Otter Ferry sold to Canada’s Amar Seafood

Otter Ferry Seafish, one of the most innovative – and oldest – aquaculture businesses in Scotland, has been sold to Canada-based Amar Seafood.

Operating since 1968 on the shores of Loch Fyne, Otter Ferry developed trout farming and land based salmon farming operations, as well as salmon broodstock and smolt production, before moving into other marine species.

As the only commercial marine hatchery in Scotland it has played a leading role in establishing production of halibut broodstock and juveniles, wrasse and lumpfish. Up until 2023, the company also grew halibut for commercial harvest at its other farm site on the island of Gigha.

Otter Ferry has more recently taken on a new role as the Marine Aquaculture Innovation Centre (MAIC), an initiative supported by the UK Agri-Tech Centre, an innovation body supported by the UK Government. This venture will continue under the new ownership, it has been confirmed.

Amar Seafood operates land-based, closed contained Ocean Wise-certified halibut and wolffish aquaculture operations located in Victoria, Prince Edward Island and Grand Rivière, Canada. Its broodstock, egg fertilisation, hatchery, nursery and grow-out operations make it North America’s only fully integrated halibut and wolffish company. The company also has operations in Norway.

Halibut

Alastair Barge, Managing Director of Otter Ferry, said: “We are very pleased and excited to entrust the stewardship of this historic company to Amar Seafood . We know them well and have developed a strong supplier customer relationship that fits well with our ethos of innovation and sustainability .

“We can clearly see the benefits that Amar Seafood will bring , not just to the company , but to all those involved in the company and the Scottish aquaculture sector as a whole. Otter Ferry have kept the flame alight for halibut as a species over the last 30 years and we now have a company in Amar Seafood that can more than matches our vision for this extraordinary product.”

Chairman of Amar Group, Bjørn M. Apeland, said “ We are absolutely delighted with our acquisition . We see Otter Ferry as a Scottish based International hub supporting our operations in Norway and Canada, both as an advanced hatchery producing increased amounts of quality juveniles and also as a valuable industry Agri tech research centre . We are committed to a phased expansion of the hatchery to enable us to develop our near market ongrowing capacity in Scotland , Canada and Norway.

In a joint statement, the companies said: “The experienced team at Otter Ferry will continue to manage the business whilst being complemented with additional expertise from both Norway and Canada.”

In summary Alastair Barge commented: “This is an emotional moment for us but at the same time a very exciting new chapter for Otter Ferry, and a great day for halibut.”