularly by air, was higher.

Sea freight was playing an increasingly important role, helped by new Icelandic developed technology centred around the chilling of food.

Currently only one or two conventional fishing companies – Samherji being the largest – are engaged in fish farming, but he believed that may change in future.

In fact both aquaculture and fishing now speak with one voice following the merger in January 2019 of Landssamband Fiskeldisstöðva (LF), the association representing fish farmers, and Samtök Fyrirtækja í Sjávarútvegi or SFS which has traditionally looked after the fishing vessel owners.

Gufinnsson concluded: ‘The specialised knowledge of SFS’s people has proved a valuable asset. The merging of these two industries has thus proved beneficial to us and hopefully for SFS as well.

‘Reaping the benefits of the ocean of opportunities – the blue economy – is common for both conventional fisheries and aquaculture.’

05/12/2019 10:51:11

120 INVESTMENT – DNB ADVERTORIAL

Financial Complex Strategic choices for fish farmers ever more multi-dimensional says Nowegian banker

W

ith financial exposure of $6 billion US in

Right: Anne Hvistendahl Opposite: Dag Sletmo, Atlantic Sapphire salmon

DNB - 22.indd 120

2019, a similar figure to the previous year, it is fair to say that Norwegian banker DNB is not in danger any time soon of losing its mantle as the world’s leading financier to the fish farming industry.

Any major development in the industry invariably continues to come with the backing of the Oslo based organisation, whose exposure ranges through aquaculture, fisheries and the entire value chain, with fish farming bearing the biggest chunk of its investments.

Anne Hvistendahl, the bank’s Global Head of Seafood, said that although the figures from 2019 appear ‘like for like’ when looked at in US dollars, when translated into Norwegian Kroner they actually represent a sig-

nificant increase compared to a year earlier.

‘Once again the goal in 2019, as it always is, was to help our clients needs. So, while we are forecasting a modest growth for the bank going in to 2020, that is never going to be our main objective’, says Hvistendahl.

DNB continues to do a lot of export credit financing and makes use of other institutions to arrange the financing and solve its clients needs as well, all of these things being more important to DNB than just focus on the bottom line.

The bank’s clients continue to be predominantly Norwegian, and they benefitted from a record year for exports in 2018. In 2019 production continued to increase, resulting in a peak around August/September which momentarily drove down the price due to the levels being produced, and needed an adjustment.

Elsewhere there continues to be a huge interest in land based farm-

05/12/2019 10:54:07

2019 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 121

ing initiatives, such as the huge undertaking in Miami by Norwegian owned Atlantic Sapphire, which has the direct involvement of DNB. They have reportedly financed $60 million of the project, along with the Danish Export Credit Agency, with the rest of the investment mostly coming from shareholder equity. Hvistendahl says that in 2019 the project has gone from strength to strength: ‘We are seeing huge investment levels in Atlantic Sapphire, now up at around $1 billion US, with strong interest particularly from China and the US’.

Given the current geo-political situation between the two countries, it could be argued that the timing of the Miami project was therefore very much ‘on point’.

Hvistendahl said that the trend continued to be towards what she calls the ‘New Frontiers’: ‘In general, yes, we are seeing a trend towards Iceland, which made major strides forward in 2019 and will do the same again next year, and also East Canada and Southern Chile.

DNB - 22.indd 121

“In the RAS market we have seen lots of investments in small smolt facilities”

‘In the RAS market we have seen lots of investments in small smolt facilities. The industry has really learned how to do this well and there are far less problems than there used to be. However, to ramp up these facilities still takes time’.

Iceland had proved to be one of the biggest success stories in 2019, and the industry enjoys strong political support, while back in Norway the

05/12/2019 10:54:24

122 INVESTMENT – DNB ADVERTORIAL

Brussels – Seafood Expo Global 2018

‘It makes sense to buy Pinneys’ says St James Smokehouse boss THE owner of the award winning Scottish salmon company St James Smokehouse said speculation that he was planning to buy Pinneys was correct.

Brendan Maher said he and his factory manager, Leo Sprott, had spent 10 hours at the factory in Annan, which Young’s Seafood has put up for sale.

‘We spent 10 hours there looking at it and getting a feel for the building, and to see if we can change the way they operate and make it more efficient,’ Maher told Fish Farmer during the Seafood Expo show, where St James Smokehouse was exhibiting as part of the Scottish pavillion.

He said it made perfect sense to take on Pinneys because they both do smoked salmon and were both based in Annan, with many of their Contrary to previous reports, he said he wouldn’t be able to retain all staff interchangeable over the years.

