Looking back, thinking ahead: Jamie Young
Fish Farming Expert has asked individuals connected to the salmon farming industry about their year, and what they hope for in 2025. Today we feature Jamie Young, sales director for Inverness-based salmon industry supplier Gael Force Group.
What have been the highlights for Gael Force in 2024?
Everyone at Gael Force Group should be proud of what we have achieved this year. Our objectives have always been to deliver on our growth plans and be the choice of partner for products and services, which we work towards through diligent planning and hard work.
We have continued to work hard towards these goals and we are delighted to have seen demand for our products persist. Throughout 2024, we saw our barges, pens, nets, moorings, and technology products being delivered to market.
Some significant highlights have been the steady production of barges and the ongoing upcycling programme which enhances our older SeaCap barges to give them a new lease of life. I am also looking forward to seeing our very impressive SeaFeed steel barge feed fish on site at the start of 2025. Its recent delivery to our yard for fitting out showcased how fantastic it really is.
What will be the most significant challenges and opportunities for Gael Force in the coming year?
We foresee an abundance of opportunities in the coming year. While we will continue to support the Scottish market with expected increased demand and improved market conditions, we are also turning our attention to recruiting talented individuals in strategic export markets.
We will be making great efforts to strike the right balance between supporting any new markets we enter into and ensuring we do not dilute the attention we give to the domestic market, as we continue to identify creative ways to support both.
At Gael Force Group, we enjoy challenging demands, and we look forward to leveraging our skilled and creative product development team, our dedicated production team, and our improved service and extended warranties to drive the company’s growth.
What do you see as the most significant challenges for the salmonid farming industry in Scotland and globally in 2025?
I’ve been in the industry for over 30 years and what I have learned is that there is always a new challenge to overcome – from the environment we work in, or the government’s often arm’s-length approach, to an unexpected curveball from the unknown.
The most impressive takeaway from all of these challenges is that the industry has risen to each one and overcome them. It is an extremely smart and creative industry with an abundance of highly skilled and motivated individuals at all levels working to make it better.
I firmly believe that, thanks to this, the industry enters 2025 in excellent condition, ready to step up and meet the demand of producing the finest quality food. At Gael Force Group, we are, and have always been, ready to do everything we can to enhance that.
Tomorrow: Sarah Riddle, head of research and innovation for the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre
