Scottish salmon production drops by 33,682 tonnes

SCOTTISH salmon production fell by 33,682 tonnes, or 17.8 per cent, last year to 156,025 tonnes, with the reduction attributed to fewer fish in the water. But the projected estimate for 2019 suggests an increase to 190,499 tonnes, according to the annual Scottish fish farm production survey, published today. Commenting on the figures, Julie Hesketh-Laird,…

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Norwegians probe rise in salmon escapes

SEAFOOD Norway has called on its members to carry out a thorough investigation into why so many salmon have escaped from fish farms this year. The latest figure of more than 280,000 escapes in 30 separate incidents is one of the highest for many years, and seafood minister Harald T Nesvik has bluntly told the…

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EU law on gene editing \’barrier to innovation\’

THE European Union Commission must support innovation in biotech and gene editing if it is to achieve its ambitions for creating clean technology and high value jobs, a British MEP warned this week. Anthea McIntyre, UK Conservative spokeswoman on agriculture and the environment, said population increase, climate change and pressures from alternative land use all…

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EU law on gene editing \’barrier to innovation\’

THE European Union Commission must support innovation in biotech and gene editing if it is to achieve its ambitions for creating clean technology and high value jobs, a British MEP warned this week. Anthea McIntyre, UK Conservative spokeswoman on agriculture and the environment, said population increase, climate change and pressures from alternative land use all…

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NRS sells southern sites to local farmers

ONE of Norway’s biggest salmon producers, Norway Royal Salmon, has sold its southern farming operations to a group of local farmers. Norway Royal Salmon (NRS) agreed a deal with Tombre Fiskeanlegg, Lingalaks and Eidesvik Laks to sell its subsidiary Sør Farming for NOK 1.2 billion (about £110 million). Sør Farming has six salmon licences amounting…

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Bakkafrost plans bid for all SSC shares

BAKKAFROST plans to bid for the entire shareholding of the Scottish Salmon Company, its chief executive said today. Yesterday, the Faroe Islands’ largest salmon farmer announced it had acquired a 68.6 per cent stake in SSC from Northern Link in a deal worth £517 million. But CEO Regin Jacobsen said in a presentation at the…

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BioMar boosts ‘natural’ diet with insect meal

A FRENCH trout producer has teamed up with feed giant BioMar to bring fish fed with insects to the market. Rainbow trout farmer Aquadis Naturellement said the feed, called Salvea, has resulted in a fish in/fish out (FIFO) ratio as low as 0.3, making it very sustainable. BioMar announced this week that the first feed…

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Bakkafrost buys Scottish Salmon Company

THE Faroese salmon farmer Bakkafrost has bought a majority share in the Scottish Salmon Company (SSC), it was announced this afternoon. 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,…

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Blow to Scotland as cod loses blue label

NORTH Sea cod is to lose its ‘blue tick’ sustainability certification in a move that will be seen as a blow to the Scottish fleet in particular. The Marine Stewardship Council says there are serious concerns about stocks, which are below safe biological levels, and this is why it has suspended the blue label certificate…

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Icelandic salmon makes its China debut

ICELAND has sent its first consignment of tariff free farmed salmon to China in what it hopes will become the main export market for its growing aquaculture sector. The air shipment also adds Iceland to the list of salmon farming countries competing to sell into China and its Asian neighbours, a region that is willing…

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