The Scottish Association For Marine Science Public Funding

The oceans sector has a wide-ranging need for remote sensing capability. Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones can provide important monitoring, surveying, and data collection across many of the competition themes; specifically, alternative energy, aquaculture systems, seaweed cultivation and production, carbon capture and storage, and environmental monitoring. The technical challenges of limited flight time and range of existing net-zero drones, and the size/weight/power of beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) detect/avoid systems are holding back potential market growth. The proposed project is a collaboration of a Canadian industry lead, a Canadian end-user collaborator, and a Canadian post-secondary institute partnering with 1 UK industry lead, and 3 UK academic organisations (linked to end-users) that represent a wide range of the supply chain. The challenge and market opportunity behind the project is to develop and implement long-endurance zero-emissions beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) drone technology in the Ocean sector using Limosaero's long-endurance solar drone and Canadian UAVs networked BVLOS ground radar system. The project will also work with the existing (Canada-Inuit Nunangat-United Kingdom Arctic Research Programme) CINUK projects, to further enable their work on climate driven changes in terrestrial, coastal, and near-shore marine environments in Inuit Nunangat, as well as the impacts on Inuit and community health and well-being.

The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) is leading the delivery of short advanced professional education and entrepreneurship courses within the UK and EU sustainable and restorative food and aquaculture sectors. We lead on two key courses 1: INSPIRE Restorative Aquaculture and 2: Algal Biotechnology for Sustainable Food production. The Inspire Restorative Aquaculture Course encourages talented recruits to create innovative solutions, which increase the productivity and profitability of the aquaculture sector. The course will provide training and theory in seaweed farming, rural social science, finfish, shellfish, algae biology, culturing, growth, molecular and metabolite analysis; entrepreneurial content and support to develop innovative solutions and business propositions for the aquaculture sector; and a final pitch event. The programme also aims to facilitate stakeholder engagement and partnerships through access to academics, leading companies in the industry and startups working to overcome challenges in the aquaculture sector at the live online events. The course is led by The Seaweed Academy at SAMS, UK in partnership with the University of Cambridge (2024) and the Polish Academy of Science. The Seaweed Academy is the UK's only dedicated seaweed industry facility offering a complete package of training, education, and business development, supporting expansion and skills development for the seaweed aquaculture industry. The courses will be in-person at SAMS in Oban in the West Coast Highlands. The aim of the Algal Biotechnology professional development programme is to provide introductory training and theory in algal biology, culturing, growth and biotechnology under laboratory and small scale pilot facilities. The course will also offer insights and examples from an industrial and entrepreneurial perspective, that can help the participants to found or improve their own algal-based business. The delivery of both online and in-person will ensure that new and re-established networks will occur for all delegates across an international sector and attendees. No formal qualifications are required, but attendance is made on the application where you will need to describe your reasons for attending the courses. The course is hosted by the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) in partnership with the University of Cambridge Algal Innovation Centre (AIC) (UK) (2024 in-person course), Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB (Germany) (2025 in-person course) and Matis (Iceland) (2025 in-person course).

The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) is leading the delivery of short advanced professional education and entrepreneurship courses within the UK and EU sustainable and restorative food and aquaculture sectors. We lead on two key courses 1: INSPIRE Restorative Aquaculture and 2: Algal Biotechnology for Sustainable Food production. The Inspire Restorative Aquaculture Course encourages talented recruits to create innovative solutions, which increase the productivity and profitability of the aquaculture sector. The course will provide training and theory in seaweed farming, rural social science, finfish, shellfish, algae biology, culturing, growth, molecular and metabolite analysis; entrepreneurial content and support to develop innovative solutions and business propositions for the aquaculture sector; and a final pitch event. The programme also aims to facilitate stakeholder engagement and partnerships through access to academics, leading companies in the industry and startups working to overcome challenges in the aquaculture sector at the live online events. The course is led by The Seaweed Academy at SAMS, UK in partnership with the University of Cambridge and the Polish Academy of Science. The Seaweed Academy is the UK’s only dedicated seaweed industry facility offering a complete package of training, education, and business development, supporting expansion and skills development for the seaweed aquaculture industry. The courses will be in-person at SAMS in Oban in the West Coast Highlands. The aim of the Algal Biotechnology professional development programme is to provide introductory training and theory in algal biology, culturing, growth and biotechnology under laboratory and small scale pilot facilities. The course will also offer insights and examples from an industrial and entrepreneurial perspective, that can help the participants to found or improve their own algal-based business. The delivery of both online and in-person will ensure that new and re-established networks will occur for all delegates across an international sector and attendees. No formal qualifications are required, but attendance is made on the application where you will need to describe your reasons for attending the courses. The course is open to anyone with a Bachelor, MSc or PhD degree or substantial experience within the aquaculture sector or food system, especially those within the EU and EU and EIT Food associated countries. The course is hosted by the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) in partnership with the University of Cambridge Algal Innovation Centre (AIC) (UK), Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB (Germany) and Matis (Iceland).

