The Scottish Salmon Company has signed a contract with Nofitech, a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) technology company, as part of a company plan to transform its salmon farming approach.
Edinburgh, Scotland-based SSC said the agreement is part of a GBP 49 million (USD 66.9 million, EUR 57 million) investment to create a state-of-the-art RAS unit at its Applecross site in Wester Ross.
“This contract marks the first important milestone in our commitment to incorporate RAS technology across all our freshwater production, which is fundamental to our growth strategy,” SSC Managing Director Ian Laister said. “Nofitech’s experience in this field will ensure that SSC is at the leading edge of RAS technology not only at Applecross but at future freshwater facilities.”
The Applecross program is part of a commitment by SSC’s parent company, Bakkafrost, to invest more than GBP 40 million (USD 54.6 million, EUR 46.6 million) annually in Scotland over the next five years.
Nofitech CEO Robert Hundstad said he was delighted to be chosen by SSC as a partner for its “comprehensive, exciting and future-oriented” RAS program.
“Nofitech has, from a strategic perspective, chosen to work only with the most experienced and solid players in the industry and our cooperation with The Scottish Salmon Company and Bakkafrost falls well into this direction,” he said.
In April, Bakkafrost purchased farming service-vessel Viking Athene from Eidesvik Shipping as part of its value-chain investment program to develop farming operations and strengthen its biological performance in Scotland. The vessel, renamed M/S Bakkanes, will be deployed at sites on the country’s west coast.
SSC harvested 10,600 metric tons (MT) of head-on gutted (HOG) weight salmon in the second quarter of 2021, up from 7,900 MT in Q2 2020.
Photo courtesy of Nofitech
