Labour election hopeful impressed during visit to Cooke Aquaculture

Frank McNally, a leading Scottish Labour politician and general election hopeful, has met with Cooke Aquaculture Scotland to hear about the positive and social impact the company, and aquaculture in general, is having on the region.

(Pictured) Cooke Scotland managing director Colin Blair, left, and North Lanarkshire councillor and Coatbridge and Bellshill Labour Party prospective parliamentary candidate Frank McNally at Cooke’s Bellshill head office. 

During a visit to its corporate head office, the General Election candidate for Coatbridge and Bellshill, and North Lanarkshire councillor for Mossend and Holytown, praised Cooke’s commitment to prioritising animal welfare and continuing to grow sustainable premium salmon while sustaining thousands of jobs.

He heard that Cooke’s UK operations play a vital role in ensuring Scottish aquaculture continues to support 3,600 supply chain businesses, in an industry worth more than £760 million to the Scottish economy.

And he was clearly impressed, saying: “The salmon farming sector provides 2,500 direct and 10,000 indirect jobs across Scotland, including in Coatbridge and Bellshill.

“As the UK’s largest food export, Scottish salmon makes a significant contribution to our economy. It was great to hear from Cooke Aquaculture about the work they are doing to ensure the continued success of Scottish salmon, the steps being taken to build greater sustainability within the sector, while ensuring animal welfare remains a top priority.”

Cooke Scotland managing director Colin Blair replied: “We were delighted to welcome Frank McNally to our head office in Bellshill where we sell and export tens of thousands of tonnes of fresh Scottish salmon to customers in more than 16 countries around the world.

“As a leading provider of premium Scottish salmon, we employ over 380 staff in highly skilled, highly paid jobs across locations throughout the Scottish mainland, England, and the northern isles of Orkney and Shetland. We will continue working with the government to grow a low carbon, highly nutritious food which positively impacts supply chain businesses up and down the country.”

Cooke Aquaculture is one of the region’s largest salmon farming companies with operations in Scotland, Orkney and Shetland.