News
Immigration scheme ‘threat to seafood sector’
TWO of Scotland’s largest seafood organisations, representing both the farmed and caught sectors, united today to call for urgent discussions over the government’s new points based immigration policy. Under post-Brexit plans, low skilled workers would not get visas to work in Britain unless they are employed in ‘specific shortage occupations’. These currently include nursing, civil engineering, psychology…
Read MoreKyle of Lochalsh site of Mowi farm death
A MAN died after falling into the water at a Mowi Scotland site in the Kyle of Lochalsh region, police have confirmed. The workplace incident, reported by Mowi last night, occurred yesterday afternoon, according to Police Scotland. ‘Around 3.50pm on Tuesday, police received a report of a man in the water in the Kyle of…
Read MoreFish factories shut with loss of nearly 70 jobs
A FISH processor in north east Scotland has gone bust, resulting in the loss of nearly 70 jobs, the Press and Journal reported today. Prime Seafoods, which also sells fresh fish, including salmon, online, shut down its two factories in Peterhead and Fraserburgh yesterday, telling its 68 employees that insurmountable financial difficulties were to blame.…
Read MoreNesvik returns to wellboat business
FORMER Norwegian seafood minister Harald T. Nesvik has landed a key job in the aquaculture industry less than a month after resigning from his cabinet role. He is returning to Sølvtrans, the world’s largest wellboat builder and the company he worked for before turning to politics. However, he cannot take up his post as communications manager at the…
Read MoreMajority of salmon farms environmentally ‘excellent’
SOME 87 per cent of Scotland’s salmon farms have been rated environmentally ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ by regulators, new statistics show. Farmers achieved their best ever environmental performance in 2018, according to figures collected for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA’s) Compliance Assessment Scheme (CAS). The scheme is used by SEPA to monitor performance across a…
Read MoreMowi Scotland reports fatality at sea site
A FATALITY has occurred at one of Mowi Scotland’s seawater sites, the company reported last night. ‘A workplace incident resulting in a fatality has occurred at one of our sea sites on 18 February,’ said Mowi Scotland communications director Ian Roberts in a statement. ‘We are all devastated with this news, and our deepest thoughts…
Read MoreRegister now for ‘Feeding Africa’ conference
REGISTRATION is now open for the World Aquaculture Society’s African conference, to be held in Alexandria, Egypt, later this year. Aquaculture Africa 2020, or AFRAQ2020, has the theme ‘Sustainable Aquaculture – Feeding Africa’ and provides an opportunity for aquaculture researchers, practitioners, decision makers and other stakeholders to meet, network and discuss all aspects of aquaculture…
Read MoreIceland farmer loses 90,000 salmon in storms
THE Icelandic salmon farmer Arnarlax has lost at least 470 tonnes of fish because a run of severe storms have prevented harvesting from being carried out, it is being reported. The figure, confirmed by the national food safety agency MAST is a much higher than the original estimate of 100 tonnes and represents up to 90,000…
Read MoreNorwegian exports to China show dramatic drop
NORWEGIAN salmon exports to China have slumped by up to 90 per cent among some companies since Covid-19, or the coronavirus, struck the country more than three weeks ago, the state broadcaster NRK is reporting. And it is not just the Chinese mainland which is being affected. Air freight flights to Asia generally are at an all-time low. However, fresh…
Read MoreRapid response to get the right genes
ST ANDREWS based genetics specialist Xelect has launched what it calls a rapid response range of services for the aquaculture sector. Xelect Express will provide services including genotyping, pedigree assignment, gene expression, ploidy and sex determination. The company has been managing breeding programmes for fish farmers since 2012, but the new service offers quick, cost…
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