Seafood Scotland CEO Donna Fordyce: Cluster will bring more value without adding environmental or social pressures

WF: What are the measurable targets the Scottish Ocean Cluster has set for trebling the value of seafood side stream products, and what is the timeline for achieving them?

Donna Fordyce: According to a report by Zero Waste Scotland, the current market value of the 166,000 tonnes of fish “waste” in Scotland is approximately GBP 21.58 million. And while formal targets have yet to be determined, the Scottish Ocean Cluster steering group estimates it could potentially treble its market value of seafood side streams in the space of three years.

We are currently in a detailed planning phase, which will outline exactly how we measure our progress, and this marks a pivotal stage for the cluster – as we take a strategic, long-term view of how it develops. The key to this planning stage is ensuring future efforts are aligned, impactful and measurable.

WF: How do you plan to ensure that increased value creation through biotech doesn’t come at the expense of environmental or social sustainability?

Donna Fordyce: Sustainability has always been at the heart of Scotland’s seafood sector, and that commitment continues with the Scottish Ocean Cluster. This isn’t about using biotech innovation as an excuse to fish more – Scottish fishers will continue to use sustainable methods and follow quotas. It’s about making use of what’s already being caught. By turning side streams into new, high-value products we can reduce waste and create new opportunities without increased pressure on our natural resources.

The Scottish Ocean Cluster gives us the opportunity to apply our sustainability values far beyond the seafood sector in a way that reduces waste and boosts innovation. As long as our focus stays on full fish utilisation rather than increased catch numbers, we can grow value while continuing to protect the environment.

Social sustainability is equally important. This isn’t only about supporting biotech firms. It’s about supporting new jobs, developing skills and creating opportunities for people throughout the seafood sector – particularly in rural, coastal communities where fishing is a key part of the economy.

Ultimately our goal is to build a circular economy that adds real value to Scotland without adding environmental or social pressure. It’s about shared benefits and long-term value to Scotland as a whole.

WF: Can you share any specific examples of how biotech innovation is already being applied to Scotland’s seafood side streams, and what kind of new products are being developed?

Donna Fordyce: It’s very much early days for the Scottish Ocean Cluster but we’re already seeing some exciting innovation throughout the country when it comes to turning seafood side streams into high-value products, giving us insight into what’s possible. For example, CuanTec is using langoustine shells to extract premium grade Chitin – which can be used in various industries including biomedicine, water purification, agriculture, and cosmetics – to create the highest return. And Seastex is turning mussel beards into “seawool”, an eco-friendly and naturally fire-resistant material for use in the construction and textiles sectors. These not only reduce seafood waste but offer sustainable alternatives to plastic and other carbon-heavy materials.

This is part of a global trend; around the world, we’re seeing incredible examples of using seafood side streams to create cutting-edge innovations – like Kerecis in Iceland, which uses fish skin to create skin grafts for wound care. It shows just how expansive the opportunities are for innovation in this space.

There’s a global movement towards a more sustainable use of marine resources, and the Scottish Ocean Cluster is just our first step towards adding value, reducing waste and creating new opportunities.

WF: What role is the IBioIC playing in translating marine science into commercial opportunities for the cluster?

Donna Fordyce: A core part of IBioIC’s role is to foster collaboration between industry and academia and to encourage the innovative application of biotechnology. That’s why we’re proud to play a leading role in the Scottish Ocean Cluster. We work with companies of all sizes, helping them explore how biotechnology can transform by-products from Scotland’s seafood sector into high-value, sustainable products.

This includes Surfteic, who partnered with the University of St Andrews to develop biosurfactants from fish processing waste, and Impact Solutions, who worked with the University of Edinburgh to create bioplastics from unused fish oil. IBioIC also recently supported a Seafood Scotland research collaboration with Robert Gordon University, which gathered data on the composition of seafood by-products – a critical factor in unlocking their full potential. By connecting industry with Scotland’s world-class academic expertise, IBioIC helps turn cutting-edge research into real-world commercial solutions.

WF: With 60 organisations now involved, how do you coordinate cross-sector collaboration, and what are some of the biggest lessons learned so far?

Donna Fordyce: Sixty organisations have pledged to support the aims of the Scottish Ocean Cluster. It’s an incredible milestone and really speaks to cross-sector interest in reducing waste and increasing sustainability.

As with any cross-sector initiative, success is about recognising that we all have different perspectives but are working together towards a common goal. We all have a vested interest in ensuring Scotland remains a global leader in seafood innovation and excellence and are dedicated to working together and keeping open lines of communication.

