Scotland’s newly launched Industry Leadership Group (ILG) for aquaculture, which held its inaugural meeting in Inverness at the end of last month, is the first step in a doubling aquaculture’s contribution to the Scottish economy to GBP 3.6 billion (USD 4.4 billion, EUR 4.2 billion) per year.
The industry-led body is to have a prominent role in driving the “Aquaculture Growth to 2030” strategy, launched in late 2016.
Discussions at ILG’s first meeting included:
- The need for proportionate regulation and a more enabling approach from regulators
- The strong sustainability credentials of Scottish aquaculture
- The growing global demand for protein and Scottish aquaculture’s potential to play a world-leading role in providing resource-efficient food
- The launch of a roadmap for innovation to 2030
- The ongoing work and investment by the aquaculture industry to address biological challenges
- Next steps in delivering the recommendations of the 2030 Strategy, and progress on that to date
Co-chair of ILG, Stewart Graham, managing director of Gael Force Group, said progress was already being seen “in the pipeline” on several of the strategy’s recommendations.
“The formation of the 2030 Aquaculture Strategy signaled the ambition of all parts of the aquaculture value chain to contribute further to Scotland’s economic growth and communities. Now, the launch of this industry leadership group – the first recommendation in the strategy – and the strong backing of the cabinet secretary for sustainable growth in the industry, provides crucial momentum for implementing the strategy achieving its ambitions,” he said.
ILG comprises senior figures from across the industry, including supply chain and processors, and salmon, trout and shellfish producers, as well as major public-sector stakeholders.
