Seafood buyers shown the source of Scottish salmon

Farmed fish certification organisation the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) has hosted its latest Discovery Tour in Scotland, welcoming seafood buyers from the United States and Italy to experience ASC-certified salmon farming first-hand. 

Over three days, participants visited a range of ASC-certified farms, feed mills and processing facilities operated by Mowi Scotland and Bakkafrost Scotland, gaining valuable insight into how responsible aquaculture is practised. 

The tour began in Edinburgh, where guests joined ASC staff for a welcome dinner before setting off to visit Mowi’s Consumber Products secondary processing facility in Rosyth, which handles ASC-certified salmon for both domestic and international markets. 

Travelling north, the vistors were then shown a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) site and a feed mill producing ASC-conforming feed. Visits concluded with on-site experiences at two ASC-certified loch-based salmon farms. 

Participants included senior seafood buyers and sourcing specialists from US wholesaler giant, Sam’s Club and cruise line Holland America, and Italian supermarket chain, Italmark. 

Ally Dingwall, chief technical officer with ASC, said: “I would like to thank the teams at Mowi Scotland and Bakkafrost Scotland for hosting us and showcasing Scottish farmed salmon at its best. 

“The Discovery Tour gives buyers the chance to meet producers, witness the care and innovation behind certified farming, and understand the challenges and the difference ASC certification makes for people, fish and the planet. 

“Scotland has an impressive history of innovation in salmon farming. From advanced feed technology to welfare-focused farming systems, Scottish producers set a global benchmark that can inspire progress in international markets — including the US and Italy, where demand for responsibly produced, traceable and ethically sourced seafood continues to rise.” 

Great examples

Tour guest Davide Bocchi from Italmark said: “For a fish buyer, it’s essential to understand every step of the supply chain, and this week gave me the chance to see first-hand the processes behind our daily work. 

“We truly believe in ASC and its mission and the companies we visited are great examples of ASC’s principles in action. With strong communication and education, I believe more consumers in Italy can be encouraged to choose the ASC label for certified, sustainable farmed seafood products. I really admire ASC’s work — they’re doing it in the best way possible, and the results speak for themselves.” 

Kendall Sallee, seafood sourcing director at Sam's Club, said the tour was exceptionally beneficial to the company’s team.

“Learning about the Scottish salmon industry and the important impact ASC plays alongside other industry professionals has been an invaluable experience. The insights gained from comparing the Scottish practices to those we observed in Chile have provided us with a broader perspective on the global aquaculture industry. We deeply appreciate the opportunity to participate in such an informative tour.” 

'Scotland can be proud'

Morkel van Wyk, a manager with Holland America Line, said: “Scotland can be very proud of the ASC salmon products being produced. ASC has rigorous standards which ensure that Scottish salmon offers customers a product that was basically hand raised in an environment where each step in the process is meticulously monitored and done in a responsible manner to ensure an overall health-conscious operation which ultimately delivers top quality salmon.” 

The Scottish tour follows successful ASC Discovery Tours for salmon in Norway and Chile, and forms part of ASC’s ongoing work to highlight the people and practices behind certified seafood worldwide.