no public description

The seaweed sector is a huge global industry worth over $11billion per year, however it is still in relatively early stages of development in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. The industry in the UK has significant potential to deliver products for UK and international markets, from fresh seaweed for use in gourmet restaurants, to high-end pharmaceuticals, as well as large volume markets such as animal feed. All of this can be done with minimal carbon footprint and very nearly at net zero carbon, using no fresh water and only minimal land-based infrastructure. However, the growth of UK seaweed industry has struggled as a result of high input costs for seeded material (juvenile seaweed), which is traditionally done using a hatchery technique to produce a 1-2mm twine and then wrapped around ropes at a farming site. The issue is that this process can be highly time and labour intensive and therefore expensive both in terms of hatchery and farm deployment. SAMS have been involved in projects to develop an innovative solution to this problem, with a direct-seeding method, whereby the seed is attached straight onto a deployable rope and is held in a gel substrate until it has had time to bind onto the rope. Although this process will be ground breaking for the seaweed sector, the current barriers have been formulating the hydrocolloid gel to bind the seaweed and provide it with required nutrients while it goes through initial growth phases, and also developing a mechanised way of spreading the gel onto the rope substrate. The Binder2020 project will use the world-renowned seaweed expertise at the Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS), combined with the UKs leading rope manufacturer and hydrocolloid developer, to address both of these key issues. The hydrocolloid chemistry will be refined through expert input and assessment, and a new technology will be developed -- the Seaweed Binder Solution (SBS) The initial development of the Seaweed Binder Solution (SBS) through Binder 2020 will have an immediate impact for SAMS through knowledge gained. However, it is also hoped that a successful proposal will proceed through Phase 2 to allow further development and enable growth of the sector as well as contributing to recovery from economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Covid pandemic has shone a light on the need for shorter food supply chains. Currently 53% of food consumed in the UK is produced here, but we are a net importer of seafood. However, with marine fish stocks currently over fished, sustainable growth in UK seafood production as a key part of any Green Recovery will have to come from aquaculture. Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) are an on-land, tank-based aquaculture system, where water is reused having been put through water remediation systems including bio-filters. RAS are being developed as a potential solution to the issues posed by conventional aquaculture: environmental degradation, the risk of disease or parasites (sea-lice in Atlantic Salmon, for instance), and locations far from final markets leading to high transport costs and emissions. With closed systems and controlled conditions, RAS can solve these problems and provide a more sustainable source of seafood for UK consumers. However, to achieve this, RAS need to overcome key challenges. Foremost among these is the risk of Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) - a potent toxin in RAS systems. The threat of toxin spikes and so the loss of expensive stock has limited the growth of RAS; conversely, a proven method for solving this problem would help the expansion of this sustainable alternative to conventional aquaculture. The dominant current approach by RAS operators is to 'seed' a bio-filter with bacteria when they start a system, in the expectation that the bacteria that develop with help to control toxins produced in the system, such as ammonia or nitrite. This 'seed and step back' approach can lead to sub-optimal combinations of bacteria species developing, with subsequent spikes in toxins. For instance, when sulphate reducing bacteria (e.g. _Vibrio sp._) are allowed to accumulate in the bio-filters of RAS, they will produce H2S. This project aims to prove the validity of an innovative new approach - 'maintenance dosing'. We aim to prove that the addition of regular applications of specifically chosen bacteria to a RAS bio-filter provides the following key benefits: * more predictable and controlled micro-biome when compared to only applying a starting application; * prevents the proliferation of _Vibrio sp._, therefore reducing the risk of H2S; * prevents the presence of Geosmin and MIB (common contaminants in seafood, resulting in 'off-flavour' taste). 'Maintenance dosing' is not common practice in RAS facilities either in the UK or Worldwide. Proof that this innovative approach had the material benefits outlined above would help it become 'standard practice' in the industry, and so facilitate the expansion of sustainable RAS as an alternative to conventional aquaculture. Great British Prawns (GBP) and Nova Q have pioneered this 'maintenance dosing' approach, with successful results achieved in GBP's commercial prawn farm. However, no publicly available, replicated trials have been conducted to provide the data to support these results. This project aims to fill that gap. Great British Aquatech (GBP's R&D subsidiary) and Nova Q have partnered with Scotland's premier independent marine science organisation - the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) - to conduct this project.

