Scottish Sea Farms (SSF) is upgrading its smolt production sites on the Isle of Mull and Sutherland, Scotland, using material from the company’s redundant seawater pens, in a commitment to responsible recycling.
The freshwater smolt units at Loch Shin in Sutherland and Loch Frisa on Mull are being upgraded by Fusion Marine through the removal of old existing steel pens and replaced with 18 new refurbished circular 40m circumference polyethylene (PE) Aquaflex pens. The material to fabricate the pens has been sourced from 11 redundant 70m circumference seawater pens that were originally supplied to SSF around 15 years ago. These pens were upgraded in 2007 to include a full peripheral decking system and all the material is being used in the project with new parts and fixings incorporated where required.
Fusion Marine initially surveyed the old pens in 2014 and carried out a full fit-for-purpose survey of the equipment to make sure it met requirements for re-use in line with the newly implemented Scottish Technical Standard.
The use of this ‘free-issue’ existing material provides a sustainable and environmentally friendly means of upgrading these sites through the utilisation of redundant marine equipment. For Loch Frisa, the arrangement comprises a 66m pontoon with eight pens, whilst at Loch Shin it consists of an 81m pontoon and 10 pens.
SSF not only supplied by the material for the project but also worked closely with Fusion Marine in stripping and cleaning the old pens, as well as aiding in the fabrication process.
“We are always keen as a company to ensure that redundant pens and material are responsibly disposed or recycled,” said Fusion Marine’s Rhuaraidh Edwards. “The pens in question started life out in seawater production 15 years ago and have been modified and upgraded along the way. It is very pleasing that we have been able to refurbish them in new locations for SSF so they can get another 15 years plus from them as part of their freshwater operations.”
