Scottish salmon industry expels Grieg Seafood Hjaltland from trade body

Siri Elise Dybdal

Hjaltland Sea Farms Ltd (a part of Grieg Seafood Hjaltland (UK) Ltd) has been advised of its immediate removal from the industry representative body. The company is based in Shetland and operates sites in Shetland and Skye.

Scott Landsburgh, chief executive of SSPO, said that the company imported smolts without a period of quarantine.

"It is with deep disappointment that the Board of SSPO has made the decision to expel a member company. However, the importation of smolts from a country with lower health status without undertaking a quarantine period is strictly against the Code of the Good Practice for fish farming. The potential consequences of bringing in smolts without quarantine are exceptionally serious for the whole Scottish industry. SSPO requires its members to participate fully in the independently audited Code of Good Practice.

"In expressing their grave concerns about the company's plans, other members of SSPO went to extraordinary lengths to help Hjaltland source smolts from Scotland. These offers were rejected.  I am impressed by the enormous spirit of collaboration and support shown between companies to find a solution to this problem.  I am, therefore, all the more disappointed that every overture was rejected and it was agreed that we should take this step," he said.