Sustainable Gigha Halibut

Atlantic Halibut is one of the most sought after fish in British waters. Prized by chefs for its meaty texture and full flavour, it is a species that has sadly slipped into decline, mainly due to the overfishing of immature fish. How then, to enjoy this prince of flatfish without adversely impacting its sustainability? Thankfully, some clever Scottish aquaculturists have been able to answer this question.

The Gigha Halibut system is the unique result of 20 years of dedicated research and development, which began in 1991 with the successful capture of live wild halibut from the North Atlantic. After painstakingly studying the life-cycle of the fish, these ‘farmers of the sea’ came to realise that open water farming of this species, whilst theoretically possible, may not be the best way of caring for these valuable beasts.

They went on to pioneer a land-based system of aquaculture using an ingenious series of large, flat solid-based tanks, ideal for flatfish like halibut. The clean Atlantic waters from the shallow Sound of Gigha, are pumped straight into the tanks, to create a natural and protected environment in which their precious stock can develop in low density conditions. What sets halibut apart from other marine species is the long and protracted larval rearing stage. The system on the beautiful Isle of Gigha provides the perfect peaceful environment for the fish to develop at their own pace.

Harvesting began in 2007 and the company has been providing premium Atlantic Halibut to the market, week in week out since that time. The ethos of the farm is geared towards producing quality without compromise, rather than quantity, meaning that demand for these fabulous fish has always outstripped supply.

Therefore, Fish for Thought are truly delighted to be able to offer our customers this peerless product, expertly prepared and quick-frozen at FFT HQ.