Scotish Sea Farms new salmon farm location off Lober Rock close to St Margaret’s Hope in Scapa Flow.

Scottish Sea Farms granted approval for Orkney new farm

UNITED KINGDOM
Saturday, September 08, 2018, 01:00 (GMT + 9)

Scottish Sea Farms was given approval for a new salmon farm off Lober Rock close to St Margaret’s Hope in Scapa Flow, the Orkney Islands.

Representatives of the firm informed that the new GBP 3 million farm, which is the culmination of several years of research and planning into identifying the best farming locations in Orkney waters, has consent to grow 1,274 tonnes of salmon and is expected to go live in 2019.

Independent economic and development consultancy Imani Development estimates that every direct job created by Scottish salmon farming supports up to five further jobs indirectly across the supply chain, creating a potential 30 additional jobs.

“This latest consent is hugely positive news. For the remote communities in which we live and work, the new farm will bring skilled jobs and training, additional business for local suppliers, and a boost to local economies in terms of increased disposable income,” pointed out Richard Darbyshire, Scottish Sea Farms’ Regional Production Manager for Orkney.

Darbyshire highlighted that from a company perspective, the new farm will help them in their drive to meet demand for responsibly farmed salmon, a demand that, in his view, is rising rapidly not only in the United Kingdom but internationally as the global population continues to grow – and with it, the need for sustainable protein sources.

Salmon farming is increasingly considered to be one of the most sustainable forms of farming, delivering 61kg of edible meat per 100kg of feed – more than double that for poultry, pork or beef. It also has the lowest carbon footprints of all the farming sectors.

The new farm at Lober Rock will bring the company’s Orkney estate to eight-strong with five farms acquired from Orkney Sea Farms in 2007, followed by the addition of the award-winning 1,909 tonne Wyre farm in 2015 and, most recently, a new 1,791 tonne farm at Westerbister in 2016.

Combined, the expanded Scottish Sea Farms’ Orkney estate will have the capacity to grow over 10,000 tonnes of salmon (live weight) annually for customers in the UK and for export to over 18 different countries around the world.

 
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