History

Otter Ferry started life as a trout farm. A raceway system was built in the early 70’s. But after a dry spell made the water scarce the company switched to a recirculation system, pumping brackish water. The natural progression was then to move into salmon, it pioneered land-based salmon culture, eventually specialising in salmon broodstock and smolt production.

There were 12 tanks on shore of Loch Fyne with a flow through system, producing 60 tonnes of salmon, which at that time accounted for 10% of Scottish Production. The pump ashore system was free of sea lice and experienced very good growth rated and survival, but then, inevitability technology improved and the cages took off. Otter Ferry went from 25m tanks to 45m in an effort to keep up with the plastic and steel sea cages, but the company could not compete.

In the 1980’s the industry was hit by furunculosis and at the same time the price of salmon dropped. Otter Ferry had built a new site at Lephinmore by this point producing 300-400 tonnes but soon realised the strategy would have to change. It was then decided to specialise in broodstock and smolts; using the freshwater cage sites to develop the hatchery and produced 500,000 smolts. The company produced quailty salmon eggs which were sold to both Chile and Scotland. The business thrived in the 90’s but consolidation and vertical integration of the industry left little room for independent smolt producers.

This led to the decision to diversify into other species, looking at several options before deciding on Halibut. The backdrop for halibut was a premium fish with a declining wild catch. Research at Seafish Ardtowe led the way and Otter Ferry took it from there. Wild broodstock were caught from Iceland and that was the start of the halibut venture at Otter Ferry.

Otter Ferry is one of only 5 halibut hatcheries in the world and produces all the eggs and juveniles they need for Gigha Halibut. Following a successful research project working alongside the Institute of Aquaculture the company started to produce all females, which mature at 10kg.

In 2009 Otter Ferry Seafish diversified further, into wrasse farming. Another difficult species to farm, their purpose is to be deployed to salmon farms to tackle the sea lice problem.

Lumpfish then arrived in 2014 and Otter Ferry has produced more than 1000,000 juvenile lumpfish, which fill the gap when there are no wrasse.

The company continues its innovation in sustainable aquaculture.