The July 2024 issue of Fish Farmer is out now

The July issue of Fish Farmer magazine is out now online and you can read or download it here.

As this month’s issue went to press, we were able to say for sure that the UK would have a new Fisheries Minister. Mark Spencer, the previous incumbent, failed to retain his Sherwood Forest seat at the General Election, and the government he was a part of has made way for another.

What that might mean for aquaculture in the UK is less clear, and the sector is probably pretty low on the “to do” list for the incoming Prime Minister. We do know that Labour, in its manifesto, promised to champion “Brand Scotland” internationally and that it specifically mentioned Scottish salmon as part of that brand.

Labour has also pledged to reduce the barriers to trade with the European Union, which have been a major irritant for UK finfish and shellfish farmers. This won’t be a quick process, however. Change is coming, but what it means for this sector has yet to be seen.

Meanwhile, in this issue we look at how gene editing – rebranded as “precision breeding” – might be used in aquaculture. This is one issue where Labour and the Conservatives seem to be broadly on the same page, although the Scottish Government is still opposed to this technology entering the commercial space.

Sandy Neil reports on efforts to reinstate the hyperbaric chamber at Dunstaffnage, a key medical resource for diving emergencies.

Vince McDonagh reports on progress across different salmon farming nations towards offshore farming, a move which promises to solve some problems but comes with challenges of its own.

This issue also includes a profile of Vertical Oceans, the company that is looking to change the way shrimp is farmed with a solution that, they say, could work anywhere.

We report on bipartisan moves in the USA to encourage more aquaculture and close the country’s seafood import gap; and on the Irish Government’s plans for sustainable growth in the sector.

Finally, we preview the European Aquaculture Society/World Aquaculture Society conference coming up in Copenhagen next month, and Dr Martin Jaffa considers how consolidation has affected the fish farming industry.