Marine Harvest wins top award in prize night

MARINE Harvest Scotland scooped the top prize of best aquaculture company in the Scottish Marine Aquaculture Awards, held last night in Aviemore.
At a packed ceremony, staged on the first night of the Aquaculture UK exhibition, companies and individuals were recognised in 12 different categories.
Marine Harvest also won the Community Initiative award, for its Isle of Rum development initiative, which has included building homes for staff, and it was awarded the Innovation accolade, for pioneering enivro nets for circular pens.
Scottish Sea Farms’ Sarah Last was named Finfish Farm Manager of the Year, the second time a female farm manager has triumphed, after Marine Harvest’s Rosie Curtis was honoured in the last Scottish aquaculture awards, staged three years ago in Edinburgh.
Meanwhile, Stewart Graham, managing director of Gael Force Group, beat a formidable line up of industry leaders – including Marine Harvest’s Steve Bracken, former SSPO chief executive Scott Landsburgh, and Kames Fish Faming’s Stuart Cannon – to win the Outstanding Contribution to Industry award.
Graham has been one of the driving forces behind the vision to grow the industry and double its value by 2030 and he co-chairs the Aquaculture Industry Leadership Group.
Cannon was later named the People’s Choice winner of the night, a first time award voted for by the public in the run up to the show.
Other winners on the night were:
Aquaculture Seafood Product of the Year – Moules Frites by the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group.
Shellfish Farm Manager of the Year – Robert Lamont, Loch Ryan Oyster Fishery Company.
Stewardship and Sustainability – National Lobster Hatchery.
Rising Star – Lynne Frame of Scottish Sea Farms and Scott MacKay of AKVA group Scotland.
Business Development – AKVA group Scotland.
Aquaculture Supplier of the Year – Inverlussa Marine Services.
Picture: Marine Harvest Scotland managing director Ben Hadfield