Scottish Sea Farms went live with its latest 1,800 metric ton fish farm site based out of Wyre, Orkney on 18 September, introducing 480,000 salmon smolts onto the premises and welcoming five new employees to work.
The site, into which the company has invested EUR 2.6 million (USD 2.9 million), is expected to increase production of quality salmon in Orkney waters as well as stimulate earnings for a number of Scottish suppliers such as Fusion Marine, Knox Nets, Leask Marine and Northwards Ltd. The launch of the site bodes well for those involved in the area’s seafood industry as well as those involved in other industries that operate within the community, according to Jim Gallagher, Managing Director for Scottish Sea Farms.
“This is good news for both Scottish Sea Farms and the local community. This site at Wyre, made up of 12 x 100m cages, will help to secure the long-term future of our Eday site and increased Orkney salmon sales could now potentially reach EUR 26 million (USD 29 million) in both the U.K. and international markets,” said Gallagher.
Over the past nine months, the five new Scottish Sea Farms employees have been given extensive training both on-site in Orkney as well as at the local college. The Wrye site manager Kristjan Ingimarsson, who relocated to Scotland with his family from Iceland, remarked on Scottish Sea Farms’ commitment to training and state-of-the-art technology, as well as the appeal of the Scottish community where he now resides: “I was attracted to Scottish Sea Farms as the company has a good reputation and I had visited Scotland as a tourist and liked the people and the country. The company has invested heavily in this new site and we have the latest equipment and technology to ensure that we farm the fish in the best way possible, for a great tasting product and for the environment.”
As of now, including this expansion, Scottish Sea Farms employs 35 staff in Orkney. The company anticipates that the added fish farm will allow for Scottish salmon to reach markets year-round; the first harvests are expected from the site at the end of 2016.
