Scotland is rightfully proud of its aquaculture. The industry exports to over 50 countries and contributes an aggregate economic impact of over £1.3 billion annually to the Scottish economy. Its respected aquaculture businesses and researchers contribute to Scotland’s reputation abroad.
Yet there is scope to do more. Innovation in aquaculture could boost revenues, improve food security and counter threats such as overseas competition and emerging diseases. Both the industry and the research community have much to gain from innovating and working together.
The Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) was established in 2014, at the University of Stirling, tasked with promoting and funding such innovation. Our areas of interest include fish and shellfish health and welfare; feeding, quality and nutrition; breeding and stock improvement; and engineering. In all these areas, we bring together businesses and researchers, transforming their relationship and galvanising collaboration.
The aim of our work is commercial success and economic growth. We support Scottish companies’ success at home and abroad, through knowledge exchange projects, solutions to aquaculture’s most pressing problems, skills development and job creation. We focus on the areas that the industry, its customers and its communities most care about.
Whilst our objectives are business-focused and industry-led, the benefits of SAIC’s work reach beyond the industry. Academics gain opportunities to demonstrate impacts in future funding exercises and to improve the quality of their outputs (e.g. through real-life testing). We can help them with access to UK and EU funding and the dissemination of results.
Rural communities can benefit from the development of more sustainable production techniques and the reduction of the industry’s obstacles to growth. Each additional 10,000 tonnes of salmon that reaches market creates an additional £96 million for the Scottish economy, of which over £43 million is at the farm gate.
To target our work most effectively, we have identified four Priority Innovation Actions (PIAs) for our first year of operations:
• Improved sea lice control in Scottish aquaculture
• Alternative sustainable feeds for finfish
• Rapid detection methods for viral pathogens and diseases
• Development of secure health-certified Scottish mollusc spat production systems.
The success of these activities will be measured by their translation into real gains over a five-year time period: higher annual production, higher socio-economic impacts, and the creation of wealth and sustainable new jobs in some of Scotland’s most fragile rural communities.
