Scottish new salmon farmer, Organic Sea Harvest (OSH), partnered with Cargill to jointly launch the Bho Mhuir gu Tir (From Sea to Land) community fund. The fund was launched coinciding with OSH’s first harvest. The community fund forms part of OSH’s ongoing commitment to bring social, cultural and economic benefits to the northeast Skye community it farms within. 

The principal aim of OSH’s community initiative is to provide financial support to local organizations for projects which bring tangible benefits to sustain the rural district of Staffin, known as An Taobh Sear (East Side). The area has a resident population of more than 570 people, who live in 23 crofting townships dotted around Staffin Bay and the Trotternish Ridge.

OSH will be contributing 5p per Kg of head-on, gutted fish harvested from their farms to the fund, and the money will then be used for various community projects. The success of this initiative will be based on factors such as the number of farms OSH operates, the tonnage harvested and the number of fish feed tons OSH purchases from Cargill. 

A committee will be formed and composed of the OSH workforce and local community representatives (including Sgoil Stafainn) to decide which projects are supported.  Each project will need to submit an expression of interest prior to being awarded any funding.  OSH anticipates that several projects a year could benefit from this fund. 

James Deverill, country director for Cargill Aqua Nutrition, said, “we are excited about the opportunity to support Organic Sea Harvest’s continued investment in the communities surrounding their organic salmon farming operations. Cargill is passionate about people and proud to be part of creating healthy, sustainable seafood for people to enjoy.”

Organic Sea Harvest is the only salmon farmer in Scotland to focus solely on producing the finest organic salmon, with both sea sites officially certified as organic by the UK Soil Association.