TRAINING


CONTAINMENT SPECIAL


MARINE HARVEST SCOTLAND AND HVALPSUND NET A/S


By Gregor Donald, Farm Manager, Marine Harvest Loch Garry WORKSHOP INSPIRES INVESTMENT IN NEW NETS


M


anagers from Marine Harvest Scotland freshwater sites recently attended a ‘Best Practice Workshop on Con- tainment’, organised by the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation. This included a presentation by Mark Taylor of Thistle Environmental, which centred on a research study by the Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum (SARF). The study involved interviews with representatives from the majority of companies that had experienced containment breaches since 2002. We all remember the damage that re- sulted from the storm of 2005 but, interestingly, one of the most common reasons for escapes from farms was via holes in nets. Unfortunately, Marine Harvest Scotland have had first-hand experience of incidents like these, so we decided we had to do something about it. Net integrity can be compromised for a number of reasons – including snagging, cutting, chaffing or UV damage. Our options were therefore quite clear. Either we source nylon nets with greater strength, or we commit to having the strongest nets available. Some of our freshwater loch sites had already been using Dyneema®


as chaffer panels because


TOP: ICE ON LOCH GARRY COULD THREATEN CONVENTIONAL NETS


TOP RIGHT: FARM MANAGERS IAIN FRASER AND ALEC RUSSELL DISCUSS NET DESIGNS WITH PIOTREK SZULC AT THE POLDEN NET FACTORY


RIGHT: THE FIRST NET FOR MH (SCOTLAND) LTD BEGINS PRODUCTION


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of issues with ice during the last few winters, which had led to concerns about containment as large chunks of ice drifted into the sides of the nets. The panels were very effective, as the nets remained undamaged.


Even though the panels were effective, we still felt that it would be better to replace all our freshwater nets with those made entirely from Dyneema®


. This lightweight material is


stronger than steel. It is resistant to chaffing, tearing, UV dam- age and it should last longer than our nylon nets. Because of its strength, it should make it virtually impossible for predators to chew holes through nets to gain access to stock. As well as be- ing a possible threat to containment, this also causes significant stress to the fish.


WE WANTED STRONG NETS THAT WOULD BE BOTH FISH AND FISH FARMER FRIENDLY


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