Projects

We channel our resources into the areas that will benefit the Scottish aquaculture sector the most, including reducing its environmental footprint and increasing its economic impact.

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Ongoing
Spatial and temporal drivers of gill pathology in Atlantic Salmon
Spatial and temporal drivers of gill pathology in Atlantic Salmon

Unlocking the mechanisms underlying the variability in gill pathology, generating nov...

Completed
Development of an orally administered novel sea lice vaccine targeting mucosal immunity
Development of an orally administered novel sea lice vaccine targeting mucosal immunity

Sea lice continue to have a major impact on the salmon farming industry. Many injecti...

Completed
Field trials of a novel vaccine to combat Rainbow Trout Fry Syndrome (RTFS) in Scotland
Field trials of a novel vaccine to combat Rainbow Trout Fry Syndrome (RTFS) in Scotland

The bacterium Flavobacterium psychrophilum has been responsible for substantial econo...

Completed
KelpRing: natural kelp hides for cleanerfish
KelpRing: natural kelp hides for cleanerfish

KelpRing is an innovative new product to support the successful use of cleaner fish (...

Ongoing
Robust-Smolt: impact of environmental conditions on fish health and welfare
Robust-Smolt: impact of environmental conditions on fish health and welfare

The rapid expansion of the salmon farming sector has been made possible through the a...

Completed
Aquawrasse: cleanerfish personality study
Aquawrasse: cleanerfish personality study

Ballan wrasse is one of the species used as cleanerfish in salmon farming. Their natu...

Ongoing
Serum biomarkers for early diagnostics of cardiomyopathies: field and challenge assessment
Serum biomarkers for early diagnostics of cardiomyopathies: field and challenge assessment

This project aims to develop a simple and cost-effective mass testing tool that could...

Completed
Simulating in vitro Atlantic salmon intestinal microbiome system
Simulating in vitro Atlantic salmon intestinal microbiome system

A go-to diagnostic system for testing new feeds prior to in vivo trials, providing de...

Completed
Scaling up the use of cleaner fish
Scaling up the use of cleaner fish

Increased harvest volumes of salmon and reduced reliance on medicinal controls, with...

Ongoing
Using eDNA metabarcoding as an alternative to macrobenthic assessments
Using eDNA metabarcoding as an alternative to macrobenthic assessments

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is DNA present in environmental samples such as sediment. e...

Completed
Fish oil waste source for the production of bio-based surfactants
Fish oil waste source for the production of bio-based surfactants

This project investigated the use of oils extracted from fish industry waste to produ...

Completed
Investigating sea cucumbers as bioremediators for salmon farms
Investigating sea cucumbers as bioremediators for salmon farms

This project aimed to bridge the gap between fish production and environmental conser...

Completed
AquaLeap: innovation in genetics & breeding to advance UK aquaculture production
AquaLeap: innovation in genetics & breeding to advance UK aquaculture production

AquaLeap aims to improve genetics and breeding for four UK aquaculture sectors includ...

Completed
Innovative rock anchors for aquaculture
Innovative rock anchors for aquaculture

Developing an innovative new anchoring technology for the aquaculture industry to hel...

Completed
NAMAqI: a novel approach to monitoring aquaculture impacts
NAMAqI: a novel approach to monitoring aquaculture impacts

Total free sulphides as an indicator of aquatic health

Completed
ExPAND: Expanding environments, physics, and accuracy in NewDEPOMOD
ExPAND: Expanding environments, physics, and accuracy in NewDEPOMOD

Accurate and reliable predictive modelling of the benthic impacts of salmon farming.

Completed
Piloting a commercial mussel hatchery
Piloting a commercial mussel hatchery

A reliable source of mussel spat; higher yields; increased export opportunities; and...

Completed
EMFF 2: driving sustainability and increasing capacity
EMFF 2: driving sustainability and increasing capacity

Driving sustainability and unlocking additional capacity for Scottish aquaculture

Completed
EMFF 1: non-medicinal interventions and operational innovation
EMFF 1: non-medicinal interventions and operational innovation

Piloting non-medicinal interventions and innovative operational improvements in Scott...

Completed
Developing genetic tools for mussel hatchery broodstock
Developing genetic tools for mussel hatchery broodstock

Sufficient supply of mussel broodstock to support a commercial hatchery and an insigh...

Project facts
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Investment

Total value of SAIC-funded/co-funded collaborative research to date: £70.9m

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Partnership

SAIC-funded research spans 92 different industry/academic project partners.

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Projects

So far, SAIC has helped fund 100 collaborative research projects

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Leverage Rate

Quadrupling return on investment by generating over £4 in industry and third-party funding for every £1 of public money

Industry-academic collaborations

Some of our projects have a lifetime of less than one year, while others are longer-term, multi-partner collaborations of up to three and a half years. Each project unites industry know-how with specialist academic expertise; something that SAIC works hard to encourage by helping forge the necessary connections.

Priority innovation areas

Our work is focused on catalysing and co-funding innovation in the areas identified by the sector as being top priorities. We call them our priority innovation areas – or PIAs for short.

Over the years, the industry’s priorities for innovation have evolved. Therefore, so too have our PIAs. This helps ensure that we continue to deliver maximum benefit from the combined investment being made. SAIC's three PIAs are 1: Finfish health & welfare, 2: Unlocking sector capacity, and 3: Shellfish and other non-finfish species.