First Kyleakin feed delivered to Mowi farms

THE first batches of feed made at Mowi Scotland’s new plant at Kyleakin on Skye have been delivered to the company’s salmon farms on the west coast and the Hebrides.

Two ships from Norway, Eidholm and Mikal With, have been dispatching the feed – Neptune Summer 200, 600, 1200 and 2500.

Neptune 50 Adapt is currently being made and will be followed by Neptune 4000 in July, reported Mowi in its monthly newsletter, The Scoop.

Kyleakin, now with a full complement of 55 staff, is going through a commissioning phase to build capacity and stability, the company added.

Outgoing site manager Kevin O’Leary told The Scoop how the first few weeks were going: ‘So far, everything is going to plan. We are very much still in the commissioning phase and we are learning every day, but I’m delighted that we have been able to produce and deliver feed to a range of Mowi farms.’

The team at Kyleakin is being supported by colleagues from Norway.

‘We are one feed team,’ said O’Leary. ‘Our colleagues from Norway and Scotland are working extremely well together and I’m sure that this relationship will continue to deliver fantastic results for Mowi feed.’

Farms across the mainland and the Western Isles are receiving feed produced at Kyleakin – including Loch Alsh, Ardintoul, Loch Duich, Maol Ban, Harport, Port Na Cro, Bagh Dail nan Ceann, South West Shuna, Colonsay, Rum, MacLean’s Nose, Invasion Bay and Tabhaigh.

According to The Scoop, Kyleakin already has some happy customers who have sent their feedback to the team.

Port na Cro said: ‘Wanted to say how impressed we were with the feed delivery from the Eidholm yesterday. All in all, a superb experience and I wanted to share this positive feedback. If this is the future of feed deliveries, we are all looking forward to it.’

Meanwhile, Maol Ban farm found the delivery to be ‘a vast improvement; the pellets were very clean, no dust, no bits’.

And Bagh Dail Nan Cean said: ‘Reports back from the guys on site is actually really good. We have had no problems with blocked pipes, bearings sticking or pipe blockages.’

The team at Tabhaigh said the fish have taken to the feed well, and Loch Alsh farm agreed: ‘Fish have taken really well to the feed, may be general increase in appetite but reports that the fish are ‘feeding like crazy’!’