Our aim is to employ a full-time project manager who will coordinate this collaborative activity, supported by in-kind contributions from key organisations. Securing funding for this role has been one of our biggest challenges, but we are now close to achieving it. We are also planning to draw on the experience of the Iceland Ocean Cluster, which has played a guiding role in the global cluster movement. With 11 clusters now established around the world, it’s clear that this is no longer a niche initiative, it’s a movement that Scotland is proud to be a part of.

WF: What kinds of investment – public or private – might be needed to scale the innovations coming out of the cluster, and are there funding mechanisms currently in place?

Donna Fordyce: We’re still in the process of securing funding to help scale the Scottish Ocean Cluster and the innovations it’s helping to drive – but it will take investment and support from both the public and private sectors.

The public sector has a key role to play in laying the groundwork for success by setting standards and creating policies that build trust in the innovations coming from seafood side streams. It also can support innovation by lowering the risk for private sector organisations including funding shared facilities and research and supporting skills training and career development.

At the same time, private companies will be leading on research and innovation themselves. It’s not just about investing in their own growth, but also in new technologies and cross-sector collaboration. Success won’t come from one company in isolation; it’s going to take collaboration across the seafood and biotech industries.

Investing in the Scottish Ocean Cluster and the potential for biotech innovation isn’t just about money. It’s about championing environmental sustainability across the entire seafood supply chain, creating jobs and positioning Scotland as a global leader for a circular blue economy.

WF: How will the cluster contribute to Scotland’s broader zero-waste goals, and is seafood waste currently being tracked or audited within the initiative? And to what extent is the Scottish Ocean Cluster aligned with Scotland’s Net Zero ambitions or circular economy strategy?

Donna Fordyce: The Scottish Ocean Cluster is about extracting value from what would traditionally be considered “waste”. These are also goals at the heart of Scotland’s Net Zero ambitions and circular economy strategy. We’re aiming to rethink what constitutes waste by connecting industries so that one sector’s waste is another’s raw material. This will drive real reductions in waste across the supply chain.

We already know the value of side stream products like fish oil and bones in nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. But now we’re seeing opportunities for materials like fish skin and mussel beards in industries from fashion to construction.

Seafood Scotland has undertaken a detailed study to quantify the volumes of seafood waste in Scotland. This was a complex process, accounting for various factors such as landings, exports of unprocessed fish, and imports. With support from Seafish and the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, we now have robust baseline metrics in place, by species, to track and audit this information. This will provide the foundation for meaningful progress and transparency in our zero-waste goals.

We’ve really taken inspiration from Iceland’s 100% Fish programme. Processors there have found a use for 90% of each fish – whereas previously they were just using the fillet, about one-third of the fish. It reinforces that there’s no such thing as waste, only untapped value and resources that haven’t yet found their use. That belief is central to the Scottish Ocean Cluster.

WF: What are the export or international trade implications of value-added side stream products — are there new markets or buyer interest emerging for these biotech outputs?

Donna Fordyce: It’s still very much early days in terms of markets and buyer interest. But looking at Iceland’s success and at private companies which have already started to act in this space gives us an idea of what we may see in the future – and the potential is incredibly exciting. For example, in the space of just a decade, Iceland has witnessed the production of its first biotech “unicorn”, which utilises fish side streams.

There’s growing demand across the global for marine-based biotech innovations in sectors like nutraceuticals, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Fish skin, bones and organs are being turned into everything from collagen supplements and creams to medical dressings and biodegradable packaging.

The export and international trade implications for Scotland are enormous. Seafood is already an important category for us – salmon is our number one export after whisky – but we now have an opportunity to diversify our seafood exports far beyond traditional categories. This will create new revenue streams rooted in our circular economy and zero waste goals. Equally important, these biotech innovations will enhance Scotland’s reputation as a global leader in sustainable seafood while also helping the sector become more resilient.

WF: Is there a long-term goal (or opportunity) to replicate the cluster model more broadly across the UK, and could we see regional hubs or spin-offs within Scotland itself?

Donna Fordyce: Just as we were inspired by the success of the Iceland Ocean Cluster, we hope other regions in the UK will take note of our work and be inspired to increase sustainability within their own markets. There are no plans currently to regionalise our cluster within Scotland; our seafood sector spreads across the entire country, with coastal and inland organisations working together to ensure success.