Cleaner fish

Pat Reynolds, one of the world’s preeminent lumpfish researchers, believes that – despite a number of welfare issues and a slight dip in their popularity – the species merits a prominent place in the list of ways to control sea lice on salmon farms.

Jim Treasurer, co-editor of a new comprehensive publication on sea lice, looks back on over three decades of working to combat aquaculture’s best known and most costly ectoparasites.

The environmental impacts of aquaculture are often in the spotlight. The need for sustainable practices is now firmly embedded in the minds of the public, governments and industry – but this sometimes presents trade-offs in fish welfare.

Ukraine’s fish farming industry has been devastated by the Russian invasion, but farmers are also helping to feed the troops and displaced people, explains Andrey Honcharov, the CEO of Ukrainian Fish Farming Company.

While the introduction of invasive non-native species such as Nile perch and water hyacinth have had a catastrophic impact on the biodiversity of Lake Victoria, a growing number of initiatives to control them may help to limit the damage and create new jobs.

Stephen Woods, who has been with Scottish Sea Farms for 27 years, and farm manager of Charlotte’s Bay near Oban for the past 12 of those, was named Finfish Farmer of the Year at the recent Aquaculture Awards in Aviemore. Here he describes his career journey.

A recent initiative brought together a group of 20 women from a variety of backgrounds, to return to work following breaks in their careers. Three of the participants reflect on why they took part and what they now plan to achieve.

Martin Welch, co-founder of KelpCrofting and inventor of the KelpRing cleaner fish hide, discusses the huge range of benefits that can be brought about by small-scale seaweed farming in the North Atlantic and beyond.