AquaGen Scotland has welcomed Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon to perform the long-delayed official opening of the Holywood Breeding Centre, near Dumfries.
AquaGen acquired the hatchery in March 2019 and has subsequently invested more than £5 million, rebuilding and repurposing the facility for salmon egg production and creating eight new jobs.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said that aquaculture and its wider supply chain were an essential component of Scotland’s economy. "With an estimated 75% of Scottish aquaculture supply chain spend already in Scotland, this is a welcome addition with the centre supporting highly skilled aquaculture jobs in Dumfries and helping Scotland to reduce its reliance on ova imports and improve market security,” she said.
Acquisition of the Holywood Breeding Centre enables the company to provide a reliable supply of eggs from AquaGen broodstock, which has been developed since 1971. Key investments include full environmental control of the broodfish rearing environment and state-of-the-art egg incubation systems.
Over the next three years, the company aims to increase production to 50 million eggs, which will be available for delivery all year round to domestic and export markets.
“Our ongoing investment supports the aims of Scotland’s 10 Year Farmed Fish Health Framework, by helping to improve the security and quality of Scotland’s ova supply,” said managing director, Andrew Reeve.
