Scottish Sea Farms opens major Shetland site
Scottish Sea Farms has opened its largest salmon farm, featuring advanced infrastructure, hybrid power and improved fish-farming facilities
Scottish Sea Farms has officially opened Scotland’s largest salmon farm in Shetland, unveiling a £7.5 million development featuring larger pens, advanced feeding technology and upgraded infrastructure designed to improve fish welfare, operational efficiency and staff safety.
The Billy Baa marine site, located west of South Whiteness and Weisdale Voe, was opened by Shetland MSP Hannah Mary Goodlad.
Stocked in September, the farm has a consented biomass capacity of 4,091 tonnes and forms part of the company’s strategy to develop larger farms in deeper waters with stronger currents.
Farm manager Peter Muir, who helped design the facility, said: “Even though we have more fish on site, the amount of space they have to swim around in is still extensive. The fish are looking really good; we transferred them from a nursery site at an average weight of 1kg and plan to harvest them next October or November.”
The site features nine 160-metre pens, the first of their size in Shetland, alongside one 120-metre pen supplied by Inverness-based Gael Force Group. Average water depth is 45 metres, making Billy Baa one of the deepest farms in the company’s Shetland estate.
Infrastructure includes a 500-tonne steel feed barge, Scottish Sea Farms’ largest to date, fitted with a hybrid power system combining a diesel generator and batteries. The technology provides continuous power and supports round-the-clock monitoring of equipment and site security.
A ten-line feeding system allows all pens to be fed simultaneously, while a seawater-based keel cooling system reduces maintenance requirements and improves engine-room security. The barge also incorporates an Inergen fire suppression system designed to protect personnel and equipment.
The development has created eight full-time jobs. Its £1.8 million workboat was built by Macduff Shipyards, with a second personnel vessel constructed by Arran Workboats.
Muir said the larger pens and heavier-duty walkways also provide more space and safer working conditions for employees.
