Seaweed: Scotland’s next major growth industry?

seagriculture.eu
Seaweed Scotland

Scotland’s seas are ideal for cultivation of seaweeds such as kelp. Photo: Courtesy Herald Scotland

Could seaweed go the way of whisky and renewables and become one of Scotland’s leading industries? Caroline Wilson writes in the HeraldScotland.com that seaweed is fueling a jobs boom in coastal towns and the future is full of possibility.

Charles Millar, executive director of the Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust (SIFT), recently said that ministers had a “unique opportunity” to establish a new and potentially valuable part of Scotland’s marine economy.

SIFT’s new research report found that Scotland’s seas are “ideal for cultivation of seaweeds such as kelp,” with interest in kelp farming “rapidly expanding” as a way of creating a sustainable and alternative livelihood.

Since 2018, applications have been lodged for seaweed farms covering more than two million square meters of Scottish coastal waters. However, there are major barriers to development of seaweed farming and new businesses in the sector can face “daunting tasks.”

The new report has cautioned that the “folly of other nations” must not be repeated, either by the over-exploitation of wild stocks or by allowing a “small handful of multi-nationals to dominate,” as had happened in the salmon farming sector. It also said Government subsidy and support will be essential if Scotland is to capitalize on the potential multi-billion pound European industry.

As well as a need for government subsidy and support, the report identified investment in and the development of processing facilities as being key, along with improved organization and co-operation between kelp farmers.

“The Scottish Government could help co-operation by providing kelp farmers with funds to create voluntary ‘producers organizations’ or ‘farmer-owned processing companies,’ which would allow farmers to strengthen their market position and overcome supply chain bottlenecks,” according to SIFT.

“What is needed,” said Mr. Millar, “is a concerted effort by both industry and government to develop the infrastructure required to make Scotland a world leader in the cultivation, processing and marketing of food, feedstuff, pharmaceutical, and other seaweed-based products.”

Fiona Houston, chief executive of Mara Seaweed, said seaweed could, in the future, be mentioned alongside other Scottish world-leading industries like whisky and renewables.

All rights reserved. Permission required to reprint articles in their entirety. Must include copyright statement and live hyperlinks. Contact david@algaeplanet.com. Algae Planet accepts unsolicited manuscripts for consideration, and takes no responsibility for the validity of claims made in submitted editorial.

seagricultureusa 2023 Portland ME

Subscribe

Breaking-News

  • March 28, 2023: South Korean biotechnology startup Seawith recently signed a new partnership to assess and explore Seawith’s proprietary, cutting-edge microalgae technologies in commercially cultivated meat projects. Read More…
  • March 23, 2023: Provectus Algae has announced that Steven F. Schnittger has joined the company as a cosmetics industry advisor. Mr. Schnittger is the former Vice-President of Global Fermentation and Microbiology R&D at The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and served over 37 years there. Read More…
  • March 21, 2023: Testa Omega-3 has launched its Vrill Omega™ supplement, an innovative plant-based and vegan alternative to krill oil. It represents a new class of highly bioavailable omega-3 supplements offering both essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA and EPA), as well as the potent antioxidant astaxanthin, in a formulation that is rich in easily-absorbed polar lipids – phospholipids and glycolipids — derived from microalgae and plants. Read More…
Seaweed Industry Job Board

A Beginner’s Guide