450 staff at the site, but hoped to employ a maximum of 100.

Maher, who set up his business in 2003, said ‘No company on planet earth could retain 450 there and remain profhis goal then was to‘traffi be as good as Pinneys, ‘the and government’s c light system’ itable,’ he by said.step people are Rolls Royce of smoked salmon, the benchmark’.

St Jamesmore Smokehouse continuing sea lice problems were still andcurrently more employs able to100 staff in Scotland and a ‘Fast forward and we’re doing better than further 50 in the US, where Maher has set up another smokehouse in hampering the industry to a degree, cope with the sea lice He described it as a ‘cool’ them,’ he said, suggesting Pinneys had made a Miami, spending £7-8 million on the project. mistake in only having one customer, Marks smokehouse, more like an although growth prospects for &2020 problems’ . Apple store than a fish facility.

Spencer, which ended its contract recently.

He said he wanted people to drive past and then go in and ask for an were strong.

Her colleague, the Maherstill said very the company also lost its focus of iPhone 10 because they thought it was an Apple store. being the2020 Rolls Royce of smoked salmon whenvery‘I’ve builtbank’s ‘Yes, projections are still Dag an Applesenior store! It’sanalyst not your usual stinky fish factory. It’s minit decided to diversify into other products. with lots of glass… a terrace of orange trees.’

Sletmo, said thatand the biggest optimistic’ , said Hvistendahl. ‘Step imalist, serene

NO ONE IS SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF CATCHING UP

Above: Brendan Maher

THE LEADING GLOBAL THE LEADING GLOBAL SEAFOOD BANK SEAFOOD BANK

DNB plays a significant role in business areas where Norway has deep historical roots. Despite its small size, Norway is one of the world˙s major players in Ocean based industries. DNB˙s first-hand knowledge means that we can offer exceptional expertise and unique insights into these markets. www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

Brussels - 2.indd 51

DNB - 22.indd 122

51

09/05/2018 16:12:09

05/12/2019 10:54:53

2019 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 123

trend he had identified was how multi-dimensional the choices were now becoming for fish farmers; ‘The biggest trend I have seen is that strategic choices for salmon farmers have become much more complicated than they used to be. We now see a much wider range of new technologies emerging and this integrates and impacts throughout the value chain. We are also seeing a move towards ‘niche’ products and there is also a much stronger emphasis on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues.

‘With such levels of complexities, you could easily become a loser, especially as digital technologies become ever more powerful. So, choices for farmers have never been so multi-dimensional’.

Both Hvistendahl and Sletmo expect the demand for salmon in 2020 to continue to be strong, with the current global focus on environmental issues

potentially of benefit to the industry, and Norway will continue to be the major player in the industry.

‘No one is seriously showing any signs of catching up’, concludes Hvistendahl. ‘The Chinese have been busy buying up some Chilean companies, and there is plenty going on elsewhere, but Norway continues to dominate the industry and that is not in danger of changing’.

Whatever the developments are that 2020 brings to the industry, one thing is absolutely not in doubt – and that is that DNB Bank will be at the financial forefront.

“In general there has been a trend

towards the ‘New Frontiers’ such as Iceland and East Canada” DNB - 22.indd 123

Above: Canadian and Icelandic farms

05/12/2019 10:55:10

124 EXHIBITIONS – AQUA NOR 2019

Flying Fish Record numbers as Trondheim show goes from strength to strength

A Right and opposite: Images from the 2019 show

Evens Intro.indd 124

s we look forward to the programme of events for the industry in 2020, it is fair to say that 2019 was dominated, as usual, by Aqua Nor, which continues to be the ‘flagship’ bi-annual event for the aquaculture industry.

More than 28,000 people from 74 countries attended the four-day exhibition, the world’s leading aquaculture fair, which featured almost 700 exhibitors – another record – and a brand new main hall.

The breakdown of attendance on each day of the biennial event – celebrating its 40th anniversary – was

6,952 on Tuesday; Wednesday: 8,774; Thursday: 8,557; Friday: 3,811.

Project manager Kari Steinsbø said

05/12/2019 10:58:05

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 125

exhibitors reported that many of those coming to their stalls were international visitors.

‘This fits well with our goal of being an international showcase for farming technology and the industry’s most important meeting place,’ she said.

‘The pavilions with international exhibitors have been popular with visitors.

The signals from the visiting exhibitors have also been very positive – they want to come back next time.’

The fair’s new general manager, Kristian Digre, said there had also been a positive response to the seminar programme, which had ‘developed tremendously’.

