Supplier of the month: Silverscale Fish

Silverscale Fish

There's nothing fishy about May's supplier of the month, Silverscale Fish.

New to Cobbs, Silverscale Fish is the only company in the UK dedicated to the promotion, marketing and sale of fish from land-based farming operations.

We are excited to launch this high-quality product in our farm shops and tell you more about their dedication to environmentally responsible practices.

Founder

Chris Mills, founder and owner of Upton Smokery, initiated a significant shift in December 2023 by launching Silverscale Fish, the UK's only land-based aquaculture company, driven by his disillusionment with the salmon farming industry.

As an avid angler, Mills was alarmed by declining wild fish stocks, particularly in areas like Scotland, where he believes salmon farming exacerbates ecological challenges. Mills sees Silverscale Fish as part of a movement against open-cage salmon farming, labelling it an environmental tragedy.

With 20 years of experience in the food industry, Mills has garnered recognition, with Upton Smokery featured in the Financial Times top 50 places to shop globally. He asserts that if consumers were aware of the practices beneath the surface, they would reconsider consuming salmon, signalling a shift away from traditional aquaculture methods.

Why Iceland?

Chris frequently visits Iceland and lauds its natural assets, including its lava-filtered pure water, geothermal bedrock, and advantageous long-term renewable energy contracts. The farm supplying Silverscale, formerly known as Landeldi and now as First Water, completed its initial salmon harvest last summer in Thorlakshofn, southwestern Iceland.

Their Icelandic farm prioritises environmental responsibility, utilising sustainable geothermal energy and land-based aquaculture methods.

Since 2014, they've been offsetting our energy-related carbon emissions through certified reforestation efforts.

They ensure a healthy, natural product, offering flavourful salmon with a firm texture, rich in omega-3, high-quality proteins, and essential nutrients. Their commitment extends to maintaining the fish's purity throughout its life cycle, guaranteeing it remains uncontaminated from external sources.

They ensure a healthy, natural product, offering flavourful salmon with a firm texture, rich in omega-3, high-quality proteins, and essential nutrients

Learn more

What's the difference?

Wild Atlantic salmon face severe threats, primarily due to open-cage salmon farming at sea - a method that jeopardises their survival. Land-farmed salmon in a controlled environment is the only responsible, sustainable & environmentally friendly way to farm salmon.

Here are some of the key differences from open cages at sea.

Excellent husbandry - with very low mortality. Fish reared in highly oxygenated, crystal-clear lava-filtered water at an optimum temperature
No sea lice - no toxic treatment required
No antibiotics - each tank system is an isolated biosphere
Raw sewage - pumped out, filtered and turned into compost
Escape - no escapees possible and no threat to wild salmon stocks
Fully sustainable - an abundance of clean water and 100% renewable energy