News from around Scottish Sea Farms and the sector

May 2021

Major milestone as zero antibiotics target is reached

Scottish Sea Farms reached a fish health milestone last year, with no antibiotics used in any of its farming operations, whether freshwater or marine.

Although antibiotic use has been of 5mg antibiotic active substance facilities is making such infections decreasing at freshwater sites, and per kg of salmon produced. This increasingly rare.’ phased out in sea pens since 2012, this is compares to a target of 25mg/kg for Out of a total 13.5 million smolts grown the first time zero use has been recorded poultry meat (broilers) and 99mg/kg at the RAS (recirculating aquaculture by the company. for pigs. system) hatchery at Barcaldine, about The sector leading success has been In the four years between 2015 and 1.5 million were then reared in open achieved through a combination of 2018 inclusive, Scottish Sea Farms freshwater systems, before transfer improved husbandry practices and averaged 3.6 mg/kg but in 2019 to marine pens. the production of more robust smolts this dropped to 0.25 mg/kg (5% of at Scottish Sea Farms’ £58 million the sector target) and in 2020 the Continued on page 2... Barcaldine hatchery. company used no antibiotics at all. Ronnie Soutar, Head of Veterinary Scottish Sea Farms had no use of Services at Scottish Sea Farms, said he antibiotics on any of its marine INSIDE was ‘very proud we’ve got to this stage’. farms within the target period (2016 onwards) and, in fact, has had no use ‘It is important on a global scale that of antibiotics in marine farms since a antibiotic use is minimised and only used Re-purposing fish waste single treatment on one farm in 2012. when absolutely essential, in recognition New aeration trial of concerns over antimicrobial Soutar said it is now the company’s resistance,’ he added. default position to have zero One to one with Anne antibiotic use throughout production. Anderson ‘Scottish salmon farming generally has a very low use of antibiotics compared ‘Our use in the freshwater phase Regulatory reform a must with other livestock sectors and Scottish of production has been because Sea Farms has consistently had antibiotic infections can occur before fish are Increased maternity and usage well below the sector’s target.’ big enough to be vaccinated. paternity pay RUMA (Responsible Use of Medicines in ‘However, new husbandry protocols Investors in People Agriculture Alliance) set a goal in 2016 and major investment in biosecure re-accreditation Company news

...Continued from page 1. Diverting fish waste into

To protect very young fish from potential bacterial diseases valuable by-products carried by wild fish, they may be dip vaccinated when around 2 to 5 grams. All fish are injection vaccinated for longer lasting immunity when they are between 30 to 60 grams. Scottish Sea Farms has adopted a holistic approach to fish health and welfare, with vets involved in farm management, and this has helped to bring down antibiotic use to zero, said Soutar. ‘But there is no room for complacency. There is an An innovative new system is being installed in that element of luck because there will add value to a previously disposable product. is always a possibility, whether you’re farming plants or animals, of emerging diseases that appear and cause problems. Typically, fallen stock that cannot New mobile ensiler be processed for consumption is ‘We will consider antibiotic use The mobile ensiler to be stationed incinerated, but now Scottish Sea if, in specific circumstances, in Orkney will be fed by all the nine Farms is taking delivery of a bespoke veterinary advice is that it is farms in the region, and will preserve ensiler that will enable fish waste essential for the protection of fish waste before it is transported to to be repurposed for potential use fish welfare. Pelagia’s Bressay plant for further in the production of carbon neutral processing. ‘The important thing is to bring fuels, organic fertilisers, crop growth the lessons we’ve learned, stimulants and green energy feedstocks. Within the ensiler, a macerator can process more than one tonne of fish an from dealing with furunculosis The ensiler has been supplied by particularly, to new bacterial hour, compared to one tonne every 24 Pelagia, which produces fishmeal and hours with a diesel incinerator. diseases. And the main thing is oil from pelagic fisheries, and has more getting vaccines; the last year recently moved into the salmon market, The quicker the fish are ensiled, the has really confirmed our long- upgrading waste into usable materials. better the quality of the waste and the held belief that vaccines are the more scope there will be for Pelagia to answer.’ To this end, Pelagia has modified an develop innovative products. existing facility on Bressay in , designed specifically to repurpose Operational efficiencies category two material from fish farms. Area Support Manager for Orkney Will Scott said the system will also Repurposing category two material Key elements of the make mortality management easier strategy to eliminate Scottish Sea Farms Head of Processing and more efficient, bringing it into line Donald Buchanan explained: ‘There are antibiotic use include: with Shetland where farms are already three categories of material: category supplying the Pelagia plant. one which is stock with a notifiable disease and has to be destroyed and ‘We’ve been looking at more sustainable incinerated with no further use; category ways of dealing with, and drawing Biosecurity measures to avoid two which is general mortalities; and value from, waste for some years. The the introduction of bacterial category three which is the viscera from potential new avenues this opens up are pathogens healthy fish going through processing. promising and it marks a sea change in the sustainability of our operations.’ Stock selected for resistance ‘Over recent years, category three to disease and robustness viscera has become a valuable product Once ensiled, tonnages can be bulked from leading genetics in its own right. Being a healthy source up to reduce transport costs and providers of omega-3, the by-products are refined there is also a storage option to avoid and utilised in pet food, shrimp feed, shipping small amounts of waste to Hygiene including daily and speciality pig and poultry feed Shetland, helping save on transport removal of dead or moribund additives. emissions too. fish to minimise infection ‘Now, we’re looking to make better use Commenting on the collaboration, Vaccination against known of our category two material, while at Pelagia’s Chief Operations Officer bacterial threats wherever the same time dispose of it in a more (Feed) UK and Ireland, Frank Trearty, possible and appropriate sustainable way.’ said: ‘Processing of category two mortality by-products is a new area for Stress reduction to maximise Pelagia Bressay. The production process fish welfare and avoid immune is highly technical and strictly regulated, compromises and we have taken great care to put systems in place to ensure compliance Nutrition to boost fish and operate to the highest of standards. robustness and ability to fight We look forward to working with infection Scottish Sea Farms and the farmed salmon sector in providing a sustainable Will Scott Donald Buchanan solution for this type of material.’

