Richard Hopewell has been appointed as Principal Fish Health Consultant at Ocean Ecology.
In this new position, based at the company’s facilities in Oban, Richard will play a key role in developing a leading fish health unit dedicated to supporting the Scottish aquaculture industry.
He has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry and is very well regarded throughout Scottish aquaculture, having held fish health management positions with Marine Harvest and Dawnfresh Farming covering both salmon and trout species.
Fish health and welfare
In that time, he has developed an in-depth understanding of operational, environmental and production challenges, in addition to regulatory frameworks and he has played a leading role in establishing and implementing best practices for fish health and in particular, welfare management.
At Ocean Ecology, Richard will be responsible for our advisory and training services which will help customers to improve fish health, reduce mortality risks and increase efficiency. He will also play an important role in facilitating knowledge exchange across the industry and supporting the development of best practices and procedures.
“I am delighted that Richard shares our vision and has come on board for this exciting journey,” said Jørgen Vatn, pictured (right) with Richard (left), who is leading the fish health unit at Ocean Ecology.
“As part of the Åkerblå Group, we already have a wealth of fish health knowledge and experience in Norway but we wish to combine the competencies and expertise of the two regions so that we can build Scotland’s leading fish health unit.
“Richard brings with him the skills and experience to help us achieve that. He will play a decisive role in developing this unit to ensure that we deliver true value to our customers.”
