Loch Duart hails ‘game-changing’ feed
Bespoke formulation reduces Scotland salmon farmer's forage fish ratio to just 0.33
Scottish salmon farmer Loch Duart says it has set a new standard for quality and environmental impact after completing a farming cycle with a new, more sustainable feed.
The tailor-made version of BioMar’s Blue Impact feed maintains high omega-3 levels by using trimmings from fish caught for human consumption in certified fisheries, while at the same time reducing the company’s forage fish dependency ratio (FFDR) from 0.44 to 0.33. This means that for each kilo of fish caught for use in feed, Loch Duart produces 3 kg of salmon.
Blue Impact was launched two years ago at Aquaculture UK in Aviemore and is designed to reduce carbon footprint and other environmental impacts. But that wasn’t enough for Loch Duart, which asked BioMar to go further.
Loch Duart sales director Chris Orr said: “Not all salmon are farmed equally and at Loch Duart, right from the very start 25 years ago, we’ve been committed to raising the standards of our industry by pioneering fish welfare and low-impact farming methods. Loch Duart Salmon’s bespoke Blue Impact diet, produced in partnership with our feed partners at BioMar, is a game-changer, which prioritises low-impact feed ingredients and has circular and restorative thinking at its heart.
“The new feed is now *56.5% more carbon-friendly than standard farmed salmon diets and with a new FFDR of just 0.33 Loch Duart now has a net positive marine output.”
Real improvements
Robert Wilson, business unit director at BioMar UK, said: “Our Blue Impact diets were introduced to drive real improvements in key sustainability areas where aquaculture can make a significant environmental difference, including reducing the CO2 footprint, dependency on wild stocks and increasing the use of circular ingredients. Loch Duart embraced the principle from day one, switching their entire production to the new diet. We believe our Blue Impact diets are setting a new benchmark in sustainable feeds while maintaining the high quality standards that Loch Duart Salmon is known for.”
Chef Thomas Leatherbarrow, who was at the announcement about the success of the feed, said Loch Duart salmon had a unique flavour profile.
“It’s a much healthier product to buy because its diet and bespoke feed mean it really is unrivalled tasting salmon,” said the chef.
*SINTEF report ‘Greenhouse gas emissions of Norwegian salmon products’ ((Authors U. Johansen, A.A. Nistad, F. Ziegler, S. Mehta, M. Langeland, Y. Wocken, Erik.S. Hognes) Published Nov 2022)
