Hope for growth at aquaculture meeting

THE first meeting of the new aquaculture Industry Leadership Group discussed challenges and opportunities for the sector, looking at how it can grow sustainably between now and 2030.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing attended the meeting, held in Inverness on February 27, after being involved in establishing the landmark leadership group, created to oversee the future of Scotland’s aquaculture industry and double its contribution to the Scottish economy to £3.6 billion a year.

The ILG, co-chaired by Gael Force Group’s Stewart Graham and Scottish Sea Farm’s Jim Gallagher, examined opportunities to help sustain growth, particularly in rural and coastal areas, and boost longterm employment.

It focused on subjects ranging from:

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.

The minister welcomed the aspirations to support an industry currently worth £1.8 billion to Scotland’s economy, while recognising the need to address the biological and environmental challenges.