2 Aeration trial to help tackle gill health challenge

A new aeration system capable of boosting water quality in salmon pens is to be trialled at Loch Spelve on Mull. Aeration – pumping air into pens to boost water movement and, in turn, water quality – is one of several approaches used by farmers when rising levels of potentially harmful plankton levels are detected. Traditional aeration systems use high pressure compressors, Sustainable growth is technology that has had mixed results with some pens receiving a mission possible bigger boost than others. The new system, the Flowpressor™, manufactured by Canadian company Scottish Sea Farms’ new sustainability champion, Anne Poseidon Ocean Systems and Anderson, has two main responsibilities: to help minimise supplied locally by Trimara, has been custom engineered to upwell the company’s environmental impact and drive growth. deeper sourced water with expected lower phytoplankton and higher These twin goals may not at first Zest for change ambient oxygen. seem complementary but Anderson Anderson, who was with the Scottish Innes Weir, Scottish Sea Farms said they go hand in hand in salmon Environment Protection Agency Regional Production Manager for farming and one cannot be achieved (SEPA) for more than 20 years Mainland, said: ‘The Flowpressor™ without the other. before joining the SSPO in 2018, said effectively draws ‘clean’ water from ‘We can’t grow as a company if we she had long admired Scottish Sea the depth of the pen – in other are not operating sustainably, and Farms’ zest for change. words, well away the planktonic we can’t improve sustainability, ‘You can see the company’s drive for surface layers – and distributes which requires investment, unless the sustainability in the decisions it has it upwards, improving the water business is going forward,’ she told made; for example, the movement quality of the whole pen. The Source shortly after taking up out of the fresh loch environment and ‘Remotely controlled, it can run her new role. into the RAS hatchery at Barcaldine. 24/7 for routine water quality management then be moved to Shaping a cohesive strategy ‘And every time I visited the South Shian processing facility as a trade protection mode as required, As Head of Sustainability and body representative, there was using 50 per cent less diesel than Development, Anderson will always another innovation. The traditional systems.’ coordinate the various sustainability chance of success is high when you The Spelve trial, due to start in mid- workstreams at Scottish Sea Farms have this kind of team.’ into one cohesive strategy. May, will see six of the farm’s 12 pens Anderson’s first priority is to produce connected to the Flowpressor™ and Anderson is ideally placed to fulfil a plan showing where and how the the remaining six pens served by a such an ambitious remit, having joined business can grow sustainably. standard compressor. Scottish Sea Farms from the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation ‘The sector is not making any secret ‘We want to observe the difference (SSPO), where she led the creation of of its desire to grow – and nor is in growth, feed rate and survival,’ its Sustainability Charter. the United Nations, which said that said Weir. aquaculture needs to grow to feed ‘Crucially, we will also be able to She believes the sector was ‘brave’ to the expanding global population,’ gauge what the system achieves commit itself to such a progressive she said. blueprint, and she now relishes in mitigating the impacts of a low the opportunity to help producers oxygen period or algal bloom on New ways of working implement the policy. fish welfare.’ Farming in different areas will have ‘We needed to set out a vision of different challenges and therefore what farming in could look different solutions, she added, and like in the future – and encourage her strategic assessment will consider government to provide the regulatory how best to develop new ways of environment to enable that to happen. working that support growing the Now, I want to help deliver the vision. business. ‘That includes looking at ourselves ‘The very definition of sustainability through the same lenses as our is being able to continue to farm in most damning critics, calling out the future decades and we have live and misinformation that exists but also kicking examples of that in places honestly and bravely addressing the like Dunstaffnage, farming in one key challenges in order to effectively location for decades and continuing Innes Weir and consistently deliver sustainable to provide livelihoods and careers.’ practices.’

