Conference preview
Annual conference will address production and marketing issues
With 2015 designated Scotland's Year of Food and Drink and, by fortunate coincidence, the special theme for October being sustainable shores , it was clear that this should provide the theme for the ASSG annual conference this year.
Hence the title for the industry event, to be held in Oban from October 22-23, is Scottish Cultivated Shellfish - Demand Driven Success, and the topics covered are very much targeted at production and marketing issues.
The opening session is Production innovation and will include John Holmyard of Offshore Shellfish talking about his work establishing a farm at a site off the Devon coast to produce up to 10,000 tonnes of mussels.
Lindsay Angus of Cribba Sound, from the other end of the UK in Shetland, will discuss the growth of the industry and the need for seed.
In the second session, Business Challenges, David Attwood of Loch Fyne Oysters will look at issues surrounding expansion of Scottish oyster production and ask if we are pre- pared for the risks, while Patrick Blow, who is aquaculture specialist for M&S, poses the question: Volume cultivated seafood supply - is it worth the effort
Patrick has extensive experience of both hands-on aquaculture production and the demands of the multiple retail sector and he will be seeking to show the benefits that can be achieved through co-operative working.
This may fit well with the presentation from Heather Jones, CEO of the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre, who will explain the benefits to be gained by industry through academic supported research and development programmes.
While the efficiency of the cultivated shellfish in hoovering up its food from primary production has to be a major selling point in terms of sustainability, the downside is the potential for this food to include toxic algae. So one session will inevitably be on Building safeguards for industry success .
Biotoxin monitoring a vital insurance policy will be the subject of a presentation from Cath McLeod of Seafood Safety Assessment, while Andrew Turner of the Cefas laboratories will present results from his investigations into the strengths and weaknesses of the commercial tests available to growers.
On a slightly difference aspect of hazards from the natural world, Adrian McLeod of SAMS will identify considerations for maintaining biosecurity of shellfish sites.
Jacqui McElhiney of Food Standards Scotland will be talking about norovirus, addressing EU proposals for a survey to determine its incidence in shellfish in the European market.
The final session will examine the place of Scottish shellfish in the world of uality Foods, starting with a presentation from Stephen Cameron of the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group (SSMG). The SSMG has played a great role in gaining access to both volume and niche markets. Product innovation has been very much part of this but can this be built on further still
Maybe this uestion will also be answered
The SSMG has played a great role in gaining access to both volume and niche markets
by the next speaker, Alan Stevenson of the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS), who will ask if there is anything that the shellfish industry can profitably learn from Scottish food sectors that have built an enviable world reputation.
Scottish environment minister Aileen McLeod will also be addressing the conference, and will present the prizes for the best Scottish shellfish competition.
Nick Lake, CNO of the ASSG, said: ‘We particularly welcome the min- ister this year; all the issues her portfolio describes are the issues the shellfish industry is faced with and we are most grateful to have this support from government.’
The conference, sponsored by the Crown Estate and Seafish, will be held in the Corran Halls, Oban, starting with a seafood buffet lunch on October 22, before the first session at 2pm. The dinner will take place that evening at the Waterfront Fishouse restaurant. There will also be a trade exhibition and fair.