Naomi Dempsey, Environmental Analyst, Featured in Sunday Post

Introducing Naomi Dempsey, an agriculturist who operates both on land and underwater. Naomi Dempsey found her paradise after relocating to the Orkney island of Hoy, located off Scotland's northern coast. She traded her bustling life in Surrey for the picturesque scenery of the Orkney Islands while pursuing her Master's degree, and she was so captivated by it that she never left. Currently, the environmental analyst has made Hoy her home and is on the verge of purchasing a property on the island after falling in love with a local salmon farmer, who has been her spouse for the past seven years. However, it's not just the allure of island life that has kept her there. Naomi is an ardent environmentalist and, in 2014, secured her dream job as an environmental analyst for Cooke Aquaculture, a company that runs about 40 of Scotland's 200 fish farms, collectively yielding over 150,000 tonnes of salmon annually. Naomi, aged 39, expressed her deep affection for Orkney, noting its stark contrast to her previous residence in Surrey, which was much more crowded and hectic. She finds her work fulfilling, especially since salmon farming is a crucial part of the local community, making it a common topic of discussion. Her team at Cooke plays a vital role in ensuring the quality of fish produced at the company's salmon farm in Hoy's coastal waters. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Naomi was involved in sampling to evaluate the seabed and marine environment. She elaborated that their primary goal is to rear the highest quality salmon possible, which requires a healthy environment. They strive to avoid any negative impact and preserve the environment for the salmon's wellbeing, ensuring a robust and high-quality product. As an environmental analyst, Naomi examines currents and varying water depths and their influence on fish rearing and the environment in which they are farmed. She is also part of the Cooke Aquaculture team exploring offshore salmon farming, which she describes as a "completely new challenge for us". When she's not working to enhance the environment for Scottish salmon - one of the UK's largest exports - Naomi can be found underwater, indulging in her hobby of free-diving for scallops. Naomi, a PhD holder from the University of Aberdeen, revealed that she developed this new pastime during lockdown. She has a fondness for all seafood, particularly shellfish like scallops and mussels. During lockdown, she discovered she could snorkel for scallops, and now her freezer is stocked with them. Residing on Hoy, Naomi has naturally formed a deep bond with her surroundings, both on land and at sea, and she cherishes every moment of it. She concluded by emphasizing the importance of maintaining and sustaining the world around us, and how crucial it is for her to interact with it. This article was originally published in the Sunday Post on September 13, 2020.