3 Sector news Regulatory reform pledge ‘must be put into action’ An SNP manifesto pledge to create Norwegian style regulatory reform for Scotland’s salmon sector must be met by efficient delivery, said the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO).

If re-elected on May 6, the SNP said MSP for 20 years and former leader of the Western Isles, and Caithness, it will replace the current four-stage the Scottish Liberal Democrats. Sutherland and Ross. permitting process for new farms and He said the SNP government had The documents detail the value of establish a single determining authority recognised the economic benefits salmon farming to the economy in each modelled on the system in Norway. salmon farming brought to Scotland’s area, as well as the number of jobs and Tavish Scott, Chief Executive of remote communities, and Rural local businesses it supports. the SSPO, said the sector had long Economy Minister Fergus Ewing had Scott said the SSPO intends to conduct been arguing for a more streamlined been ‘a solid advocate’ for the sector. visits not just to fish farms but also to regulatory system and he hoped this ‘He has been very alive to our requests companies in the supply chain, once would end the delays and bureaucratic for a better system of regulation in the election is over. confusion. Scotland, no matter what happens ‘We’re planning a heavy series of ‘What we want to see is better in other international countries – engagements with all the political regulation, not less regulation. with whom we compete after all. parties, and indeed all the new MSPs Everything is now in the commitment, That has been very important in the who are elected, particularly in the and what is crucially important is the consideration that his party has now Highlands and islands,’ he said. signal this sends to the civil service and given to this subject.’ to the agencies of government as to ‘But I’m determined that will be much The SSPO has sent out briefings to all what an incoming government would wider than the traditional fish farming candidates in the constituencies and do,’ he told The Source. areas of Scotland. There are more than regions where salmon farmers operate, 3,000 businesses of all sizes in every ‘I still hope manifestos mean something including Orkney, Shetland, and constituency in Scotland who are part in politics and therefore they are put Bute, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, of the supply chain for the sector.’ into action,’ added Scott, who was an

Testing the water with genetic monitoring tool A novel water sampling obtained from small volumes of farm team then examine under a seawater collected from around salmon microscope. project is underway, aimed farms. Samples are sent to Glasgow ‘The eDNA approach is potentially every week to be eDNA analysed in a at monitoring and mitigating more accurate and less time sequencing machine. threats to fish health. consuming, with samples sent to Pilot data has already demonstrated the a local hub and results returned The three-year PhD study, conducted sensitivity and specificity of the eDNA promptly. by the University of Glasgow in technology. The purpose of the PhD is ‘If successful, it could serve as an early partnership with Scottish Sea Farms to validate the existing proof-of-concept warning system for a broader range of and Mowi Scotland, with funding from in a field setting and benchmark it harmful organisms, allowing farmers to the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation alongside traditional methods, the act even more swiftly and effectively if Centre and BBSRC, is developing goal being to produce a low-cost, we see changes in the environment.’ environmental DNA (eDNA) technology quantitative eDNA monitoring tool for to help detect the presence of potential biological threats to farmed salmon. Water monitoring by Scottish Sea health challenges, including harmful Farms – first at Fiunary and now at Scottish Sea Farms Head of Fish Health phytoplankton and zooplankton. Spelve, both on Mull – will continue and Welfare Ralph Bickerdike explained: until the autumn. All organisms shed DNA and the ‘Currently, we take daily water samples research involves testing this material, from each of our farms, which the

