Eight new projects aimed at supporting the sustainable development of Scotland’s aquaculture sector have received funding in excess of GBP 2.2 million (USD 3 million, EUR 2.4 million), including GBP 900,000 (USD 1.2 million, EUR 999,000) provided by the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC).
The collaborative research and development initiatives will focus on a number of areas key to the sector’s growth, ranging from enhancing fish health and welfare to environmental monitoring. Projects selected for the funding round include exploring new methods for sea lice control, managing gill health, and environmental impact modelling, with the species mix including salmon, trout, and wrasse.
At least one of the projects will support shellfish production.
The newly-funded projects are expected to commence in 2021 and will last between five months and three years, combining expertise from some of the sector’s best-known businesses and leading academic researchers.
Proposals were assessed by SAIC’s Independent Scientific Panel (SISP) against a range of criteria, including their long-term commercial impacts and opportunities for sharing knowledge and applying outcomes across the entire sector.
“The aquaculture sector is well-placed to help meet the growing demand for high-quality protein, and innovation continues to play a crucial role in expanding the sector’s capacity and unlocking new opportunities. Scotland can be at the forefront of new initiatives and developments in technology that will help the sector to grow sustainably,” SAIC CEO Heather Jones said. “The results from our previous collaborative research projects – including the development of new tools, new jobs, and even new businesses – are great examples of what can be achieved when industry and academia work together. Finding answers to some of the sector’s most pressing challenges has seldom been more important, particularly in the wake of COVID-19."
The breadth of the recognized projects receiving funding reflects the range of the aquaculture sector as a whole, Jones said.
“Our consortium represents the entire aquaculture sector supply chain which is reflected in the variety and scope of these latest projects. They have the potential to deliver valuable outcomes that could make a real difference to the future of the sector,” Jones said.
As part of Scotland’s Aquaculture Growth to 2030 strategy, the sector is seeking to double its economic contribution to GBP 3.6 billion (USD 4.9 billion, EUR 4 billion) within the next decade.
Photo courtesy of the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre
