News
Algae early warning system ‘boost for farmers’
AN early warning system to detect harmful plankton and algae is being developed in Scotland to help tackle one of the biggest challenges to fish health. A consortium – including technology company Otaq, the University of Aberdeen, SAIC (Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre), and Scottish Internet of Things centre CENSIS – is creating a low-cost sensor…
Read MoreRegional recognition for Scottish Salmon Co
THE Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) has been recognised in four categories in the Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards, to be held in November. The company was shortlisted for its achievements in Business Growth, Sustainability, Export and Marketing. The awards, now in their 15th year, celebrate businesses that help put the Highlands and Islands…
Read MoreSalmon farmer leads local beach cleans
RESIDENTS and local groups are being urged to join Scottish Sea Farms for a series of organised beach cleans, part of the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) Great British Beach Clean which takes place from September 20-23. The salmon farmer first took part in the annual event last year, when its Orkney team organised two local…
Read MoreHarbour seals like west coast best
THE strength of seal populations in Scotland varies dramatically, depending on which part of the coastline they inhabit. While stocks of harbour seals are thriving on the west coast and in the Western Isles, they have declined on the east coast, according to research commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). A four-year survey, carried out…
Read MoreBirds blamed for salmon decline on River Tweed
STOCKS of wild salmon in the River Tweed have fallen to an all-time low because of record numbers of predatory birds, according to new research. Salmon catches dropped from a high of 23,000 in 2010 to an all-time low of 5,510 last year, prompting a study of the likely causes. The Tweed Salmon Tracking Report…
Read MoreAnimal disease risk in no deal Brexit
ANIMAL welfare could be at risk if the availability of veterinary medicines in the UK is compromised in a no deal Brexit, warned NOAH, the body representing the animal health industry. The majority of veterinary medicines used in the UK (including the ingredients and components needed to make them) are either produced in or enter…
Read MoreFrench innovators impress investors
TWO French innovators scooped top honours on the final day of the Aquaculture Innovation Europe conference in London today, after a vote by delegates representing the industry and investors. The microalgae firm Inalve was the winner in a close run contest, with its patented technology aimed at reducing farmers’ dependence on wild fish for feed.…
Read MoreFishermen told to switch to aquaculture
FISHERMEN in Malaysia are being urged by their government to take up fish farming to protect their future and save depleting wild fish stocks at the same time. The call came from the country’s deputy agriculture and agro-based industry minister, Sim Tze Tzin, at the opening of the 2019 World Seafood Congress in Georgetown, capital…
Read MoreTromsø farm future in balance after elections
THE future of open fish farming in and around the Norwegian city of Tromsø continues to hang in the balance after local elections produced a mixed bag of results. There were major gains for both the Socialist left party and the Greens, which are strongly in favour of a total ban on further open farming,…
Read More‘Redesign’ aquaculture for the future says funder
THE aquaculture industry needs a ‘complete redesign’ if it is to meet a global requirement to triple production by 2050 and feed a growing world population. That is the thinking behind Aqua-Spark, the Netherlands based aquaculture fund that invests in sustainable growth in the sector. Amy Novogratz, speaking on the opening day of the Aquaculture…
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