4 Student vets offered work placements in novel scheme

Aquaculture placements are to be offered to veterinary students in a new scheme, believed to be the first of its kind in Scotland. Scottish farmers move to While work experience in other animal sectors is commonplace for future vets, there has been no weekly sea lice reporting structured Extra Mural Studies (EMS) provision on fish farms. Scottish salmon farmers have begun reporting weekly sea This will change this summer, lice counts, one of the few salmon producing nations in the said Scottish Sea Farms Head of world to supply such data. Veterinary Services Ronnie Soutar who, alongside vet colleague Previously, the Scottish sector had picture of sea lice trends, aided by an Berta Rivera, Head of Fish Health been voluntarily reporting the average interactive map depicting every salmon and Welfare Ralph Bickerdike and number of adult female sea lice per fish farm and representing world leading Head of HR Tracy Bryant-Shaw, per farm to the Fish Health Inspectorate transparency. has spearheaded a new scheme on a monthly basis, with the data made offering placements at farms Scottish Sea Farms Head of Fish around Scottish Sea Farms’ estate publicly available on the Scottish Salmon Health and Welfare Ralph Bickerdike Producers Organisation’s website. for students at Edinburgh and said: ‘Salmon farmers have been Glasgow vet schools. The recent move to mandatory weekly reporting monthly averages for a few lice reporting was announced by Rural years now and sharing sea lice data ‘Other animal sectors are well Economy Minister Fergus Ewing in with neighbouring producers in farm established within the veterinary December, and follows a recommendation management areas for many more years. curriculum and most students should have a very good idea from the Scottish Parliament’s Rural ‘Now, we will report the information eight Economy and Connectivity (REC) what happens on a sheep farm or days in arrears of the counting, the latest a dairy farm. But often they don’t committee, which conducted an inquiry in a series of steps towards even greater into the sector in 2018. know as much about aquaculture,’ openness, demonstrating just how said Soutar. It’s hoped that the new weekly system of committed we are as a sector to farming reporting will provide a comprehensive both responsibly and sustainably.’ ‘By working for a few weeks on a farm with normal activity going on – including lice counts, gill scoring, and other health activities – they will be learning a lot.’ While students will be based at one farm, the scheme will seek to expose them to as much of the farming cycle as possible, from the hatchery to harvesting. Said Soutar: ‘The more you can get people on to farms and they can see what we’re doing, the more you create understanding about the sector.’ Applications from students were received within days of the scheme being publicised, with This messaging complements Scottish one vet school representative Sector ramps up Sea Farms’ own work to ensure the describing this as ‘a high value safety of other marine users, with the placement’. Following this year’s ‘safety at sea’ company’s 2020 campaign, #KeepSafe trial, it is hoped to widen the #KeepOutsideTheBuoys, running again opportunity to students at other this year and new safety signage on all UK vet schools. messaging Scottish Sea Farms’ barges. The Scottish Salmon Producers Chairman of the Aquaculture Safety Organisation has launched a new Group and Scottish Sea Farms Health & campaign, urging other marine users to Safety Manager Gerry McCormick said: exercise safety around salmon farms. ‘We already have special marks on-site, along with a navigational light on each The campaign, which is being rolled barge, all of which will alert experienced out across social media and in print, mariners to give farms a wide berth. seeks to raise awareness of the potential hazards on and under the water at ‘The sector and company campaigns working farms, appealing to commercial serve as further guidance, helping and recreational marine users alike to ensure marine users of all kinds and #RespectTheBuoys. levels keep safe.’ Ronnie Soutar

