Lerwick has twice previously hosted The Tall Ships Races in 1999 and 2011, so when Cooke Aquaculture Scotland (CAS) heard that Shetland was hosting again in 2023, they were eager to get on board as sponsors of the event!
Cooke Aquaculture Scotland is deeply committed to the communities we all call home. Taking pride in their work whilst working hard to generate shared prosperity.
“As an intrinsic element of the coastal and rural communities in which we live and work, we are delighted to support a variety of local-led events, activities, and community projects that reflect our corporate values as well as those of our teams,” said Emma Coote, CAS Communications Coordinator.
“We believe it is the right thing to do as our collective successes bring positive change in those areas where Cooke Scotland operates.”
Supporting youth development - The Tall Ships Races is the UK’s oldest and largest sail training charity. Over the past 65 years, more than 120,000 trainees have sailed over two million nautical miles with the organisation. Emma sailed in The Tall Ships Races in 2015 on the Swan and Nordic Sail as Chaperone in 2016 and recalled her experience of sailing. “We are so lucky to have these sail training opportunities. Signing up for Tall Ships was one of the best decisions I ever made. These experiences are about much more than learning sailing skills and keeping our heritage alive. It is about building friendships, independence, and mental and physical wellbeing. For a lot of the sail trainees, it was their first time away from Shetland without their parents and they learnt such important life skills.”
For several years now, Cooke has supported numerous school trips onboard the Shetland sail training vessel, Swan. David Brown, CAS Shetland Seawater Manager, said: “Sailing on The Swan is a rite of passage for so many young Shetlanders. An adventure under sail can be a life-changing experience. As well as being lots of fun, sail training helps young people to develop confidence, communication and teamwork skills.”
The Cruise in Company leg of The Tall Ships Races will stop at multiple locations where CAS operates. One of the stops is in Stromness, Orkney.
“Our operations are close by in Hoy and the surrounding area. The fast-moving waters off Orkney are the perfect place to grow exceptional Scottish salmon and it is where we exclusively farm-raise our Orkney organic salmon,” said Emma.
The Cruise in Company will also visit Unst and Yell where Cooke has seawater sites, off the east coast of the islands, they also operate several freshwater sites in Unst.
“Shetland is our most productive region and in turn aquaculture is Shetland’s largest private sector industry, accounting for 20 per cent of the economy and five per cent of all jobs,” she added.
Maintaining pristine freshwater and marine environment is essential in producing the finest Scottish salmon - it is at the core of CAS farming operation goals. That is why they use sustainable sources and work with approved supply chains. Farm-raised Scottish salmon already has one of the lowest carbon footprints of all animal proteins.
“We are committed to doing more to become ‘carbon neutral’ and play our role in tackling harmful climate change, in support of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals which recognise the role of aquaculture in feeding the world and saving the seas from over-fishing,” Emma told us.
Shetland Tall Ships LTD would like to take this opportunity to thank Cooke for supporting our event, supporting the Shetland community and producing high-quality sustainable salmon.
To see what career opportunities Cooke Aquaculture Scotland has on offer, visit: https://cookeaquaculturescotland.com/careers/
To read more about the Cooke Community Benefit Fund, visit: www.cookeaquaculturescotland.com/community-benefit-fund/
