Fish vaccines outfit Aqualife on the move in Stirling

Aqualife, the Stirling-based fish vaccinations specialist, has moved its operations to two new sites.

Aqualife develops vaccines for farmed fish. Picture: PA

The firm, which recently announced a merger with Ross-shire rival Salmovac, has relocated its head office to the Stirling University Innovation Park, while its technical department has moved to a unit at the town’s Springkerse Industrial Estate.

Managing director Ronnie Soutar said the move was a “major step” in the development of the company, which was founded on Skye in the 1990s.

He added: “We already have close ties with academics in the University’s Institute of Aquaculture and this new base will help further develop those links. The Innovation Park has a real buzz about it and feels like the right place to be for a developing company like Aqualife.”

The firm last year received £117,000 from the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre for a research project to develop new fish vaccination techniques. The study, aimed at protecting wrasse and lumpfish, which eat the sea lice that can attack farmed salmon, also secured £168,400 from partners including the University of Stirling and Scottish Sea Farms.

Lynn Blaikie, business development manager at the Innovation Park, said: “With the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre just across the road from Aqualife’s new office and Landcatch next door, we really are building a hub of aquaculture innovation here.”