Marine / Norway firm exploring idea of salmon farm off Shetland’s east coast
A NORWEGIAN company is exploring the idea of an “exposed” salmon farm off the east of Shetland, which would be further from shore than traditional aquaculture.
SalMar Aker Ocean said it is collaborating with regulators on a pilot project in a zone three to 12 nautical miles off the east of Shetland.
Chief financial officer Trine Sæther Romuld told Shetland News that the potential area has not been narrowed down yet.
The company has already given a presentation to Yell Community Council, and more information is expected to be shared in the spring.
However Shetland Fishermen’s Association executive officer Sheila Keith expressed concern over the prospect of an offshore salmon farm, with worry that it could be another element of “spatial squeeze” amid plans for offshore wind farms and cabling east of the isles.
She also said the association had been advised that the Scottish Government was interested in SalMar Aker Ocean’s offshore developments amid continued concern from some about the inshore salmon farming industry.
Romuld said SalMar Aker Ocean has been exploring “international opportunities”, with the north east of Scotland being one region in the company’s sights.
“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.”
Main parent company SalMar ASA is a co-owner of Scottish Sea Farms (SSF), which operates a number of salmon farms in Shetland. A spokesperson for SSF confirmed the company is not involved in the project.
Romuld said SalMar Aker Ocean – a SalMar company which focuses on semi-offshore and offshore fish farming – has experience in producing salmon in exposed areas in Norway, with “very strong biological results”.
This is “by using technology able to operate in more harsh environment but at the same time on the terms of the salmon”.
“Our ambition is to bring this experience and expertise also to other regions,” Romuld added.
The company’s website says the firm’s salmon currently comes from the “open ocean, far from the coastal fjords” of Norway.
At the moment it has two salmon farms in operation – one 13 nautical miles from shore, and one six nautical miles off land.
Keith said the company presented its ideas to the Shetland Fishermen’s Association in mid-January.
She said the message from the Norwegian company was that the Scottish Government is interested in its offshore salmon developments following concerns around fish health and welfare in inshore farming.
The Scottish Parliament’s rural affairs and islands committee published a follow-up report on salmon farming in January, with concern over the “slow rate” of progress in improving the regulation and enforcement of the Scottish salmon farming industry.
Keith said from the association’s point of view offshore salmon farming potentially “creates the worst of both worlds” for the fishing industry.
She said there would still need to be “nursery sites” located inshore to grow salmon before they can go offshore.
“From a fishing point of view we’ll be squeezed inshore and offshore,” she said, with the officer also questioning if there were other locations which could be used in Scotland for offshore salmon farming given Shetland’s prolific fishing activity.
“What’s the next thing? We’ve got offshore wind, we’ve cables, we’ve got environmental protection measures.”
Keith added: “We really need to do the best we can to ensure that we can all be good neighbours in an environment where ultimately the profits of the fishing industry stays here and doesn’t go outside like salmon farming.”
Shetland News approached the Scottish Government about the suggestion it was interested in SalMar Aker Ocean’s offshore salmon developments in Norway.
A spokesperson said that “innovations in technology mean that farms can now be located in more exposed locations and siting farms in higher energy waters has the potential to reduce environmental interactions and to support fish health and welfare”.
“We are aware that there is growing interest from the aquaculture sector in developing farms further from the shore in more exposed locations, with a number of aquaculture businesses having approached us in recent years regarding the regulatory processes for consenting farms located between 3 to 12 nautical miles,” they added.
“Work is currently underway to clarify the consenting process for aquaculture developments between 3-12 nautical miles, including our recent consultation on fish farm planning controls.”
Back in 2023 the Scottish Government unveiled its Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture strategy, which included a commitment to explore aquaculture production beyond coastal waters.
A public consultation ran late last year on proposals for plans to address an existing gap in aquaculture planning regulations by extending local authority planning controls through marine planning zones further offshore out to 12 nautical miles.
The government said closing this gap by extending the boundaries of marine planning zones creates the potential for business to explore opportunities to develop new farms further offshore.
It added this has the potential to bring in more investment and jobs, particularly for island and coastal communities.
Following the close of the consultation the government said it is taking time to analyse responses and develop final plans.
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