90,000-tonne land-based salmon farm planned for Lewis

render of a fish farm embedded in a mountain, with a boat alongside

A Norwegian salmon company is hoping to build a 90,000-tonne land-based fish farm in a remote part of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides. The story was broken this week by local paper the Stornoway Gazette, which was tipped off following a presentation for investors. The company concerned, Norwegian Mountain Salmon (NMS), already has plans underway…

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Applecross and wellboats leading Bakkafrost Scotland fightback

Increased treatment capacity and investment in the Applecross hatchery are enabling Bakkafrost to address fish health issues in its Scottish operations, the company has reported. “Dual treatment” – tackling sea lice and gill health issues at the same time in wellboats like the Ronja Star, pictured – is helping to improve fish gill health while…

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Grieg Q4 rocked by spiro, jellyfish and winter sores

Grieg Seafood worker on pen

Grieg Seafood is the latest Norwegian salmon farmer to report biological and jellyfish issues during the final quarter of 2023. The company, which was big in Scotland until three years ago, but now concentrates on Norway and Canada, recorded an operational (EBIT) loss of NOK 67 million (around £5m) against an operational profit of NOK…

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What shall I talk about?

Salmon fillets with Nick Joy cartoon logo

There’s hardly been any news about farming, so what on earth can I talk about? With French farmers dumping God knows what on their parliament and Brussels trying to fend them off the EU, there’s hardly anything interesting going on. Yet the media are finding it hard to cover. Occasionally they mention the green agenda…

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Arctic Fish hits 2023 record despite escape crisis

Iceland’s Arctic Fish produced an operational profit or EBIT of €3.2 million (£2.7m) in 2023, the first full year under Mowi ownership. This was in spite of serious escape issues during the summer which led to a backlash in Iceland against open pen salmon farming. The company said the financial biological performance improved somewhat after…

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Nova Scotia premier opposes Cooke expansion plan

A potential dispute is looming between the aquaculture giant Cooke Seafood and the leader of the Nova Scotia regional government in Canada. Nova Scotia prime minister Tim Houston has come out against Cooke’s proposal to expand its salmon farm in Liverpool Bay through its Canadian aquaculture operation, trading as Kelly Cove Salmon Ltd. There has…

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Faroes shines for Bakkafrost as Scotland steadily improves

Bakkafrost’s Scottish business began to turn the corner during the final three months of 2023, the company reported today. After a difficult time with biological challenges between July and September Bakkafrost said “The fourth quarter gave opportunities with good biological development to grow the fish, resulting therefore in reduced harvest volumes, concentrating on growing into the…

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RSPCA standards extended to cover cleaner fish

A new version of the RSPCA Assured standards for farmed Atlantic salmon welfare comes into effect from 19 May this year, with more than 300 new standards and amendments. The standards will apply to the vast majority of salmon production in Scotland. The new standards include a new set of rules covering non-medicinal treatments for…

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Nordlaks set to resume shelved investment projects

Nordlaks, Norway’s largest privately owned salmon farmer, is resuming a major investment programme it cancelled following the announcement of the salmon tax 18 months ago. Plans for a new slaughterhouse, filleting department and offices at Børøya in Stokmarknes were among several aquaculture projects put on hold in the autumn of 2022 by the industry. Tomas…

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Nova Sea buys into Torghatten Aqua

The large Norwegian salmon business Nova Sea has entered into a long term collaboration with another salmon company, Torghatten Aqua, with the aim of strengthening both companies. They say that the plan will contribute to continued sustainable growth and development in the Helgeland region. Torghatten Aqua AS, formerly known as Torgnes AS, is an investment…

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