Barcaldine’s Noelia named Finfish Manager of the Year
Scottish Sea Farms celebrates double triumph at annual aquaculture awards
Scottish Sea Farms celebrated a double triumph at the annual Aquaculture Awards open to entries from all over the world.
The company’s Noelia Rodriguez, operations manager of the new hatchery at Barcaldine, won Finfish Farmer of the Year award.
Its Orkney team won the Economic Sustainability prize for a housing development on the island of Eday.
Noelia, originally from Asturias in northern Spain, joined Scottish Sea Farms in 2012 as fish health biologist. She began her career at the company’s marine farms and gained an MSc (Master of Science) in Sustainable Aquaculture from the University of St Andrews, Fife.
She made the leap to freshwater production in 2017 and was appointed operations manager of the hatchery at Barcaldine, which is equipped with recirculating aquaculture system technology. The company said she is credited with creating greater collaboration between freshwater and marine farming, resulting in measurable advances in fish health and welfare.
Now two years into her role at Barcaldine, her focus on producing top quality smolts has been rewarded with fish that have been, in her words, ‘nothing short of amazing’.
Of her award, Noelia said: ‘There was a lot of talent represented in the category and across the awards, so I feel honoured to have been chosen.
‘I have such a passion for the sector. Equally, the last few years have been such hard work to make Barcaldine the success it is today, not only for me but for everyone involved, so this award is really for all those who helped make it happen and who continue to work hard to produce the best quality smolts.’
Jim Gallagher, Scottish Sea Farms managing director, said: ‘Across the company, we have exceptional people doing exceptional things, all with the shared purpose of farming as responsibly and as sustainably as we can. I am delighted for Noelia, who continues to go from strength to strength, and for our Eday homes team who, by thinking bigger picture, have improved conditions for colleagues and possibly shaped a new business model for ensuring more of our remote farms remain viable in the long-term.’
In Orkney, Scottish Sea Farms worked with landowners Willowstream to provide much-needed housing on the remote island of Eday. The conditions for growing salmon were superb, but the remote location had made recruitment difficult, the company said.
With just 76 habitable properties for a population of 129 people, the lack of affordable homes threatened the long-term viability of the salmon farm.
Yet in eight years it has grown more than 1.6 million premium salmon with a combined market value in excess of £44 million.
The solution was to introduce a two-week on, two-week off shift pattern and to build six houses in the secluded area of Mill Bay for staff.
The awards recognise the achievements in the sector and give recognition to those making an exceptional contribution to the industry.