Read about feed in January\’s Fish Farmer

THIS month’s Fish Farmer marks the New Year – and new decade – with a special focus on the aqua feed sector, as it adapts to meet the demands of an ever changing industry. We hear from Ben Hadfield, the boss of Mowi Scotland, and now Ireland, too, on the progress being made at the…

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MSD counts advantages of Vaki acquisition

PHARMACEUTICAL company MSD today announced the completion of its acquisition of Vaki, a specialist in fish monitoring equipment, from Pentair. MSD, part of US based Merk, said the move will help it broaden its aquaculture portfolio, with Vaki’s precision farming and fish welfare solutions complementing its vaccine and pharmaceutical products. Vaki will be a leading…

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Top trainees make Lantra awards shortlist

THREE aquaculture trainees have made the shortlist for Lantra Scotland’s annual awards, with the winners to be announced in March. The Awards for Land-based and Aquaculture Skills, or ALBAS, celebrate the achievements of learners in land based, aquaculture and environmental conservation industries. Representing aquaculture this year will be Jimmy Dakin of Scottish Sea Farms, John…

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Capital workshop to devise salmon ‘blueprint’

THE Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation is staging a behind closed doors workshop in Edinburgh next week to develop a ‘blueprint’ for the industry. It is believed to be the first in a series of such meetings planned over the next few months. The aim was: ‘To define a future vision for the sector through reviewing…

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Bakkafrost shares soar after SSC deal

BAKKAFROST share prices have climbed by more than 20 per cent since it bought the Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) three months ago. They were being quoted on the Oslo Stock Exchange seafood index yesterday at NOK 693 (£60 plus) per share, with predictions they could touch NOK 700 shortly. The share price was under NOK 500 less…

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Salmon prices at record levels

FRESH salmon prices in both Norway and Scotland have been disappearing off the seafood radar screen due to unprecedented high levels since New Year. Spot prices touched more than NOK 78 per kilo in Oslo, while in Scotland they hit between £8 and £8.50 a kilo (NOK 92 to NOK 98). And while they are expected to…

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‘End of an era’ as SSPO shuts Shetland office

THE SCOTTISH Salmon Producers’ Organisation (SSPO) is set to close its office in Lerwick, leading to the loss of two full-time equivalent jobs, the Shetland News reported today. The organisation says it is moving all of its operations to its headquarters in Edinburgh, with the Shetland office due to shut at the end of January.…

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Salmon waste to power jet airliners

WASTE from salmon farms in Norway may soon be used to power jet airliners – including those carrying seafood to Asia. Millions of kroner is being invested in the large Biokraft biofuel plant near the town of Skogn in Central Norway to produce ‘green’ gasoline for planes. The project is being carried out in collaboration…

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Salmon farming finds favour in Holyrood

A POLL of Scottish MSPs has found that attitudes towards the Scottish salmon farming sector have improved in the past year. Some 73 per cent of the Rural Economy and Connectivity (REC) committee – which carried out an investigation into salmon farming in 2018 – now view the salmon farming sector favourably. And the number…

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Iceland ‘should embrace open sea farming’

ICELAND has the potential to almost triple its salmon production target if it develops open sea fish farming, a leading authority on aquaculture has suggested. The current government approved target is 50,000 tonnes a year, mostly carried out at traditional coastal or fjord based farms, although production is still well short of that figure. However, aquaculture consultant…

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