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Mowi buys lumpfish farm in Scotland
Mowi Scotland has announced the purchase of Ocean Matters aquaculture facility effective as of April 15, 2019. The facility is located in Anglesey, North Wales.
April 17, 2019 By Hatchery International Staff
“This purchase provides us increased capacity for cleanerfish production with great potential for future development as well The aquaculture facility will be an important addition to Mowi’s “cleanerfish” program – fish that aid in managing levels of naturally occurring sea lice on farm-raised Atlantic salmon by picking and eating the tiny crustacean off their skin.
The Ocean Matters hatchery currently produces lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus), one of two fish species that have proven to be effective cleanerfish. The company also cultures Ballan wrasse at other facilities.
“We entered the cleanerfish space a bit late, however thanks to our committed staff, loyal customers and supportive investors Ocean Matters became the largest in the U.K., and one of the largest world-wide,” said founder/MD Werner Forster. “Our ability to design and build RAS systems combined with prior RAS operating experience played a factor as well.”
“Mowi has been Ocean Matter’s largest customer and collaborator since inception,” Forster continued. “We’re quite pleased to know Ocean Matters has graduated on to the Mowi family where it will certainly receive all the support required to continue on its current path.”
“This purchase provides us increased capacity for cleanerfish production with great potential for future development as well,” said Dougie Hunter, head of cleanerfish and technical services at Mowi Scotland. “I would like to welcome the new hatchery staff into the Mowi family.”
The use of cleanerfish is now a major part of the company’s successful sea lice control strategy and part of a larger integrated pest management program at its marine salmon farms that includes other non-medicinal sea lice management solutions such as freshwater baths and mechanical removal.
“We will continue to develop our cleanerfish program, and assess our future requirements to ensure we are making best use of our production facilities,” Hunter added.
Mowi will continue to operate the new purchase under the Ocean Matters name.
Mowi employs 1,300 people in Scotland and operates three salmon hatcheries, five freshwater loch sites, 49 sea farms, two processing plants and a feed mill.
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