£460k boost to Highland aquaculture industry
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A PROJECT by Inverness based Gael Force Group which could transform the Scottish fish farming sector has been awarded £457,000 contribution by Highlands and Islands (HIE) in the hopes of creating a multi-million pound boost for the aquaculture industry.
The money will support Gael Force's plans to develop new fish farming pens that can be used in offshore environments, expanding the industry beyond inshore waters and potentially increasing the sector’s economic value by around £3.7 million.
It would also improve fish welfare.
Gael Force has been investing significantly in research and development activities around aquaculture supply chain products and has grown its workforce to more than 220 employees in Scotland.
This latest project is to develop an integrated offshore pen to operate in more exposed locations, requiringe more structurally robust pens specifically designed to withstand harsh sea conditions as well as provide a safe and secure environment for the fish and for staff working on these new farms.
The pens will also be larger than the current pen size of 120m circumference at between 160 and 200m. With nets deepened from 15m to 20m, this will increase growing volumes from around 17,000 cubic metres to 40,000 cubic metres and beyond.
The investment from HIE’s Accelerating Aquaculture Innovation (AAI) fund was announced at Gael Force's Merkinch head office by Scotland's rural economy minister and local MSP, Fergus Ewing.
“Scottish salmon was the UK’s largest food export in 2017, and it makes a vital contribution to the local economies of some of Scotland’s most remote and vulnerable communities, providing high value employment in many cases," he said.
"Innovation and investment in the sector to ensure it has a long term, sustainable future is key to its continued growth and to achieving the industry’s ambitions."
Stewart Graham, Gael Force Group’s managing director, said: “Innovation is at the core of our strategy and this investment from HIE and the Accelerating Aquaculture Innovation fund supports us in our drive to deliver a highly innovative product built on the foundations of strong R&D and close collaboration with our customers. Not only will our new offshore pen reinforce a move towards higher energy sites and unlock Scottish aquaculture’s huge growth potential, it will help spearhead our export initiative and enable us to create job opportunities here at our base in Inverness, and at our pen-building facilities in Argyll.”
The AAI fund was launched in 2017 as a 30-month pilot programme, led by HIE. It offers businesses in the aquaculture supply chain in the Highlands and Islands the opportunity of match funding to help commercialise innovative new processes, products, services or technologies.
Iain Bolland, HIE’s business development account manager for Gael Force, said:
“This project reflects Gael Force Group’s commitment to innovation and research and development activity and could be a game changer for fish farming in Scotland. It will help grow turnover domestically and internationally, as well as create and retain valuable jobs, particularly in rural areas.
“We are very pleased to be able to approve the funding and look forward to seeing the project take shape.”
