2021 FISH FARMER YEAR BOOK 107 outside the company. The decision was expedited due to an incident of high mortality at three of the Skye farms between late July and early-September 2020, mainly caused by abnormal levels of jellyfish. Unfortunately, 627 000 fish (approximately 1,500 tonnes) were lost. Operations at the impacted sites had been discontinued immediately, while operations at the two remaining farms would end after harvest in the next few months. Grieg Seafood had 25 employees on Skye, and the company said the decision was expected to result in the loss of eight of those jobs. Some of the employees would be able to continue working for Grieg Seafood should they want to relocate to Shetland. Grieg CEO Andreas Kvame said: “As we have had to move supportive equipment and resources for our Skye farms back and forth from the Shetland isles, we have regrettably not been able to maintain the fish welfare and production standards that we have in the rest of the company. Therefore, we have decided to end our operations in Skye and will look for alternatives for the farms and the remaining employees outside the company.” He added: “I regret to say that the decision per now is expected to cause the loss of eight jobs in Skye, and we are in dialogue with our staff about that. Grieg Seafood is grateful to our Skye employees for the tremendous job they have done, especially over the last months with uncertainty due to our strategic evaluation and a challenging biology in the sea. I want to thank them for their dedication to our livestock and to Grieg Seafood.” The month ended with the news that Tavish Scott, the former Scottish Government minister and Shetland MSP, had been appointed as the new Chief Executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO). The trade body, which represents Scotland’s salmon producers, moved
2020 News review - EDIT.indd 107
Top: Andreas Kvame. Above: Tavish Scott
SCOTTISH SALMON IS THE UK’S BIGGEST FOOD EXPORT. ITS VALUE TO THE ECONOMY IS IMMENSE
quickly to fill the vacancy left by the departing Julie Hesketh-Laird, who left at the end of September. Mr Scott comes from Scottish Rugby, where he had been Head of External Affairs. The former Liberal Democrat MSP knows the farmed salmon sector extremely well, having represented Shetland for 20 years, since the Scottish Parliament’s inception in 1999 to his departure from the legislature in 2019. Shetland remains one of the sector’s strongest and most vibrant farming locations and Mr Scott was a vocal champion for salmon farming during his time as an MSP. He brings a formidable knowledge of politics and the political process with him to his new job (having served in the Scottish Cabinet and been leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats). Mr Scott said he was delighted to be taking on such an important role at a key time for the sector. He said: “Scottish salmon is the UK’s biggest food export. Its value to the economy is immense and it has the ability to help lead Scotland out of the Covid crisis, building on its sustainable foundations and driving a green recovery.” Atholl Duncan, Chair of the SSPO, said: “We are delighted to have secured someone as knowledgeable and experienced as Tavish to help lead our sector. “His passion for salmon farming and his deep roots in our salmon communities are well known. “There is a great opportunity right now for the Scottish salmon sector to thrive and to create more jobs and prosperity in our rural and island communities. “Tavish has the skills to help us all to realise this potential for the greater good of Scotland.”
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