Fish farm manager is up for national award at Royal Highland Show at Ingliston

A FISH farm manager from near Oban has been nominated for a national award.

Andrew MacLeannan, manager for Scottish Sea Farms in Fiunary, has made it onto the shortlist of this year’s prestigious M&S Farming for the Future awards. He will fi nd out if he has been crowned the winner on the fi rst day of the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh today (Thursday).

Mr MacLeannan, 27, has been nominated in the Young Producer category for his role in managing the supply of Lochmuir salmon to Marks and Spencer.

His nomination comes after having recently been appointed as the manager of the Marks and Spencer Lochmuir salmon farm at Fiunary, which recently reopened following a £2 million investment. Mr MacLeannan started working for Scottish Sea Farms four years ago as a trainee husbandry man and has quickly worked his way through the ranks.

His ambitious attitude has seen him eagerly grasp every training opportunity and, in a short space of time, he has also gained a variety of professional development qualifications, including those in fish health, fish feed and nutrition, and business management.

Mr MacLeannan has also collaborated with other farm managers and a specialist net company to secure the production of a uniquely designed net and weighting system, which enables them to be cleaned easily and thoroughly. This has ensured that hygiene among his fish is as high as possible and minimises the risk of infection.

The judges were impressed by Mr MacLeannan’s understanding of fish biology and that he had created a safe and productive environment in which salmon can thrive. They were also impressed with his passion for the industry and his dedication to learning and professional development.