Pure Salmon director Martin Fothergill dies at 52
Pure Salmon director Martin Fothergill has died at the age of 52 after what colleagues said was “a brave and tough battle with an aggressive illness”.
Fothergill co-founded 8F Asset Management to fund Pure Salmon, which is in the process of building on-land salmon farms in various locations around the world. It intends to produce 260,000 tonnes of salmon annually in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) facilities with capacities of 10,000 and 20,000 tonnes.
“With an unparalleled level of dedication, hard work, and with unquestionable judgment, Martin has been instrumental in shaping the strategy and vision as well as in building the robust foundations for the long-term success of 8F and Pure Salmon,” 8F said in a statement on LinkedIn.
“He left an indelible imprint on both companies and all of us. And he did so with brilliant leadership, in the friendliest and kindest manner and with his magnetic charisma; he was a true and rare gentleman. We will miss him very dearly.”
Africa, US and China
Pure Salmon already produces fish at a 450-tonne on-land facility in Poland built by Israeli RAS expert AquaMaof, which is Pure Salmon’s technology partner. The Polish plant is being used as Pure Salmon’s R&D and training facility.
Pure Salmon is building 10,000-tonne RAS farms in Boulogne in France and in Japan, and has agreements in place to build 20,000-tonne RAS facilities in the land-locked southern African state of Lesotho, and in Tazewell County in Virginia in the United States, where it is getting $20m of development assistance.
It has also signed a deal to build a 10,000-tonne RAS facility in Brunei, and has its sights sets on further facilities in the US and China.
The plants will include hatcheries, grow-out tanks and processing facilities.
Fothergill spelled out Pure Salmon’s ambitions and philosophy in an interview with Fish Farming Expert in December 2018.
