Cooke Aquaculture breaks ground on new RAS facility in Argyll, Scotland

Cooke Aquaculture Scotland has begun construction of a new recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) facility at its salmon hatchery in Cairndow, Argyll.

Designed to significantly reduce freshwater usage while enhancing water control, the system will allow hatchery staff to rear healthier, more robust smolts with lower environmental impact, according to Cooke.

“As the largest single capital project Cooke Scotland has commissioned, this development aligns with our commitment to fish welfare as well as growing the business responsibly and sustainability,” said Colin Blair, Managing Director at Cooke Aquaculture Scotland.

RAS is modern, intensive method of fish farming that uses a closed-loop system to maintain and recycle water. It will continuously filter and reuse water with the facility, reducing water consumption compared to traditional flow-through systems, such as the one at Cairndow where five personnel are employed.

The fully integrated system at Cairndow will exceed the size of the RAS in operation at Cooke’s Furnace Hatchery. Work is expected to be completed next year, with the first eggs estimated to arrive on site in December 2027.

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