28 November 2006
Feedback has been extremely positive from all who attended the Sea Fish Industry Authority/Irish Sea Fisheries Board (BIM) practical workshop on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 November.
Around 20 mussel farmers and representatives of NAFC gathered at the NAFC Marine Centre to find out more about collecting, identifying and counting mussel larvae and hear Dr Susan Steele of BIM deliver an overview of Irish experiences in rope-mussel culture and recent BIM trials in collecting seed on collection ropes placed on the sea bed.
Lindsay Angus of Cribba Sound Ltd said: "There are many techniques involved in calculating spat and this introductory workshop has outlined the best way to do this. It is now up to us to follow these procedures and develop our systems."
Michael Laurenson of Blueshell Mussels added: "Since we began mussel farming we have based everything we do on our experiences from year to year, but now the industry has developed to a level where we need to be more scientific. The course has been very worthwhile, not only in providing us with the tools to build a successful procedure to use in successfully identifying and counting spat fall, but also in presenting us with a valuable networking opportunity."
The short course was delivered by Dr Steele, BIM's aquaculture and fish quality training officer, together with Martin Syvret, an aquaculture consultant working on behalf of Seafish. Both were extremely complimentary about the staff and facilities at the NAFC Marine Centre and all who took part.
Dr Steele commented: "The facilities and staff at the NAFC Marine Centre are fantastic. I believe that the mussel farming industry is now ripe for short training courses and Shetland has the ideal training facilities at the NAFC Marine Centre to deliver these."
"Feedback from the workshops has been extremely positive," added Martin Syvret. "It was a real pleasure to hold the courses for what were very enthusiastic participants. I would like to thank everyone on behalf of Susan and myself for their help throughout the two-day event. The level of enthusiasm and support certainly made it one of the best workshops that I have been involved with on behalf of Seafish."
Further information from:
Ruth Henderson, Seafood Shetland, tel 01595 693644 or email sfpa@fishuk.net
Or, Louise Rosie, Shaw Marketing and Design Ltd, tel 01595 692465 or email louise.rosie@shaw-online.com
Notes to editors:
The workshop was supported by Seafish, BIM, NAFC Marine Centre and Seafood Shetland.