‘Aqua Nor is a technology fair, so we want to actively contribute to all of technology, research and development being promoted,’ he said.

The social events are also an important feature, and they too would be further developed for the next show.

‘After the fair closes its doors in the afternoon, it is important that everyone has a place to meet,’ he said. ‘The Solsiden area in town is a great arena and we are already looking at opportunities to develop the social gathering place in the area for the future.’

After an extensive construction period, Trondheim Spektrum now boasts new facilities, completed shortly before the start of Aqua Nor, the first major event to be held here.

Steinsbø said: ‘Now we have learned a lot about the implementation here, which we take with us to Nor-Fishing in 2020 and Aqua Nor in 2021.

‘I also have to say thank you to all the exhibitors who have tackled new guidelines on transport and logistics in a fantastic way , and who have understood that small challenges can arise in a brand new building, Thank you for this year’s fair!’

Planning is already underway for

Evens Intro.indd 125

“Aqua Nor is a technology

fair, so we want to actively contribute to all of technology”

Nor-Fishing 2020 and Aqua Nor 2021.

The coming pages detail all of the events planned for 2020, with the main focus in Scotland being Aquaculture UK, which takes place in its regular slot at Aviemore in May.

05/12/2019 10:58:22

126 EVENTS

2020 EVENTS This year’s aquaculture events and conferences

EUROPEAN FISH MARICULTURE CONFERENCE Active Communications International (ACI) present this conference which, over two days, gives an insight into the development of the fish farming industry, market forecasts, public perception, environmental solutions, licencing initiatives and opportunities arising in the business.

January 15-16, 2020 | London, United Kingdom

AQUACULTURE AMERICA 2020 Aquaculture America combines the US Aquaculture Society, Chapter of WAS, National Aquaculture Asociation and the Aquaculture Suppliers Association, as well as many other aquaculture groups. Holding the meeting in Hawaii allows Aquaculture America to reach across the Pacific to share with aquaculture throughout the Asian Pacific region. Billed as a ‘meeting in Paradise’.

February 9-12, 2020 | Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

AQUAFARM AquaFarm is the premier conference and trade show for operators of the whole aquaculture supply chain. The exclusive B2B event is dedicated to aquaculture, algaculture and the fishing industry in the Mediterranean Basin. It is a fast growing international trade show developed in partnership with the most relevant institutions and offers an opportunity for business, professional updating and networking.

February 19-20, 2020 | Pordenone, Italy

Events.indd 126

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 127

NORTH ATLANTIC SEAFOOD FORUM The 15th edition of the world’s largest seafood conference will this year be held in Bergen. It brings together more than 900 executives from across thirty five different countries, to share their insights about the seafood industry.

March 3-5, 2020 | Bergen, Norway

CE

SEAFOOD EXPO NORTH AMERICA Seafood Expo North America and Seafood Processing North America is North America’s largest seafood exhibition. Thousands of buyers from around the world attend the annual three day event. They meet to speak with suppliers from around the globe to source the seafood, new products, equipment and services that their businesses need.

15-17 March, 2020 | Boston, USA

INTERNATIONAL VETERINARY VACCINOLOGY NETWORK CONFERENCE 2020 This is an opportunity for the global veterinary vaccinology community to meet and to establish international collaborations to help combat the global spread of diseases in mid/low income countries.

16-18 March 2020 | Hanoi, Vietnam

GILL HEALTH INITIATIVE 2020 The Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) and the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund are presenting this conference focussing on fish health management, genetics, immunology and vaccines, epidemiology and nutrition.

1-2 April 2020 | Stirling, United Kingdom

Events.indd 127

05/12/2019 10:59:51

128 EVENTS

GLOBAL SEAFOOD EXPO It is the ‘last Hurrah!’ for the Global Seafood Expo in Brussels this year, before it moves to its new home in Barcelona from 2021 onwards. The world’s largest seafood trade even serves attending buyers, suppliers and processing industry professionals from over 150 countries, and always boasts a large Scottish pavilion.

21-23 April, 2020 | Brussels, Belgium

AQUACULTURE UK 2020 Aviemore will once again be the venue for this bi-annual trade fair and conference. It is undoubtedly the most important aquaculture exhibition held in the British Isles. The show has a tremendous following and with increased investment for 2020 it promises to reach even further across the broader aquaculture markets in both the UK and Europe.

