Minister meets Mowi’s next generation of salmon farmers

Salmon farming is building resilience into rural communities by supporting apprenticeships, said the Scottish Government’s agriculture, marine, and islands minister, Jim Fairlie.

On a visit to Mowi’s Cheesebay farm in North Uist last week, the minister’s first trip to a marine farm since taking up his post in May, he met the next generation of farmers.

“It’s an incredible sector, it's a vitally important sector for a place like this, it employs so many people,” he said.

Potential

"Aquaculture is only 60 years old in this country, and there's still things to learn. There's always going to be things to learn, but it's an amazing source of good quality food from here in Scotland and it's got the potential to be a brand that is globally renowned in the same way that Scottish whisky is, and that's something we should celebrate and everybody should get behind.

"The importance to the local economy is huge, it is one of the biggest employers in the area and the bit that I really got from my visit was the apprenticeships. That's the next generation, it's succession planning, it's building resilience into communities.

“Our National Islands Plan is all about retention and attraction. Well, this is exactly the kind of thing we need to see, making sure we're bringing the next generation into good industries like this. That's what will build resilience in the islands."

Supply chain

Mowi employs more than 50 people in Uist and the visit highlighted the importance of salmon farming in helping to sustain the future of rural coastal communities, said the company’s technical director, Dougie Hunter.

“We were proud to introduce the minister to our apprentices – the next generation of farmers. Aquaculture and the associated supply chains provide well paid jobs and security for people in island communities like this.”

During the summer recess, the minister also visited Scottish Sea Farms’ processing facility in Gremista, Shetland.