The AGRI-SATT programme combines newly available, high-resolution spatial and temporal satellite data with key environmental and algal productivity data to create an effective, scalable, protein and food production method on desert land. The objective of this growth methodology is to produce food and aquaculture feed with widely available natural nutrients, in locations where nothing grew before. By extracting CO2 from seawater and underutilized nutrients from the deep ocean, this highly sustainable project 'deacidifies' enormous quantities of seawater, returning 99.98% of the seawater used during the process. This is very beneficial to the local ecosystem and aids coastal primary producers to sequester more carbon from the environment further amplifying the benefits of this growth methodology. What distinguishes the AGRI-SATT programme is that it exploits abundantly available natural seawater to produce food in non-arable deserts using wind-energy. The tested, scaled and patented growth methodology will be applied globally. With ground-based operational data, production operations will be forecast and automatically adjusted to dramatically increase the impact of this highly sustainable food production method. The AGRI-SATT programme, for the first time, combines daily, high-resolution, hyperspectral satellite data with detailed in-pond photo-physiological data to determine the quality and productivity of natural algae for the production of high value food and feed ingredients. Marine microalgae create the plant-based Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and even the colour and taste of seafood that accumulate in high-value mollusks, crustaceans and fish or alternatively could be used for vegetarian food. Combining these data in an AI-enabled computational 'Digital Twin', automates and increases production and the nutritional quality (protein, pigments) of food. Furthermore, with IoT-enabled, SCADA-controlled pond machinery, sustainable food and feed production will be maximised. By controlling the production ponds with IoT-informed operational equipment and 'weather-responsive nutrient supply', this growth methodology recreates the ideal growth conditions for microalgae. Also, reproducing ideal growth conditions year-round means our highly sustainable and scalable production method is cost-competitive with less sustainable commodities like fishmeal or soy protein concentrate. UK PLC benefits directly by receiving large volumes of critical feed as well as highly valuable organic food. This sustainable food fundamentally and significantly increases the competitiveness of UK food production. The data integration software is applicable globally to all agricultural schemes that aim to increase Net Primary Productivity. The cloud-based AI applies to any agricultural production system.

To implement advanced Hydrodynamic modelling in Scotland's salmon farming industry to facilitate sustainable growth and best environmental management practice, leading to enhanced resource efficiency.

This project will develop a process which uses seaweed for the generation of sustainable energy by anaerobic digestion (AD). Currently, farmers, food processors and industry use AD to generate bio-methane from wastes, to reduce energy costs or provide income. As waste supplies can be variable and AD is a continuous process, food crops like maize and beets are used to supplement waste. Seaweed has the potential to replace these food crops, which use land and water which could otherwise be used for human food production. The UK has extensive coastal waters and internationally recognised academic excellence in seaweed, its growth requirements and environmental considerations. This project brings together expertise in AD process development, economic modelling, environmental and social impact assessment and the supply chain - from seabed access for seaweed farming through to biogas injection into the national grid.

HARIMAP provides a way for the insurance industry to set insurance premiums for fish farms and other marine acquaculture in relation to algal blooms. Algal blooms are natural events, but they can be harmful to marine animals such as farmed fish and shellfish. Shellfish exposed to algal blooms can also be toxic or even fatal to humans and as such exposed farms are closed until the event has passed and cleared. These closures are both costly to the owner and the insurance company who insures against such events. In order to set realisitic insurance premiums, the insurance industry needs a way of scoring the risk of algal blooms at a given location in the ocean where aquaculture may be sited. HARIMAP takes data from satellites and numerical models to generate such a risk score that can be presented as a map and used alongside standard maps and charts of the marine environment. The products are delivered by SeaZone, which is an established supplier of marine data products.

Hydrogen’s use as a clean, lightweight fuel is held back by technological limitations and the high cost of storage and fuel cells. This project aims to overcome barriers to market entry by proving a profitable early market application in small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) designed for marine research, extending range and payload compared with lithium batteries. A consortium comprising Cella Energy’s hydrogen materials developers, Arcola Energy’s fuel cell expertise and the Scottish Association of Marine Science’s UAS research team are working to demonstrate a flyable aircraft with innovative solid-state hydrogen storage integrated with lightweight fuel cells as a proof-of-concept for <7 kg marine UAS. Small UAS are rapidly developing tools for agriculture and public safety on land; and marine and climate research, and energy monitoring offshore, where they benefit from less restrictive aviation regulation. Civilian UAS are due to emerge as an early-adopter of highly energy dense, green power solutions like hydrogen, in advance of a revolutionary low-carbon fuel for road vehicles. This project emphasises the benefits to society of the safe use of UAS, and of hydrogen.

Seaweed is healthy, nutritious and very tasty. Worldwide, seaweed for human consumption is the largest aquaculture industry. But here in the UK we are only just waking up to seaweed's culinary potential. However, the seaweed industry in the UK is growing and now requires more seaweed than can be harvested from the wild. And so there is a need to start farming it. This project, Seaweed as a Sustainable Solution for Economic and Environmental Development (S3EED), will develop the technology to grow two species of delicious seaweed in the cool, clear waters that surround the UK.

WaveCERT will provide a tidal and wave power planning and monitoring tool innovatively helping marine renewable providers to choose the best spot to install their equipment using space data. WaveCERT utilises satellite data so all observations are conducted remotely, this gives three main benefits: - A sites' potential output can be determined remotely and frequently thus minimising the cost and danger of field expeditions. - The near term output of the site can be predicted repeatedly (by potentially up to 72 hours in advance.) - The effect of sediment buildup can be modeled so steps can be taken to minimise the negative effects of build up and support more environmental and effective site selection for this new energy.

To allow commercial exploitation of the proven demand from the aquaculture industry for UK produced, virus free, Pacific oyster spat.