The new Salmonid Rearing and Trials Centre at Sparsholt College in Hamphire, UK, will officially be opened on 31 January by Robert Hughes from aquaculture feed producer Skretting.
The £500,000 centre, which has been part funded by the EFF and MMO, will be primarily used as an educational facility but also has significant potential as a research facility and for educational development by way of feed trials and student theses, as well as supporting some local fisheries’ re-stocking programmes.
The centre features a small aquaculture unit to produce table fish which will increase the students’ commercial and entrepreneurial experience and there is the potential to provide training for the aquaculture industry.
The college will also be launching the Fish Husbandry Apprenticeship, a brand new qualification which has been developed in collaboration with Lantra. The Apprenticeship is available now for those looking to combine practical work experience alongside academic study. The Apprenticeship scheme is particularly relevant to the salmonid industry, but is suitable for all sectors of the fishery industry including aquaculture, sports fishery management, public aquaria and aquatic retail.
Delivery of a new Masters (MSc) in Applied Aquaculture and Sports Fisheries will also benefit from the resources that the new facility provides and interest has already been indicated for doctoral (PhD) research.