19-21 May 2020 | Aviemore, United Kingdom

pharmaq.com

WE MAKE AQUACULTURE PROGRESS Annonse-90x124.indd 1 Events.indd 128

15.10.2019 15:33 05/12/2019 12:12:04

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 129

WORLD AQUACULTURE 2020 The event will be held in Singapore this year with involvement from countries throughout the Asian-Pacific region and around the world.

Aquaculture is growing rapidly in the region and therefore 2020 is the perfect time for the world aquaculture community to turn it’s focus here.

8-12 June 2020 | Singapore, Singapore

AQUAVISION AquaVision is a world class aquaculture conference that attracts a diverse range of stakeholders to Stavanger every two years and will do so again this year. The conference is organised by Skretting and it’s parent company Nutrecco and has established itself as an important meeting place for some 400 participants from over 40 countries.

15-17 June 2020 | Stavanger, Norway

OUR OCEAN 2020 The 7th Our Ocean conference will draw partners globally to identify solutions to sustainably manage marine resources, increase the ocean’s resilience to climate change and safeguard it’s health for generations to come.

17-18 August 2020 | Ngerulmud, Republic of Palau

AQUACULTURE NORTH AMERICA 2020 This World Aquaculture Society event will feature hundreds of world class speakers and delegates from around the globe on the science, technology, business and social aspects of aquaculture.

30 August – 2 September 2020 | Newfoundland, Canada

Events.indd 129

05/12/2019 11:00:45

130 EVENTS

13TH INTERNATIONAL SEA LICE CONFERENCE Organised by the Aquaculture Research Station, this bi-annual conference brings together the most prominent world sea lice researchers. The purpose of the event is to unite and promote collaboration.

8-10 September 2020 | Torshavn, Faroe Islands

AQUACULTURE EUROPE 2020 This conference will cover the full scope and diversity of European aquaculture. The thematic plenary and technical parallel sessions will comprise submitted oral and poster presentations. AE 2020 will feature an international trade exhibition, industry forums, student sessions and activities, satellite workshops and updates on EU research.

29 September – 2 October 2020 | Cork, Republic of Ireland

ASSG ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2020 The Association of Scottish Shellfish Grower’s annual conference features speakers from around the world and includes a competition to find Scotland’s best shellfish.

8-9 October 2020 | Oban, United Kingdom

AQUA SUR 2020 Organised by Grupo Editorial Editec, Aqua Sur brings together over 1,000 companies and major industry players to Chile to learn about the newest advances and innovations in aquaculture.

21-24 October 2020 | Puerto Monnt, Chile

Events.indd 130

05/12/2019 11:01:48

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OURFISH SPONSORS 1602020 FARMER YEAR BOOK 131

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22.03.2017 - April Issue

22.03.2017 - April Issue

04/12/2018 14:51:33

IN VACCINES FOR AQUACULTURE US3

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132 PHOTO GALLERY

PICTURE - Captions.indd 132

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 133

Image: Badcall Bay site manager Robert Shaw Photo: Angus Blackburn

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134 FROM THE ARCHIVE

From the archive A selection of images and articles from the past

From the Archive.indd 134

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2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 135

From the Archive.indd 135

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136 COMPANY DIRECTORY

ACE AQUATEC

We help you innovate.

Predator control and processing equipment www.aceaquatec.com

AKVA GROUP Technology for sustainable biology www.akvagroup.com

Ace Aquatec partner with world-leading scientific experts to apply technology breakthroughs from their fields to the aquaculture and marine industries.

We help innovators who want the best experience possible for their fish, their employees, and their own customers.

AQUACARE Design and supply of complete, modular, prefabricated fish farms www.aquacare.com

2019 FISH FA

International specialist in finance and investment www.dnb.no

Commercial analytical service www.stir.ac.uk

est, INTER FRESH CONCEPTS gest.

So are we.

Our award-winning deterrents keep fish safe from predators. We designed our acoustic and electric systems to provide France long term Oxygénation effectiveness and high welfare standards.

The best solution for responsible farming.

DNB INSTITUTE OF AQUACULTURE

Predators are clever

OUR SPONSORS 160 and determined.

