Chris Mitchell, a fisheries biologist with extensive experience in the UK aquaculture sector, has been appointed as BioMarine’s representative for the British and Irish markets.
Bio Marine in the UK
BioMarine is expanding into the UK and has appointed an experienced industry professional as its representative. The company is focusing on selling its proprietary sea lice skirts, deep-water lifting technology, environmental management solutions, and underwater lighting for fish cages.
After experiencing strong growth over the past year, with increasing exports, BioMarine is now ready to expand its market reach to include British aquaculture. Chris Mitchell, a fisheries biologist with extensive experience in the UK aquaculture sector, has recently been appointed as the company’s representative for the British and Irish markets.
“We are pleased to welcome Chris to the team. He is a versatile and experienced industry professional whose expertise in fish health will allow him to lead our efforts in the UK market,” says BioMarine’s Export Manager, Nils Hovden, in a press release.
According to Hovden, the Scottish salmon industry shares many similarities with Norwegian salmon farming. Over the past two decades, significant consolidation has taken place, and today the sector consists of a handful of large companies along with some well-established businesses experiencing steady growth. The situation in Ireland is quite similar, though on a somewhat smaller scale.
“The industry in the UK is more integrated within the value chain, and there is an increasing consumer focus on fish welfare. We see opportunities for our solutions to help improve cage environments and, consequently, fish welfare. Although there are differences in the design and size of cages, our systems can be adapted to meet most needs. Additionally, we are aware that rising temperatures have posed challenges for salmon farmers in western Scotland and Ireland—challenges we believe our technology can help mitigate,” Hovden explains.
Mitchell has previously held business development roles at Landcatch, Pharmaq, and most recently WellFish Tech, giving him broad and relevant industry experience. He is also a known admirer of Norway, having traveled frequently to the northern regions and vacationing regularly in the Hardanger area.
Originally from Sussex, Mitchell has lived in Scotland for several years and will be based in Stirlingshire.