RAS expert hired as technical lead for 'world's most sustainable trout farm'
A Scotland-based expert in clean and green land-based fish farming has been appointed as the technical lead for a new project in Denmark.
Dr Andrew Whiston is chief executive of consultancy RAS Technology Ltd (Rastech) and also runs a land-based warm water prawn facility at Guardbridge, near St Andrews, which is strongly focused on the circular economy and minimal impact on the environment.
Whiston will work with Danish company Onnest ApS, which plans to use residual heat and oxygen from wind-powered hydrogen production to produce trout in a land-based trout farm at the Port of Hirtshals, Denmark. Whiston will have special responsibility for advising on technology selection and production flow optimisation.
Fish welfare
“Andrew’s experience will also be used towards the Onnest goal of reducing emissions throughout the lifecycle of the project, with special attention to the production phase,” the company said on its website.
“Andrew shares the Onnest team’s commitment to fish welfare, and by joining the team he will ensure that this is one of our main business pillars.
“With 35 years of experience in the aquaculture industry, Andrew brings technical competence and knowledge to the project. Andrew has a PhD in Biology, and his background within aquaculture spans various species of fish and shellfish. He has extensive knowledge of all phases of the trout’s lifecycle and can therefore give invaluable input and insight into the Onnest production plans.
“Being the founder and CEO of the UK based company Rastech, he is heavily involved in circular economy aquaculture projects already, disrupting the status quo and challenging industry norms.”
A meeting of minds
Whiston told Fish Farming Expert that he had been unsure of linking up with Onnest due to being busy with the prawn project, but his doubts were dispelled by meeting the company’s founders, Samuel Muren and Håkon Volden.
“Their idea to build the world’s most sustainable trout farm, placing the fish at the centre of everything they do, was exactly what Rastech is doing with prawns,” said Whiston, adding that it was rare to meet such like-minded people.
Whiston said he does a lot of consultancy work, with the work for Onnest being very worthwhile. It won’t affect the running of the prawn facility at Guardbridge but may impact the business in a different way. “I now want to build a prawn farm next to my friends in Denmark,” said Whiston, whose plans for Guardbridge include a second building to establish a demonstrator prawn production unit and the UK’s first warm water prawn hatchery.
Read more about Whiston’s work with prawns in Fish Farming Expert magazine.