A pioneering initiative to extract greater economic and environmental value from Scotland’s seafood industry has gained early traction, with over 70 organisations expressing interest and a first round of funding secured just six months after launch.
The Scottish Ocean Cluster, led by Seafood Scotland in collaboration with IBioIC, Zero Waste Scotland, Opportunity North East and Aberdeenshire Council, aims to triple the market value of the estimated 265,000 tonnes of underused or discarded by-products by transforming them into high-value items.
“In the six months since its official launch, the Scottish Ocean Cluster has reached a pivotal point in its journey,” said Donna Fordyce, chief executive of Seafood Scotland.
“The funding and interest we’ve seen so far is a clear indication of the appetite across some of Scotland’s key sectors to embrace innovation and secure a sustainable future for our coastal rural fishing communities.”
The cluster is currently recruiting a project manager and conducting research into Scotland’s seafood supply chain to better quantify the future value of more than 10 types of side stream products.
These side streams, including skins, shells and offcuts, could be repurposed for uses in construction, nutrition, biotech, enzyme extraction and feed, with potential applications ranging from marine collagen supplements to building materials made from scallop shells.
Interest has come from across the public and private sectors, including seafood processors, startups, investors and companies in energy and construction.
Fordyce added that while early progress is promising, further cross-sector collaboration and investment will be crucial to fully realise the cluster’s potential and deliver lasting impact for Scotland’s blue economy.
