October 3, 2006

Aquaculture industry in the UK urged to continue focus on cod and halibut
 

The farming of marine finfish species such as cod and halibut is playing an important role in helping plug the gap between supply and demand, the annual conference of the British Marine Finfish Association (BMFA) heard in Shetland Monday (Oct 2).

BMFA secretary Richard Slaski said consumer demand for fish is continuing to rise and aquaculture is essential to make up for the shortfall from wild catch.

Salski quoted figures from the UN's FAO which showed that nearly half the fish consumed worldwide are now raised on fish farms. The health benefits of fish makes it one of the most sought after foods, he said.

Salski also singled out Shetland-based Johnson Seafarms for praise. The company was lauded for its pioneering work in cod farming and was an example of how outside capital investment in fish farming can help the sector grow.

Slaski believes there is money to be made in the farming of species such as cod and halibut because of the high market demand. Such investment would take the industry to higher levels, he said.