Don’t forget to vote – for industry prize night

THERE are just five days left to vote for the People’s Choice award in next week’s Scottish Marine Aquaculture Awards.

The winners of all eight categories will be announced at a special ceremony at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh on Wednesday, May 29.

This year, the event has been opened up to international entrants, and the shortlist reflects the global focus, with finalists from Orkney to Nigeria.

For the People’s Choice award, anyone involved in the aquaculture sector can cast a vote via the website https://www.aquacultureawards.com/vote/. The deadline is 5pm, Tuesday, May 28.

The award organisers, the Fish Site/5m Publishing, said there are still a few places left at the dinner and presentation next Wednesday.

Preceding the awards there will be an aquaculture seminar, also at Dynamic Earth and due to be opened by Fergus Ewing (pictured below), Scotland’s Rural Economy minister.

Titled Aquaculture’s Global Outlook: Embracing Internationality, the speakers will include Nordea senior seafood analyst Kolbjørn Giskeødegård, who will look at possible scenarios of how the salmon sector is likely to develop.

Also addressing delegates will be Melanie Siggs, director of strategic engagement at the Global Aquaculture Alliance. She will discuss how aquaculture output can be increased by 44 million tonnes by 2030 – the target set by the FAO to meet the nutritional demands of the world’s increasing population.

Professor David Little, from Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture, is set to speak on international opportunities for the British aquaculture sector, which has had a rich history of international collaboration since colonial times.

But with the UK’s involvement in European Framework research opportunities possibly coming to an end, Little will ask ‘how international collaboration can lead to win-wins’.

Clifford Spencer, chairman of Aquaculture without Frontiers, will make the case for the huge aquaculture potential offered by Africa and the hurdles that need to be overcome to realise this scope for growth.

Aquaculture currently accounts for only 18 per cent of the continent’s total fish production – with small-scale farmers and semi-subsistence producers dominating the sector.

However, he will explain how production is projected to expand by more than 60 per cent in the next decade.

Other speakers include Marks & Spencer aquaculture manager Patrick Blow, who aims to shed light on the best practice measures required by the retailer.

And seafood journalist and co-owner of Offshore Mussels Nicki Holmyard will provide a whistle-stop tour of some of the 100 plus aquatic species being farmed around the world.

The seminar is taking place in the Biosphere Room, Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, on May 29 from 1pm. The awards ceremony will follow in the evening.

The Scottish government will be represented at the awards by Nicola Sturgeon’s special advisor, Kate Higgins, the event’s organiser, Susan Tinch confirmed.

For more details visit https://www.aquacultureawards.com/