A Family Company Committed to Scotland’s Northern Isles
Salmon farming has been etched into the history and culture of the Scottish northern isles for decades. The strong tidal waters surrounding the islands make them the perfect place to rear the world’s finest salmon, with one of the lowest carbon footprints of any farmed livestock.
From what started in 1985 as a humble family aquaculture company with a single seawater site in Atlantic Canada, Cooke has grown into a global seafood leader. But what has remained a constant, is its commitment to sustainability and its communities.
Cooke Scotland was established in 2014 after Cooke acquired the successful seawater assets in Orkney. Three years later, the community of Stronsay approached the business to enquire about bringing Atlantic salmon sea farm sites to the island.
“Our communities are at the heart of what we do,” said Stewart Rendall, Orkney North Isles Area Manager at Cooke. “And so it was important to work with local residents on the island to see what could be accomplished by bringing salmon farming to Stronsay which would in turn lead to more jobs, help maintain the local population and continue to sustain the uptake of local ferries, shops and businesses.”
Two years on from the initial meetings with the people of Stronsay, both seawater sites at Mill Bay and Bay of Holland were granted planning permission and Cooke have reared organic salmon here ever since. Cooke is the largest producer of premium organic Scottish salmon, farm-raised exclusively in Orkney, noted for its rich flavour and large flakes. Low in calories and packed with omega 3, salmon is proven to promote healthy heart and brain development and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Cooke is always doing more to become carbon neutral and play its role in tackling harmful climate change. As part of its commitment to sustainability and to further reduce its carbon footprint, the Mill Bay site was selected to be the first of Cooke Scotland’s barges to install a hybrid feed barge.
“We raise our fish with care, and that includes ensuring we are using the latest technology to sustainably feed them,” Stewart continued. “The hybrid system reduces fuel consumption, carbon dioxide emissions and extends the life of the generator and equipment by using the residual capacity from the generator to charge the batteries.
“We saw immediate results from the hybrid technology at Mill Bay, a reduction of fuel consumption by 40 per cent, and this therefore made a significant difference to the site’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and fuel usage.”
The success of this new technology led to two more hybrid systems being installed on salmon farms in Westray and Shetland.
Not only do the staff work tirelessly to produce a healthy source of protein in order to supply over 600,000 meals daily to a growing global population, they are also heavily ingrained in the local communities. As an intrinsic element of the coastal and rural communities in which staff live and work, Cooke is proud to support a variety of local-led events, activities, and community projects that reflect its corporate values as well as those of its teams. The Cooke Community Benefit Fund has supported numerous projects, events and causes in Stronsay including regularly sponsoring the Massive Weekend event, and providing laptops for Stronsay Junior High School to ensure every student had access to their own device.
Cooke further supported the annual Harvest Home dinner, purchased inflatables and games for the local swimming pool, supplied funding to Stronsay Development Trust for defibrillators, and aided Stronsay Community Association with a significant financial donation to help build a new hall extension on the Stronsay Hall which plays a vital role in the community.
Vicci Laird, Head of Human Resources at Cooke is based in Orkney. “As one of the biggest employers across the northern isles, we employ more than 140 people in Orkney,” she said. “The majority of whom are native Orcadians which means we are creating local jobs for local people, helping to keep remote communities viable. As a family-owned company we understand that the jobs we provide matter. They keep people and their families on the islands, attract new people to live here, and help businesses to thrive and schools to stay open.”
For the remote islands especially, a new farm can be transformational in terms of tackling local depopulation. Seven members of staff work for Cooke at Stronsay sites, with three living on the island and another Stronsay resident based on sites in Westray.
Read here about Richard’s experience of working for Cooke in Stronsay.
As featured in the Stronsay Limpet.