Archive for February 2021

Sea lice averages for the Scottish farmed salmon sector declined slightly in 2020, figures published by the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation show. The annual average fell to 0.52 adult female lice per salmon, down from 0.54 in 2019. Last year’s count was the second lowest recorded, after 2018’s average of 0.46. The SSPO said the…

The Faroese salmon farming company Bakkafrost has commissioned a fully electric workboat as part of its mission to reduce the group’s carbon footprint. The groundbreaking contract with the MEST shipyard, which is also based on the Faroe Islands, was signed at Bakkafrost’s headquarters at Glyvrar. The winning concept is a catamaran workboat solely based on…

Norwegian salmon giant SalMar is teaming up with recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) specialist Krüger Kaldnes to build what will be the world’s biggest smolt hatchery. The Tjuin land-based hatchery in Malm, Norway, will have a total area of 17,000 square metres and is due to start construction in May of this year. Construction business Consto…

Tavish Scott, Chief Executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation, is to take up the role of Co-Chair at the Aquaculture Industry Leadership Group (AILG). The move follows the decision by Jim Gallagher, Managing Director with Scottish Sea Farms, to step down. Gallagher will continue as a member of the group. The AILG was established…

The Scottish government has announced a new funding package to help beleaguered producers in the seafood sector. The £7.75m funding package is targeted at shellfish catchers and producers, ports and harbours and the Fisherman’s Mission, which provides welfare for people in the industry. The package has been introduced in response to the twin challenges of…

The value of Norwegian seafood exports dropped by 16% last month, with salmon taking the biggest hit. Figures from the Norwegian Seafood Council show that the country’s fish farmers and fishing vessel owners earned NOK 8.1bn (£689m) during January. Salmon exports totalled 95,600 tonnes, a volume increase of 11 %, but the revenue was down…

Russian Aquaculture, the country’s largest salmon farming business, experienced lower harvests and earnings in 2020, the company’s – as yet unaudited – operating results for last year show. But it says the main reason for the 8% decrease was not the coronavirus pandemic, but the shift in some fish slaughtering activity to this year due…

UK shellfish producers are reeling, following reports that EU rules restricting the import of live mussels, oysters and other shellfish are set to continue indefinitely. European regulations forbid the import of live bivalve molluscs “not fit for consumption” from “third countries” – that is, countries outside the EU single market – unless they are either…

International aquafeed group Alltech Coppens has appointed Ronald Faber as its CEO and global aquaculture lead. Faber will be based at the Alltech Coppens Aqua Centre, in the Netherlands. He has had a long career in the veterinary and aquafeed business, and joined Coppens International in 1998. He worked for the company in Europe and…

Australian salmon farmer Huon Aquaculture has warned of a likely fall in earnings for 2021, despite increased production in the first half of its financial year. In a stock market statement, Huon said its sales volumes for H1 2021 were around 19,290 tonnes, consistent with its stated target of 36,000 tonnes or more for the…