Aquaculture sector small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Scottish Highlands and Islands are being encouraged to apply for the GB£1m Accelerated Aquaculture Innovation (AAI) fund.
The fund is currently being piloted by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) to boost innovation in the industry supply chain.
Elaine Jamieson, HIE’s head of food and drink, said: “This innovation programme is about helping SMEs across the supply chain achieve greater commercialisation of new products and services that will have a positive economic and social impact.”
Up to GB£1m
Projects from GB£25,000-1m will be considered for funding. Where applications are successful, the AAI programme could typically provide up to half the project cost.
Where applications don’t quite meet the programme criteria, the AAI team will point SMEs to more suitable support avenues so that they still receive the help they need to develop their concept.
One of the first recipients of the fund is a project by Corpach-headquartered Ferguson Transport & Shipping, which devised a new method for the efficient removal of fish mortalities from farms.
The project has been awarded £181,000 by the innovation fund. If successful, it could significantly reduce the impacts on fish farm operations.
Jack Ferguson, operational director with Ferguson Transport & Shipping, said: “This funding will assist us in bringing to fruition our ideas and our innovative design, for specific mechanical handling, into modular bulk transport tanks, to transport and deliver fish mortalities in a safer and strict bio secure way.
“Our new method will allow us to collect directly from the pens and thereafter deliver direct for the reprocessing for energy, from waste or processing into liquid fertiliser.”