OUR SOLUTIONS

US3

RT1

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SPONS

Electric Fish Controlled Environment • Electrified decoy fish that quickly Aquaculture trains predators to avoid farms • Ideal for sites where use of acoustic devices is restricted

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• Randomised sounds to avoid habituation

• Can combine with US3 or RT1 Innovative packaging company, specialising in Fresh Seafood• One RT1 protects a large area Design • Supply • Build • Support www.icepackxl.nl | www.interfreshconcepts.com

KAMES FISH FARMING Trout farming and marine equipment www.kames.co.uk

MOWI Salmon farmer, fish feed supplier www.mowi.com

MSD ANIMAL HEALTH

Nutriad’s aqua team designed a unique range of Engineered Technology that accelerates the adoption of responsible practices functional feed additives to enhancemarine digestive and www.aceaquatec.com Prefabricated metabolic processes. Species-specific solutions Modular such as AQUAGEST® as well as a complete range of .com

natural emulsifiers like LIPOGEST and AQUALYSO. They offer more options on ingredient choice, improving protein efficiency and creating a more sustainable aquafeed with less environmental

• Fish Cage Nets – Nylon & HDPE good for you, and great for your fish and shrimp.

• Predator Solutions MØRENOT Interested?

Find your local contact at nutriad.com Leading supplier within the marine industries • Net Service Plant www.morenot.com • Treatment Tarpaulins • Lice Skirts impact. We would like to share our in-depth

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22.03.2017 - April Issue

Listings.indd 136

05/12/2019 12:06:19

improving protein efficiency and creating a more improving protein efficiency a more sustainable aquafeed with and less creating environmental

functional feed additives to enhance digestive and metabolic processes. Species-specific solutions

• Fish Cage Nets • –Fish Cage&Nets Nylon HDPE 2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 137 – Nylon & HDPE improving protein more goodefficiency for you,and andcreating great your fish andSolutions shrimp.

•foraPredator NETKEM ASwithFind sustainable aquafeed lessyour environmental • Predator Solutions Interested? local contact at nutriad.com Excellent protection against fouling on pen nets • Net Service Plant impact. We would like to share our in-depth Interested?

Find your local contact at nutriad.com • Fish Cage Nets www.netkem.no • Net knowledge and hands-on experience with you.

It’s Service Plant – Nylon & HDPE Treatment Tarpaulins good for you, and great for your fish and• shrimp.

PHARMAQ•LTD • Treatment Tarpaulins Predator Solutions Fish health management tools • Lice Skirts Interested? Find your local contact at nutriad.com www.pharmaq.no • Net Service PlantSkirts • Lice • Supplier of LIFT-UP Treatment•Tarpaulins SCOTTISH •AQUACULTURE INNOVATION Supplier ofCENTRE LIFT-UP Driving, sharing and nurturing innovation • Wrasse Hides GLOBAL LEADER • Lice Skirts• Wrasse Hides www.scottishaquaculture.com GLOBAL LEADER VISIT US AT AQUACULTURE UK IN VACCINES • Supplier of LIFT-UP INLEADER VACCINES VISIT USSTAND AT AQUACULTURE UK NO. 59 SCOTTISH AQUACULTURE •SALMON WrasseCOMPANY Hides GLOBALFOR sustainable with less environmental impact.

Weasaquafeed would likerange to of share our in-depth such as AQUAGEST® as well a complete

impact.

Weand would like experience to share our knowledge hands-on within-depth you. It’s natural emulsifiers like LIPOGEST and AQUALYSO. knowledge and hands-on experience with you. It’s They offer more options onand ingredient choice, good for you, great for your fish and shrimp.

22.03.2017 - April Issue

22.03.2017 - April Issue

NET SERVICES (SCOTLAND) LTD

22.03.2017 - April Issue

STAND NO. 59 FOR AQUACULTURE IN VACCINES VISIT US AT AQUACULTURE UK Producing premium Scottish salmon www.scottishsalmon.com

FOR AQUACULTURE XELECT

STAND NO. 59

Genetic solutions for aquaculture www.xelect.co.uk Sponsors Page.indd 160 Sponsors Page.indd 160 Sponsors Page.indd 160

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PHARMAQ Ltd. Tel: +44 1425 656081 PHARMAQ Ltd. MAQ Ltd. E-mail: PHQ.uk.orders@zoetis.com Tel: +44 1425 656081 4 1425 656081 E-mail: PHQ.uk.orders@zoetis.com : PHQ.uk.orders@zoetis.com

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IS YOUR COMPANY LISTED? Call Janice on 0131 551 7925 to get your company listed for a whole year. Prices available on request.

Listings.indd 137

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NET SERVIC

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138 2020 YEAR PLANNER

JANUARY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY

2020 Planner.indd 138

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

FEBRUARY

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

MARCH

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

APRIL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

MAY

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

JUNE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

JULY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

2020 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 139

JUNE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

JULY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

2020 Planner.indd 139

AUGUST

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

SEPTEMBER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

OCTOBER

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

NOVEMBER

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

DECEMBER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY

05/12/2019 11:30:11

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