The University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture is set to receive a significant boost to its marine aquaculture research capabilities with a £3.84 million investment in its Marine Environment Research Laboratory (MERL) in Machrihanish, Argyll.
This funding, announced as part of the Argyll and Bute Rural Growth Deal, will enhance research facilities in the Kintyre Peninsula, an area already home to Stirling’s marine aquaculture base.
“The UK government’s investment in the University’s Macrihanish Innovation Campus is a further recognition of the institute’s distinct role in driving a productive global aquaculture industry, while making a direct contribution to communities locally,” said Professor Malcolm MacLeod, senior deputy principal at the University of Stirling.
The £3.84 million investment is part of a ten-year programme that will see £70 million invested in developing the region’s economy. The Scottish and UK governments have each allocated £25 million to the programme.
Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing sectors globally and the Scottish government aims to increase the economic contribution of the country’s aquaculture industry to £3.6 billion by 2030.
The investment will complement other recent projects, including the University’s £17 million National Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Hub, also funded by the UK government, as well as upgrades to the institute’s freshwater research facilities in Buckieburn.
The funding comes on the heels of an announcement by the UK government’s ambassador to Vietnam, Iain Frew, who praised the university’s contribution to sustainable aquaculture through its £3.5 million AquaSoS Project in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, designed to address environmental challenges and support sustainable practices in aquaculture.
“The fundamental work on tackling disease outbreak in Pangasius and efforts to overcome anti-microbial resistance will ensure that aquaculture in the Mekong thrives for decades to come,” said Iain Frew, British ambassador to Vietnam.
“I’m delighted that UKRI funding will enable UoS to continue their world class research partnerships in the Mekong, developing tools to address the challenges posed by climate change and facilitating Vietnam’s transformation to a more resilient food system.”
