Grimsby’s seafood cluster has given its backing to Aquacultured’s proposed £75 million onshore salmon farm.
Chair of the Seafood Grimsby & Humber Alliance, Simon Smith, has written in support of the 50-tank development, with the group representing major salmon processors in the town. Together they provide a gateway to the UK retail market and beyond.
It comes as it enters a public consultation next week, with an event at Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre. An initial scoping application - a precursor to the planning process - had brought some concern from animal rights campaigners and neighbouring residents. Around 100 jobs are anticipated should it be approved and developed at the scale envisaged.
Read more: RWE opens Grimsby recruitment drive with 20+ offshore wind turbine technicians sought
Mr Smith, Young’s Seafood and Sofina Foods Europe vice chairman, said: “We fully support the Aquacultured Ltd plans for an onshore salmon farm investment on Grimsby port.
“Grimsby's seafood processing cluster of 5,000 jobs is among the UK's major hubs. Like many industries, our success relies on the availability and high quality of our raw materials, in this case, farmed salmon.
“As the global demand for protein grows, in turn the farmed salmon industry needs to grow to meet that demand.”
He told how the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations predicts how the global population will reach 9.8 billion by 2050, with the demand for food set to increase by 50 per cent, and demand for animal-based foods by nearly 70 per cent.
“Fish, including farmed salmon, can offer a solution to meeting this increased demand,” he said. “As demand increases there will be increased pressure on the already over-exploited wild fish reserves, which is why farmed fish is required to efficiently manage and maintain both wild fish stocks and the ocean's natural biodiversity.”
Mr Smith said developing economies were now competing for traditional imports.
“Suppliers of farmed salmon in Norway, who supply vast raw material to Grimsby, are under increasing pressure to supply salmon to growing middle class families in China, India and Indonesia. This could be to the detriment of salmon supplies to the UK. Having an onshore salmon farm investment in Grimsby makes eminent sense and will mean we are less reliant on overseas imports of fresh salmon.
“It is a stepping stone towards the UK's food security of a healthy raw material. The environmental impact of salmon farmed in Grimsby close to the processing sector will be significant compared with salmon - for instance - trucked from Norway.
“We fully support this investment, the growth it will bring to the cluster and the sustainable jobs in Grimsby.”
Read next:
Family seafood business expanding in Grimsby home town recognised with King's Award
Seafood cluster catches Net Zero attention across industry with inaugural event
Grimsby start-up to generate electricity from the road on the journey to Net Zero
Winners crowned at Northern Lincolnshire Business Awards 2023
All your Humber business news in one place - bookmark it now
