Double-netting system aims to reduce seal-related salmon deaths
A SALMON farm firm operating in Shetland says it is rolling out a new double-netting system in the isles to help reduce seal-related fish deaths.
Scottish Sea Farms said the system is due to be in place across all of its Shetland sites by mid-2025.
The company said the new system is a collaboration between the Shetland marine farming and engineering teams and Scottish net manufacturers.
Pens are fitted with HDPE (high density polyethylene) anti-predator nets, each with enough depth for the system to remain in place until the fish are harvested.
Scottish Sea Farms said the new system was introduced following observations of salmon farms in Tasmania, where predation is also said to be a big challenge.
It added high bird poles have also been installed with a wall of netting, as opposed to the more traditional “hamster wheel” set-up, to try to prevent seals going in over the top of the pens.
Meanwhile the salmon firm says things are going well for its interests in Shetland after acquiring Grieg Seafood nearly three years ago.
It said since the takeover the company has upgraded and modernised farms and shore bases as well as introducing a new management structure.
The company said over the last few years production costs have reduced in addition to “better survival, better growth, a lower feed conversion rate, larger average harvest weights, and happier people”.
It used the example of the Coledeep salmon farm in the Gonfirth area, with an average live weight increasing from 4.99kg to 5.5kg between 2022 and 2024.
The company has also upgraded is the net station, which has relocated to Scalloway with a new forklift, net drum and lifting beam to handle the larger nets.
A spokesperson said several innovations inherited from Grieg have been retained, “including the water analysis laboratory in Lerwick that collects daily samples from farms and monitors them for phytoplankton and micro jellyfish”.
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