Scottish Sea Farms’ accounts show cost of biological challenges

The 2022 audited accounts for salmon producer Scottish Sea Farms, published this week, show a “year of two halves” which saw profit margins slashed thanks to fish health problems in the autumn and winter. Scottish Sea Farms (SSF), also known as Norskott Havbruk, is jointly owned by Norwegian salmon giants SalMar and Lerøy. Group turnover…

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Norwegian salmon prices in late Christmas lift

Fresh salmon prices in Norway have surged to their highest level for almost six months, in the run up to Christmas. Figures from Statistics Norway, which monitors prices on a weekly basis, show they reached NOK 87.82 per kilo (£6.73), in week 50, a peak not seen since July. They had been hovering around the…

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Proximar’s salmon reach first post-smolt grow-out stage

Proximar Seafood AS has just announced that the first batch of Atlantic salmon has been successfully transferred from the nursery department to the post smolt grow-out facility (PSG). The fish will be harvested at the company’s Oyama facility near Mount Fuji during the third quarter of 2024. Chief Operating Officer (COO) Dharma Rajeswaran said: “It…

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Cooke’s Scotland arm deploys a third hybrid barge

Cooke Aquaculture Scotland has deployed its first hybrid feed barge in Shetland, in a move which the company says will further reduce its carbon footprint.  The new hybrid diesel-electric system, built by Fjord Maritime UK, for the Copister salmon farm site in Yell, Shetland, is the third to be implemented by Cooke Scotland in its…

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Time limits on aquaculture permits ‘will create uncertainty’

The industry group Seafood Norway has said there is no need for time limits to be imposed on aquaculture permits. Creating an expiry date for permits, it suggests, would create unnecessary uncertainty. The move has already been suggested, among others, by the county authority in Finnmark where a lot of fish farming is carried out.…

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Canadian capital pulls anti salmon farming advertisements

Anti-salmon farming billboards around Ottawa have been removed following a complaint from the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, which says the posters contained false claims. The statements included claims from the eco-activist group Wild First stating that: “Open-net pen salmon farms are banned in Washington, Oregon, California, and Alaska.” The advertisements called on the Canadian capital…

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Genetics tailored for Scottish waters

Expertise in genetics is helping to create salmon stock with higher levels of resilience By Andrew Preston Lead, Trait Development and Land Based, Benchmark Genetics Benchmark Genetics is at the forefront of advancing sustainable salmon production through genetic improvement. While selective breeding programs have already yielded significant benefits in growth performance, robustness, and disease resistance,…

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OTAQ reports revenues ‘better than expected’

Marine technology business OTAQ plc expects to report better than expected revenues of around £4.4m for 2023, up from £4m in the previous year. In a trading update ahead of final results for the year to 31 December 2023, OTAQ said performance in the second half of the year has been stronger than the directors…

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£100 million bonus for fish farming communities

Coastal communities which host fish farming sites are set to receive  an increased payout of NOK 1.4bn (£103m) from the Norwegian Aquaculture Fund, the Oslo government has announced. The money will be used to develop various welfare and social projects in areas which are often isolated from the main urban centres. The government says it…

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Norway’s salmon giants facing welfare crackdown

Norway’s “big six” fish farming companies are set to come under close scrutiny from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority next year. Particular attention will be paid as to how well they handle fish welfare and health issues. It is hoped the move will lead to more effective welfare measures. The companies have not been named,…

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