Scottish Sea Farms' site off Lismore ©SSF

Scottish Sea Farms steps up sustainability drive with farming restructure

UNITED KINGDOM
Tuesday, December 03, 2019, 07:50 (GMT + 9)

Scottish Sea Farms is to restructure its farming operations to help accelerate progress towards the company’s goal of setting the benchmark for sustainability in its sector.

The news follows the announcement back in September that long-standing Production Manager John Rea is to leave the business to pursue his passion for personal development and coaching.

Scottish Sea Farms’ Managing Director Jim Gallagher said: “Our business has evolved hugely during John’s 20-year tenure: from the number of locations and regions we farm in, to the innovative new approaches we’re adopting and the range of skill-sets we employ. On learning that John was to leave us, it seemed like the natural time to review how we do things currently and what else we could be doing to better equip us for the future.

“As part of this review, we decided to divide what formerly the remit of Production Director into two distinct roles: Regional Manager for Scottish mainland with responsibility for all our marine farms in the area; and Director of Farming with responsibility for overseeing both freshwater and marine production in all three of our farming regions.

“This will ensure that each region now has its own manager concentrating on the challenges and opportunities of the specific marine environment, supported at a strategic level by a dedicated resource focused on improving biological performance and growing our business in the most responsible and sustainable way.”

Taking up the new roles are two senior figures from within the sector. Innes Weir, a former farm manager with Scottish Sea Farms who went on to several international roles including, most recently, UK General Manager for Steinsvik, will assume the position of Regional Manager for Scottish mainland, commencing 2 December.

Following on from this, Dr Gideon Pringle, currently Operations Director of Farming at MOWI Scotland, will take up the role of Director of Farming at Scottish Sea Farms in April 2020, bringing with him a PhD in salmon genetics and over 20 years’ practical experience amassed across both freshwater and marine farming.

Gallagher concluded: “We are all really excited to see what can be achieved when Innes’ and Gideon’s wealth of experience is paired with the skill, knowledge and forward-thinking that already exists within Scottish Sea Farms, helping us build on the gains being made and taking us ever closer to our goal of setting a new benchmark for sustainability within Scottish salmon farming.”

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