5 Our people People on the move

Andrew Steve David Park Kolthammer Bisset

Allyn Drummond Louis MacKinnon Family-friendly policies In Orkney, Andrew Park has been promoted to Farm Manager at Lober Rock following the departure to new pastures of Hugh Mainland. offer greater support Park’s career at Scottish Sea Farms has been impressive, joining in 2018 as Trainee Husbandry at Shapinsay, to mums and dads and rising fast to Trainee Farm Manager there last June, before his Scottish Sea Farms has enhanced both its maternity and new appointment, which he took up on April 5. paternity pay in the company’s drive to create a more Also in Orkney, Steve Kolthammer inclusive, family-friendly work culture. has been appointed Engineering and Logistics Manager, another Until recently, only those employees Scottish Sea Farms Head of HR Tracy internal promotion. Kolthammer with five or more years’ service received Bryant-Shaw said the new policies were joined Scottish Sea Farms last enhanced maternity pay. Expectant and specifically designed to better support October as Engineering Stores new mums with less than five years’ working mums and also encourage more Coordinator and was then service received statutory maternity pay, of the company’s male employees to promoted to Marine Engineer in equating to six weeks at 90% of normal take paternity leave. February, before securing his latest pay followed by the standard statutory ‘The arrival of a new child is an incredibly position. payment for the remaining 33 weeks. special and important time for a family In Shetland, David Bisset was and we want to be as supportive as Higher maternity pay appointed Farm Manager, from possible. The enhanced maternity Trainee Farm Manager, at Bellister Under the new family-friendly policies, package is designed to be more and Swarta, and Allyn Drummond all working mums with one or more generous and available to more people. was promoted to Senior Husbandry years’ service with the company will at Swarta. now be entitled to: ‘Meanwhile, by offering paternity leave at people’s normal rate of pay, we’re Meanwhile, on the mainland, • 12 weeks at 100% Louis MacKinnon was promoted hoping to make it possible for more to Senior Husbandry at Nevis B. • 8 weeks at 90% new dads to spend some time with their partner and newborn.’ In other moves, Anna Price has • 8 weeks at 50% First in line to benefit from the enhanced moved into the newly created role • 11 weeks at statutory maternity pay. of Aquaculture Technical Lead maternity and paternity package will be Summer Isles Farm Manager Sarah and will also take over as the Enhanced paternity pay Line Manager for the Aquaculture Last and senior husbandry colleague Technical Coordinators. Extra provision has also been made for and fiancé Seumas Hitchings who are new dads. Previously they were entitled expecting their first child in September And, as featured on page 3, Anne to take one or two consecutive weeks’ 2021. Anderson joined Scottish Sea paternity leave at the statutory pay level Farms on March 29 in another of £151 per week. Last said: ‘Knowing that the company is newly created role, Head of choosing to support myself and others Sustainability and Development. As part of the company enhanced in our choice to start a family, at a She brings extensive sector paternity policy, new dads with one or level far above the normal government experience from her previous job more years’ service will now be entitled statutory rate, is incredible news. It’s in the Scottish Salmon Producers to two weeks’ full pay. supporting those who support the Organisation and, before that, business and will hopefully encourage at the Scottish Environment Shared parental leave more women into the sector too.’ Protection Agency. The option of shared parental leave will also be available, as before, but at the Added Hitchings: ‘I wasn’t sure it was enhanced maternity pay rates for all going to be viable for me to take two those with one or more years’ service. weeks paternity on statutory pay and was intending to take annual leave – and Employees with less than one year’s maybe just one week at that. So this is service will still receive support – really great news for all future dads-to- maternity, paternity or shared parental be. Those early days for new families are Anna Price Anne Anderson leave – but at the default statutory level. so precious.’

6 Work accolades give every employee a voice Sustained investment in jobs and training helped earn Scottish Sea Farms three prestigious Investors in People (IIP) accreditations in 2018.

Now it’s time to apply for re- Farms has introduced the Real Living due to be sent out in May. One accreditation and the company is Wage for all employees; we have driven covers health and wellbeing and the hoping to match the achievement by down our excellent absenteeism rate other Investors in People in general. retaining its IIP Platinum Award, plus from one per cent to a phenomenal half Bryant-Shaw said more than 80 per its Investors in Young People Good a per cent during the past year; and cent of staff took part in the surveys Practice Award at Gold Level and we have further improved healthcare in 2018 and the company is hoping the IIP Health and Wellbeing Good support, with innovations such as our for even higher participation this Practice Award. Healthy Advantage app for staff and time round. their families.’ As the only salmon farmer, and one Once these (anonymous) forms are of just 12 Scottish companies, to gain With a focus on helping communities completed, an IIP representative all three awards in the internationally retain their younger generations, interviews selected employees to recognised workplace accolades, Scottish Sea Farms has collaborated understand what it’s like to work in Scottish Sea Farms is proud of its with Argyll College UHI to offer Modern Scottish Sea Farms. record in people-oriented initiatives. Apprenticeships in Aquaculture for staff living locally. ‘We would like every employee to Head of Human Resources Tracy have a voice,’ said Bryant-Shaw. Bryant-Shaw said: ‘With each round And the company has established a ‘Anything we can do to improve as a of accreditation, awarded every three Young Person’s Council to gather and business not only helps our current years, we’ve aimed higher and higher act on a more diverse range of views. workforce, but also helps our future in the certification stakes. Winning IIP accreditation is a rigorous employees, and helps us become ‘Since the last awards, Scottish Sea process that begins with two surveys, the employer of choice.’

