SalMar considers offshore salmon farm east of Shetland
The world’s second-largest Atlantic salmon farmer, SalMar, is exploring the establishment of an offshore fish farm off the east coast of Shetland, it has been reported. The pilot project is being pursued by SalMar’s offshore farming subsidiary, SalMar Ocean, which was formerly called SalMar Aker Ocean until SalMar sealed a £46 million deal to take full ownership this week.
Shetland News revealed that SalMar Aker Ocean had already given a presentation to Yell Community Council and is expected to share more information in the spring.
Trine Sæther Romuld, who was SalMar Aker Ocean’s chief financial officer until a management reshuffle this week, told Shetland News that the company has been exploring “international opportunities”, with the northeast of Scotland being one region in the company’s sights.
Good dialogue
“The entire eastern side of Shetland is considered prosperous for exposed aquaculture, i.e. further offshore than traditional aquaculture,” she said.
“We have a good dialogue with the relevant authorities, and we are in early phase of community engagement.”
SalMar is a leader in offshore and semi-offshore farming, operating two facilities - Ocean Farm 1 and Arctic Offshore Farming – in central and northern Norway respectively.
The Scottish Government is supportive of the concept of offshore aquaculture, and Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon - whose ministerial responsibilities include aquaculture - visited Ocean Farm 1 in Norway in 2023. The Scottish Government is working to clarify the consenting process for aquaculture developments between three and 12 miles from the shore.
'We're closest in Scotland'
SalMar is the co-owner of Scotland’s second largest salmon producer, Scottish Sea Farms (SSF), along with Lerøy Seafood Group. SSF told Shetland News it was not involved in SalMar Ocean’s offshore project.
However, SSF has been interested in establishing an offshore facility for several years, and opened dialogue with regulators about the possibility of doing so in 2020.
Yesterday, SalMar chief executive Frode Arnsten reaffirmed the company’s commitment to offshore farming in a speech at the North Atlantic Seafood Forum in Bergen and said SalMar wanted to expand its operations internationally.
“Offshore Scotland is where we are getting closest for the moment,” said Arntsen.
