Lumpfish breeding offers a natural solution to combat sea lice in the salmon farming industry. (Photo: Ocean Matters)

Welsh lumpfish breeder to double capacity thanks to huge loan

UNITED KINGDOM
Thursday, August 16, 2018, 23:10 (GMT + 9)

Lumpfish producer, based at Penmon, Anglesey, will be able to double its current production capacity following a seven-figure funding boost. This will enable it to continue offering salmon farming firms a natural solution to fight the continuing biosecurity challenges associated with sea lice.

Formed in 2015, the North Wales company has secured a GBP 500,000 loan from the Development Bank of Wales, which has been matched with funding from HSBC and plans to increase its cleaner fish capacity from two million to four million in an effort to meet growing demand from salmon producers.

“We’ve had great success to date, but the additional investment capital will allow us to not only continue improving existing systems but also support expansion construction that enables us to address the growing needs of our customers,” pointed out the firm’s co-founder and director, John Callaghan.

For his part, Werner Forster, chief executive and co-founder of Ocean Matters, explained that over time the resistance parasites increasingly show to traditionally used pesticides has increased the complications of dealing with sea lice. He added that this issue has become more challenging coupled with push back from consumers, as well as objections from those concerned about the negative effects of such treatments on the environment.

As an example of the detrimental effect of sea lice, in 2016 the world’s supply of farmed salmon fell by almost 10 per cent and wholesale prices rose by nearly 50 per cent.

“When you have concentrated fish farming practices, you’re going to have parasite problems, it’s the largest issue from a health and biosecurity issue that these farmers face and costs the industry around the world hundreds of millions of pounds a year,” Forster stated.

The executive also highlighted that it is not only the cost of treatment, but when a fish dies or needs to be harvested early – the salmon farmers incur all the costs required to growing the fish to that point but also a tremendous loss of revenue due to decreased harvest weights.

The aim of Ocean Matters as it continues its expansion is to provide a natural solution to the sea lice problem that is already making a difference, for the benefit of fish farmers, consumers and the environment.

“Consumers like it because the fish aren’t being treated with unnecessary medicines and chemical treatments, while the environmentalists prefer a more natural approach to animal welfare. It’s really something that everyone has been supportive as a win-win," Callaghan said.

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