Mowi has acquired Ocean Matters’ aquaculture facility, a hatchery that currently produces lumpfish, one of the two species that have proven to be an effective cleanerfish. The company also cultures ballan wrasse at other facilities. 

Ocean Matters produces lumpfish in RAS systems and is the largest producer in the UK and one of the largest world-wide. Mowi has been Ocean Matters’ larger customer and collaborator since inception. Dougie Hunter, Head of Cleanerfish and Technical Services at Mowi Scotland, said that this purchase increases the Mowi’s capacity for cleanerfish production and it has a great potential for future development.

The use of cleanerfish is now a major part of the company’s sea lice control strategy and part of a larger integrated pest management program at its marine salmon farms that includes other non-medicinal sea lice management solutions such as freshwater baths and mechanical removal. Mowi will continue to operate the new purchase under the Ocean Matters name. 

Mowi is the world’s largest producer of salmon, providing one-fifth of the world’s supply. Employing 1300 people in Scotland, the company operates three salmon hatcheries, five freshwater loch sites, 49 sea farms, two processing plants and a feed mill.