FOWFAC

Scottish salmon is now the UK’s biggest food export. However, a growing shortage of inshore sites means expanding the industry to deal with a predicted 30 million tonne extra seafood requirement by 2030 is currently impossible. As world leaders in floating offshore wind energy, Scotland has a unique opportunity to move aquaculture to sites more suitable for salmon; thus, eliminating many of the environmental concerns with inshore farming.

FOWFAC is an automated salmon, mussel, and kelp farming system which removes carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus from our oceans by natural means. It has been designed to withstand offshore conditions and benefit the surrounding marine environment right through to its second life as an artificial reef and upwelling pipes. The enclosure’s innovative ballast system usually operates submerged to avoid the most severe wave energies and lice layer; and rises to the surface and rotates for maintenance and self-cleaning through UV exposure.