Is it time to dip toe into new waters?
For conventional farmers, whether farming on Grade 1 arable farming or grazing sheep on less productive hill ground, their main objective will be to break-even and, where possible, make a profit.
However rising costs coupled with depressed grain and livestock prices mean that of the last decades many farmers have increasingly looked towards diversifying their income streams.
From adding photovoltaics to grazing fields, installing a hydro scheme to harness a fast flowing burn, to offering yurts to eager glampers, the traditional livestock and arable mix is no longer the only option for making a living from the land.
Of all the innovative ways to diversify income, aquaculture has yet to make a significant impact to the farmer’s income. Whether it’s a dislike of the scaly and slimy or a feeling that the task of running a fish farming operation is simply too far removed from “dry land” based farming, few have looked to fish, rather than cows, sheep or pigs.
But Anna Zahedi of CKD Galbraith says it is a diversification which more farmers and landowners should consider whether or not they are by the coast or have access to bodies of water.
She says: “At CKD Galbraith we have seen an increase in the demand from aquaculture firms for sites for land-based projects, such as recirculation units and research laboratories, and in requirements for freshwater access for flushing techniques used to remove sea lice.
So how can agriculture and landowners – particularly those without access to coastal waters, large ponds or empty reservoirs – fit into the picture?
“Brownfield sites and old commercial business parks fit the bill for many of these projects, with companies often willing to replace and renew much of the infrastructure at little or no cost to the owner,” says Zahedi.
“Aquaculture is an industry where the risks are high but the rewards great and its prospect for the smaller scale farmer are not so murky.”
She points out that one advantage is a present and growing demand. “As red meat consumption decreases and fish consumption steadily rises, almost half the global population already relies on fish as a primary source of protein.”
Coupled with this, a decline in fish stocks in the wild will only increase demand.
Zahedi says: “As overfishing causes wild fish stocks to dwindle there can be no doubt that sustainable production has a major role to play in feeding the world’s growing population.
“While it takes 6.8lb of feed to produce 1lb of body mass in Hereford cattle; for salmon the ratio is almost one-toone, showing that input costs can be reduced by choosing a more ‘energy-efficient’ animal.”
She believes such figures could spark the interest of hard-pressed beef and dairy farmers looking for new ways to make money from their existing land, particularly if they are already familiar with the technology introduced in more traditional farming methods.
The emerging aquaculture industry is based on novel techniques, such as using carbon capture to produce a sustainable supply of fish food, to floating pods for salmon production, to cleaner wrasse introduction as a natural predator of sea lice.
It is a growing industry, and one which Zahedi thinks should be a consideration for diversification. She says: “Now could be the time to think about swimming against the current.”
“Now could be the time to think about swimming against the current” ANNA ZAHEDI CKD GALBRAITH