Scottish salmon message reaches new audiences

FLYING into Kirkwall’s tiny airport you would be hard pressed to imagine anywhere else in the UK where a population of only 26,000, spread across 16 or so inhabited islands, could deliver such an incredible breadth of fine quality food and drink. The islands’ produce ranges from renowned whiskies, gins, cheeses and meats to chocolate…

Read More

Scottish salmon production drops by 33,682 tonnes

SCOTTISH salmon production fell by 33,682 tonnes, or 17.8 per cent, last year to 156,025 tonnes, with the reduction attributed to fewer fish in the water. But the projected estimate for 2019 suggests an increase to 190,499 tonnes, according to the annual Scottish fish farm production survey, published today. Commenting on the figures, Julie Hesketh-Laird,…

Read More

All the news in the latest Fish Farmer

THE size and ambition of the aquaculture industry was very much in evidence at the recent Aqua Nor exhibition in Trondheim – and now you can read about it in the latest issue of Fish Farmer. We bring coverage from the greatest event in the fish farming calendar, with reports on new products and services,…

Read More

Stop press! Fish Farmer’s July issue out now

WITH just over a month to go until Aqua Nor 2019, Fish Farmer’s latest issue brings updates from exhibitors, including some of Scotland’s leading companies. Gael Force, Xelect, Benchmark – and now Otaq too – have got their own stands at the Trondheim Spektrum, as has the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), which will be…

Read More

SSPO seeks new chair in ‘period of change’

THE Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation is recruiting for a new chairman to ‘help drive the SSPO agenda forward and to bring rigour and focus to the board’. The successful candidate will replace Gilpin Bradley, managing director of Wester Ross Fisheries, who stepped into the post two and a half years ago. The organisation, which currently…

Read More

Scottish salmon UK’s top food export again

SCOTTISH farmed salmon has reclaimed its spot as the UK’s largest food export, after sales to overseas buyers totalled £206.5 million in the first quarter of 2019. Volumes for Q1 were up 19.9 per cent, bringing increased sales of £59.9 million. Overall UK exports of food and drink for Q1 were valued at £5.8 billion,…

Read More

SSPO hits back at ‘sensationalist’ Panorama

THE Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation has hit back at the BBC for sensationalising the operations of the salmon farming industry. SSPO chief executive Julie Hesketh-Laird, who was interviewed for a half-hour Panorama show, broadcast last night, said no specific allegations had been made about any SSPO company during her meetings with the BBC team. Panorama…

Read More

Mowi rejects BBC’s medicine claims

SCOTLAND’S biggest salmon farmer, Mowi, has rejected claims being made in a BBC programme that it was subject to unannounced visits by Scotland’s environmental watchdog. The makers of Panorama issued a press release this afternoon saying the programme ‘reveals multiple Scottish salmon farming companies’ are under investigation for possible misreporting of chemical use. However, Mowi,…

Read More

Working on a supply chain gang

PLANS to create an organisation representing Scotland’s aquaculture supply chain were mooted during a workshop in Edinburgh yesterday. The meeting, opened by Rural Economy minister Fergus Ewing and bringing together around 90 people from across the industry, looked at how businesses could accelerate growth. The event, at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, emerged from the…

Read More

Mowi Scotland volumes see 36% drop

SCOTLAND’S biggest salmon farmer, Mowi, reported a significant drop of 21,300 tonnes, or 36 per cent, in production volumes last year, due to incident based mortality. Health issues such as anaemia and gill disease, as well as mortality at the new Inchmore hatchery and fish damaged in a storm, all contributed to the drop in…

Read More