Mowi hosts Scottish Affairs Committee - MOWI - Scotland

Mowi hosts Scottish Affairs Committee

Mowi was pleased to host members of Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee to our farm at Loch Erisort as part of a fact-finding visit to the Western Isles in December. Mowi currently employs 163 people within the Western Isles and Skye area.

Nine MPs joined the trip and met with local workers including Regional Manager, Don MacLeod, and Area Manager, David MacMillan, who hail from the Isle of Lewis.

The Scottish Affairs Committee is chaired by Labour MP for Glasgow West, Patricia Ferguson, and the membership includes the Liberal Democrat MP Angus MacDonald, whose Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency is home to a number of salmon farms.

The MPs were given an overview of Mowi’s salmon farming operations, the production cycle, supply chain, community benefit and career opportunities within salmon farming.

The visit also provided the opportunity to tackle some of the myths and misconceptions that are pushed by anti-salmon farming activists as well as Mowi’s future development plans that include consolidating existing sites with fewer, larger pens and continuing to invest significant sums in Scotland.

SAC members observe a fish health check during their visit to Loch Erisort

Patricia Ferguson MP, Chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee, said: “The Committee was pleased to visit Mowi’s salmon farm at Loch Erisort as part of our trip to the Isle of Lewis and Harris. Salmon is a valuable export for the Scottish and UK economy, and the aquaculture sector is an important employer in Scotland’s island communities. During our visit we learned more about the challenges and opportunities for the sustainable growth of salmon farming.”

Tavish Scott, Chief Executive of Salmon Scotland, said: “We welcome the interest in our sector from the Scottish Affairs Committee and the chance to get MPs out onto a salmon farm to see for themselves the reality of salmon farming on Scotland’s rugged west coast. The MPs were fully engaged and learned more about the benefits salmon farming brings to Scotland, and what role they and the committee can play in supporting the responsible growth of our sector.

“It was also a good opportunity to welcome new MPs from central belt constituencies given the importance of salmon supply chain businesses right across Scotland.

“Scottish salmon is the UK’s number one food export and contributes £760 million to the Scottish economy every year. We look forward to working with the committee and individual MPs to ensure the Scottish salmon sector is at the heart of the Government’s thinking.”

Mowi’s Don MacLeod conducts a fish health check

Don MacLeod, Regional Manager North at Mowi Scotland, added: “Mowi was pleased to be asked to host the visit by the Scottish Affairs Committee and give the MPs the opportunity to see our fish first-hand and to meet the team responsible for the day-to-day running of the farm.

“Our teams work hard all year round in all weathers and it is appreciated that the Committee took time out from their busy schedule to visit. We look forward to continuing communications and hosting more visits in the future.”

The visit followed a one-off session, held by the Committee, which explored the economic benefits of the Scottish salmon sector and was attended by representatives from Salmon Scotland, Mowi Scotland and Scottish Sea Farms.

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