When Scottish Sea Farms put out a call for STEM Ambassadors ambassadors to represent the company, the HR sign up to team hoped to get a handful of volunteers.

promote But the response was so enthusiastic The goal is to inspire young that 15 people have now been signed people to pursue STEM (science, aquaculture up, from all regions and all age technology, engineering and groups. mathematics) subjects and careers, and ambassadors’ tasks can range HR Co-ordinator Clare Jordan, who is from giving talks in schools to online spearheading the project for Scottish mentoring to hosting work experience. Sea Farms, said that following an introductory talk online, many staff ‘The STEM initiative lets us know realised they didn’t necessarily need who is most willing to represent the to be scientists to take on the role. company and gives us a team who can help put education into context and ‘We have had interest from all encourage people into the sector,’ regions, from the and said Jordan. mainland, and all departments, from freshwater and marine to engineering One of the first to join was Grant and quality,’ she said. Masson (pictured left), from Shetland Engineering. He started working ‘And we have people of all at Scottish Sea Farms last autumn generations, from employees who following a career in the Merchant have been in fish farming for years Navy, and a short spell as a virtual to those who are quite new to the lecturer at the NAFC Marine Centre. sector.’ ‘If someone wants to know what the A nationwide initiative, the STEM career options are in aquaculture scheme has three hubs in Scotland beyond fish husbandry, I can tell them and has been working with Lantra, about marine engineering; there are the land-based and environmental a lot of little cogs that have to turn training organisation, to identify to make the big one turn and that’s ambassadors in less familiar sectors, where I think I can fit in,’ he said. such as aquaculture.

7 Community news Girls in league of their own with new football strips

Left to right: Shetland Girls FC Chairman and Coach Mark Hunter and players with Scottish Sea Farms Area Manager for Shetland Robbie Coutts, courtesy of Gordon Siegel Photography

Shetland Girls Football Club has gone £4,000 was made and the club was The girls play indoors from October from strength to strength since it was able to purchase 20 strips for each of to April and then, when the weather set up four years ago, with member the four age groups. improves, the outdoor season begins. numbers soaring from just 18 in the ‘Before, we had to beg or borrow The lockdown has seen the closure early days to almost 100 today. old strips from the boys’ teams,’ said of leisure facilities in Shetland and Young female footballers from across Hunter. ‘The girls will be delighted to the teams have only recently started the islands can join one of four groups, get out of those! training again, said Hunter. from the under 10s to the under 16s, and once Covid restrictions are fully ‘On behalf of the coaches, committee, Traditionally, the under 14s and lifted, the summer season will kick off. parents and especially from all under 16s have competed against the the girls, I’d like to thank Scottish Shetland boys’ leagues but there are The only problem, until recently, was Sea Farms for their extremely kind now enough girls to set up a separate that the girls had to wear hand-me- sponsorship. league. down football strips from the boys’ club, even for matches. ‘It was such an amazing offer in such ‘It’s completely different when hard financial times for everyone and they play against other girls, their With so many girls to kit out, Shetland I’m really looking forward to seeing confidence grows and it’s like watching Girls FC Chairman and Coach Mark all the girls on the football pitch this another team,’ said Hunter, who hopes Hunter decided to approach Scottish summer looking the business in their to be able to expand the club to even Sea Farms’ Heart of the Community new kit.’ younger players in the future. Fund for sponsorship. A donation of

Salmon farmers are accustomed ‘More of a risk is wee Ganavan, Farm manager to sharing the marine environment where experienced swimmers go with other interests, recreational or over to Maiden Island, a channel floats idea to keep commercial, and take the safety of used by our boats and many other all users very seriously. fishing and diving vessels.’ swimmers safe So, when Scottish Sea Farms’ Scottish Sea Farms has purchased David MacMillan became aware 50 tow floats from local company of the increasing numbers of wild Outside Edge which will be stored in swimmers in the vicinity of the a ‘kit library’ in , run by outdoor company’s Dunstaffnage farm, he adventure group, Adventure Oban. proposed donating floats to make Swimming groups or individual them more visible. swimmers can then access the floats The floats, which also act as for free. buoyancy aids, will offer the But MacMillan, whose brother is swimmers greater protection, said a wild swimmer, said he has no MacMillan, who is on secondment at intention of joining the swimming Dunstaffnage from Lismore East. groups himself. ‘Swimmers don’t tend to swim ‘The last thing I want to do after around the pens where the water is working out in the elements all day tidal; we are more likely to encounter is to then go in the sea. I’m ready to them when we’re travelling to and get warm and dry!’ he said. from the farm by boat,’ he said.

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