Minecraft pioneer shares vision of the future

Artificial intelligence can help aquaculture address its biggest challenges. That was the message from Chris van der Kuyl, IT entrepreneur and Chairman of aquaculture technology business Ace Aquatec, at the opening day of the Responsible Seafood Summit in St Andrews.

International leaders and experts from over 20 countries representing the entire seafood supply chain have converged in St Andrews to discuss the opportunities – and challenges – for the world’s seafood industry,  not least the increasing competition for marine space.

Van der Kuyl (pictured, above), who among other claims to fame was part of the team who created the global gaming phenomenon Minecraft, said: “We are living in a time with the fastest pace of change in human history, but the pace of change will never be this slow again.”

The increasing capabilities of information technology, and artificial intelligence in particular, have implications for aquaculture and for the seafood sector as a whole, he argued. Applications range from monitoring fish health and feeding optimisation to biomass measurement and environmental monitoring, he said.

And he stressed: “Data-driven decision making is absolutely key.”

Also at the opening day of the conference, Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands in the Scottish Government welcomed delegates in a video message, and Scotland’s Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes gave the final address of the morning.

Kate Forbes said: “Scotland’s marine industries play a vital role in securing and growing prosperity across the country – not least within our coastal communities.

“Our thriving and sustainable Scottish seafood industries produce world-class seafood products with annual exports worth over £1 billion. The Scottish Government’s clear message is that this is a country that is open for business. We will continue to work with industry, businesses and key partners to continue delivering the Scotland Food & Drink Export Plan and help ensure our seafood industries continue to flourish and grow.”

Tavish Scott (L) with Gilpin Bradley

Summit reaches new heights

The Responsible Seafood Summit is organised by the Global Seafood Alliance and takes place in a different country each year. This year’s event is co-hosted by Seafood Scotland.

The level of interest from major retailers – the highest attendance in the event’s 23-year history – demonstrates the increasing importance of issues such as food security and seafood’s appeal as a lean, healthy protein as the world’s population continues to increase.

“Increasing seafood’s share” is the theme of this year’s summit. Also on the opening day, delegates heard updates on the global aquaculture sector, the market for salmon and progress on Fisheries Improvement Programmes.

Salmon Scotland Chief Executive Tavish Scott and Gilpin Bradley, former Managing Director of Wester Ross Salmon and now an angel investor, discussed industry issues in the form of a “fireside chat”.

Donna Fordyce, CEO of Seafood Scotland and co-host of the Summit alongside the Global Seafood Alliance, said: “The seafood industry is determined to continue to modernise and innovate, with a particular focus on generating new income streams by using more parts of the fish and reducing waste.

“We plan to create a ‘Scotland Ocean Cluster’ to ensure that collaboration is happening at the highest level, and that Scotland is in the strongest position to attract private and public sector investment.

“A key ambition for the industry is to work alongside the major retailers to get more responsibly sourced seafood onto supermarket shelves and featured on restaurant menus. There’s so much potential there.”

The Summit runs until Thursday 24 October and includes a number of field trips which will take participants behind the scenes of Scotland’s seafood industry, offering a close-up look at responsible and innovative practices.

Mairi Gougeon addresses the Responsible Seafood Summit