Aerial view of Otter Ferry Seafish operations in Scotland, which has just been acquired by Amar Seafood.
Photo: Amar Seafood.
In what it described as a strategic move aligning with its commitment to drive sustainable seafood production and expand its global operations, Norway-based company Amar Seafood announced the acquisition of Otter Ferry Seafish Ltd., a pioneering Scottish marine hatchery since 1968, and one of the longest-established aquaculture businesses in the UK.
Amar Seafood - which has a proven track record in the fish farming industry focused on high-value species such as halibut and wolffish - already acquired Halibut PEI, a land-based, closed-contained halibut farming operation located in Prince Edward Island, Canada, two years ago.
As Scotland's sole commercial marine hatchery, Otter Ferry has played a leading role in establishing the production of halibut, wrasse, and lumpfish. In addition, it has also been instrumental in the development of trout farming, land-based salmon farming, and the production of salmon broodstock and smolt.
So, while stewardship of the historic Scottish hatchery will now pass to the Norwegian company, the new owner said the experienced Otter Ferry team will continue to manage the business, complemented by the additional expertise of Amar Seafood from Norway and Canada.
For his part, Otter Ferry's Managing Director, Alastair Barge, expressed his confidence in the acquisition, showing satisfaction and excitement at entrusting the new owner with the company's stewardship. "We know them well and have developed a strong supplier-customer relationship that fits well with our ethos of innovation and sustainability," he said.
Alastair Barge, Managing Director Otter Ferry Seafish, and Bjørn Apeland, Chair Amar Group, representing the acquisition agreement with a handshake.
Photo: Amar Seafood.
Commenting on the acquisition, both Barge and Bjørn M. Apeland, Chairman of Amar Group, emphasized the future projection of Otter Ferry after the transaction and what, in turn, that projection will mean for Amar Seafood.
"We can clearly see the benefits that Amar Seafood will bring, not just to the company, but to all those involved in the company and the Scottish aquaculture sector as a whole," stated the Scottish company's Managing Director.
"Otter Ferry has kept the flame alight for halibut as a species over the last 30 years, and we now have a company in Amar Seafood that can more than match our vision for this extraordinary product," Alastair Barge added.
"We are absolutely delighted with our acquisition," Apeland said for his part. "We see Otter Ferry as a Scottish-based international hub supporting our operations in Norway and Canada, both as an advanced hatchery producing increased amounts of quality juveniles and also as a valuable industry agri-tech research centre."
"We are committed to a phased expansion of the hatchery to enable us to develop our near-market on-growing capacity in Scotland, Canada, and Norway," the Chairman of Amar Group concluded.
