£914,000 pens project

Aquaculture:

A Highland project aimed at expanding fish farming beyond sheltered inshore waters could raise the sector’s value by £3.7 million and create jobs.

Aquaculture equipment supply firm Gael Force Group, based in Inverness, has launched a £914,000 scheme to develop pens capable of being used in rougher sea conditions at more exposed sites.

Managing director Stewart Graham said the project would help to unlock the sector’s “huge growth potential” as well as creating new job opportunities in its own operations in Inverness and Argyll.

Funding of £457,000 from development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) was announced by Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing during a visit to Gael Force’s Inverness base. More than half the cash is from HIE’s Accelerating Aquaculture Innovation (AAI) scheme.

Mr Graham said: “Not only will our new offshore pen reinforce a move towards higher energy sites and unlock Scottish aquaculture’s huge growth potential, it will help spearhead our export initiative and enable us to create job opportunities.”

Iain Bolland, HIE business development account manager for Gael Force, said the project “could be a game changer for fish farming in Scotland”.

Mr Bolland added: “It will help grow turnover domestically and internationally, as well as create and retain valuable jobs, particularly in rural areas.”

AAI was launched last year as a 30-month pilot programme, led by HIE, and delivered with Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre.

It offers small and medium-sized enterprises in the aquaculture supply chain the chance of match-funding to help commercialise innovative new processes, products, services or technologies.