The Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) was set up in 2014, funded by the

Scottish Funding Council The Scottish Funding Council (Scottish Gaelic: '; SFC), referred to more formally as the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council, is the non-departmental public body charged with funding Scotland's further and higher education i ...

Scottish Enterprise Scottish Enterprise is a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government which encourages economic development, enterprise, innovation and investment in business. The body covers the eastern and central parts of Scotland whilst similar ...

, and

Highlands and Islands Enterprise Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE; gd, Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd 's nan Eilean) is the development agency for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government. Its role is to "hel ...

, with funding matched by the industry. It is hosted by the

University of Stirling The University of Stirling (, gd, Oilthigh Shruighlea (abbreviated as Stir or Shruiglea, in post-nominals) is a public university in Stirling, Scotland, founded by royal charter in 1967. It is located in the Central Belt of Scotland, built w ...

Aquaculture and Scotland

Aquaculture Aquaculture (less commonly spelled aquiculture), also known as aquafarming, is the controlled cultivation ("farming") of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae and other organisms of value such as aquatic plants (e.g. lot ...

is a “pillar of rural industry in Scotland”, according to the Scottish Government, contributing as much as £1.4 billion turnover and 8,000 jobs to Scotland. Its industry and academic researchers also contribute to Scotland's reputation abroad. The main activities within the sector are the farming / culturing of fish, molluscs, crustaceans and seaweed, much of them in the

seas west of Scotland It is a central tenet of the EU maritime policy (Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) that all seas have a particular nature, defined by their geography, their ecology, their economies and their people. Most seas are nested ...

and north of Scotland. Salmon dominates the sector, and Scotland is the largest producer in the EU and the third largest globally. Current annual production of salmon in Scotland is about 160,000 tonnes, generating global retail sales of more than £1 billion. Fresh salmon is exported to over 50 countries, with the US the main export market for fresh whole salmon in 2013, followed by France. SAIC has identified four Priority Innovation Actions for its 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. Scotland and its rural communities could benefit greatly from action in these areas. It is estimated that each additional 10,000 tonnes of salmon creates an additional £96 million for the Scottish economy, of which over £43 million is at the farm gate.

History and structure of SAIC

The Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre was launched by the Scottish Government's Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Paul Wheelhouse, at the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston in 2014. Its Chair is Jack Perry, a former CEO of Scottish Enterprise, and its CEO is Heather Jones. One of its first actions was to secure £1.7 million funding for state-of-the-art equipment to help address key issues in the industry. The equipment will be installed at higher education institutions across Scotland, including the University of St Andrews, University of the Highlands and Islands, University of Aberdeen and University of Stirling. SAIC is one of eight Innovation Centres funded by the Scottish Funding Council, which is investing up to £110 million in core funding over five years. In addition to the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre, they include: the Innovation Centre for Sensors and Imaging Systems (CENSIS); Digital Health Institute (DHI); Oil & Gas Innovation Centre (OGIC); and Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre (SMS-IC).Science Scotland, Issue 16, Special Issue: Innovation Centres (Autumn 2014). http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/publications/sciencescotland/ScienceScotland16.pdf Retrieved 11 November 2014.

References

{{Reflist 2014 establishments in Scotland Government agencies established in 2014 Organisations supported by the Scottish Government Aquaculture Science and technology in Scotland University of Stirling Industry in Scotland Water in Scotland Scottish coast Government research

Aquaculture and Scotland

History and structure of SAIC

See also

References