There is a spring in the step of the hundred or so people who make up the Loch
Duart team in Sutherland and The Outer Hebrides – the company’s two farming
areas.

It relates to a steady upturn in the company’s fortunes after some difficult times,
also to this month’s cause for celebration - the arrival of the “Lady Dee” at her
new home in Lochmaddy. Loch

Duart’s new landing craft is seen here with Managing Director Alban Denton
and Dee Macdonald as she joins the company’s existing fleet to enhance
operational efficiency.

Farming is, by nature, a risky business with no guaranteed results, and farming
at sea represents the ultimate in difficulty and unpredictability. The weather
alone can cause havoc with operations, especially harvesting, while minute
changes in sea temperature can affect the growth of the fish and natural
phenomena such as algae blooms and jellyfish shoals can effect whole salmon
populations.

All these difficulties have been faced up to recently and, under new
management and with a young, energetic and committed team, Loch Duart has
successfully emerged from some tough times with morale high, salmon quality
even higher and a buoyant world market in which the company’s premium
product is in great demand.

Companies also depend on loyalty and the Lady Dee has been named in
honour of Dee who has been with the company for five years and has made an
outstanding contribution to the smooth running of Loch Duart’s Hebridean
operations. Dee was the unanimous choice of Loch Duart’s Hebridean team
who were given the task of finding the perfect name.

Loch Duart is in good shape but we are not complacent and are ready for the
next challenge. Today we welcome the Lady Dee to our small fleet and look
forward to the flexibility and productivity she brings to our operations.”

The Lady Dee is a powerful, purpose-built 19m steel landing craft, built by
Exeter Fabrications. She is designed and equipped to work in the demanding
weather conditions of NW Scotland, between Eddrachilles Bay and the Outer
Hebrides – stormy waters which are not for the fainthearted.

The Lady Dee joins the Lady Heather, the Lady Ann, the Lady Sarah and the
Sea Lion in Loch Duart’s expanded fleet.