Mowi Scotland has outlined medium- and long-term strategies designed to ramp up its processing capacity in the country's West Highlands region.
The farmer and processor of Atlantic salmon it wants to expand its current Blar Mhor factory near Fort William. At the same time, it is investigating the potential for a state-of-the-art processing facility at its aquaculture hub located at Kyleakin, on the Isle of Skye.
“With capacity-increasing modifications made over the past three decades, last year our incredible workforce managed to process 66,000 metric tons of salmon at our Blar Mhor plant. However, with no more internal space available to us in the existing structure, the building is now the limiting factor for any future growth,” Mowi Operations Director of Processing Ewan MacColl said. “After much consideration and expert review, we feel that a standalone processing unit alongside Blar Mhor can provide the additional capacity required for the next five years, and also assist us with the more manual operation associated with a growing demand for premium quality standards and brands. We will soon be applying for planning permission with hopes to start construction late this year with the facility being operational mid-2021.”
Mowi COO of Farming for Scotland and Ireland Ben Hadfield added that in the longer-term a new state-of-the-art fish processing facility would be required in the region, with its property at Kyleakin providing the preferred location.
“While the expansion of Blar Mhor does help with the required dexterity for our premium brands in the medium-term, it is not the level of automation that this business needs to be prepared for the future,” Hadfield said. “That is a plant next to the sea with efficiencies that process whole live fish into trimmed fillets, and full utilization of all by-products to create a fuller circular economy.”
Significant investment was made at Kyleakin last year with the construction of a new fish feed mill and marine pier.
The company has received Major Pre-Application Advice from Highland Council for its new plant proposal, and MacColl explained that future steps will include a full environmental impact assessment, Mowi board approval and a thorough public consultation process with statutory bodies like Scottish Natural Heritage, as well as community groups and individuals from Skye, Fort William and Mallaig.
“If we were successful with our planning application, then the new facility would not be operational until after 2025,” he said. “Whatever the future, our goal as an essential food producer is to continue to supply a growing demand for healthy seafood here in the Britain and beyond, [while] also ensuring the associated economic and social benefits of our business are shared here.”
Photo courtesy of Mowi
