Major milestone for Barcaldine hatchery

The first batch of young salmon produced at Scottish Sea Farms’ (SSF) new £55 million Barcaldine Hatchery have been transferred to sea pens.

The young salmon, called smolts, arrived at Barcaldine as eggs back in January of this year. They were hatched and reared using a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS).

They had an average weight of 160 grams – more than double that of smolts grown by the company when using traditional hatchery methods.

SSF’s freshwater manager Pål Tangvik said: ‘This is a major milestone for all of the team, not just at Barcaldine but across the company. The new hatchery has given us greater control over key factors, including water quality, oxygen levels and speed of flow, meaning we have been able to ensure the best growing environment for the salmon. The result is bigger, more robust smolts that will be better able to withstand the natural challenges of the marine environment. We will also be able to shorten the time these salmon will spend at sea by up to two months, which will reduce their exposure to these challenges and increase survival rates.’

Owing to the facility’s ideal location on the shores of Loch Creran, the young salmon were transferred directly from the hatchery to a well-boat, before being transported to marine farms in the Oban area and Shetland. This removed the need for transportation by road or air.

Operations manager Noelia Rodriguez said the methods at the Barcaldine farm use 98 per cent less freshwater and significantly less energy.

The facility, which includes four incubation units and four hatcheries, has taken more than two years to build and is due to have its official opening in 2020.

SSF managing director Jim Gallagher added: ‘We haven’t rushed the process. The RAS technology enables us to control with pinpoint accuracy when the salmon are ready to go to sea, giving the fish the best possible experience.’