The UK's only barramundi farm, near Lymington in Hampshire, is to invest £5m in expanding production.

Aquabella's plans to open at sites in London's Docklands and South Wales have been put on hold in favour of expanding the facilities for New Forest Barramundi at Sway.

If it gets planning consent, it will build 20 new grow-out tanks for the sub-tropical fish, more than doubling capacity to two million 500g fish per year.

"The council is upbeat about the plans, and we are hoping to start building this August," said MD Campbell Mitchell. Aquabella is also rolling out its new filleted line of fish, which is going into Superquinn in Ireland and into UK wholesalers. It is talking to Waitrose about stocking the fillets.

Sainsbury's and Morrisons sell the fish gutted on the wet counter.

Aquabella has a growing export business through a link-up with Intermarché in France. The chain is buying 2,000 fish a week and wants more, Mitchell added.

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