Loch Fyne aquaculture R&D centre

Author: EIS Release Date: Apr 27, 2022

Agri-EPI Centre and  aquaculture specialist Otter Ferry Seafish (OFS) with funding from Innovate UK, have opened the Marine Aquaculture and Innovation Centre (MAIC) on Loch Fyne to offer fully serviced research and development facilities to aquaculture producers and technology providers.

 

The MAIC comprises a series of replicated small and large land-based tanks, located indoors under programmable lighting.

 

The tanks have water capacities of two cubic metres and 20m3, respectively. In the 12 smaller tanks MAIC can test four different regimes or diets, in triplicate, as commonly required for scientific evaluation. In the six larger tanks, salmon and other farmed species can be reared to near-harvest weight.

 

The tanks have a water flow-through system, incorporating pre-treatment using sand filtration and UV sterilisation. They are fitted with particle separators to measure uneaten food and fish waste.

 

As well as helping to improve diets and treatments for farmed fish and shellfish, the MAIC is suitable for evaluating different strains of commercial farmed species and for developing rearing methods for up-and-coming species like seaweeds. It also provides a platform for validating new aquaculture technologies for counting and observing livestock and monitoring water quality.

 

“It’s one of a kind in the UK,” says Lisa Williams if Agri-EPI, “The centre will facilitate a range of trial work that will enable us to really look at efficiencies within the sector. It also opens the opportunity to carry out near-market trials, as well as linking into the long-term sustainability of the sector and wider ecosystem within that supply chain.

 

“The partnership is a perfect combination to drive forward change and is a valuable resource to aquaculture businesses that want to initiate and progress R&D projects,” adds Williams, “if any business is interested in undertaking a project, then we encourage them to get in touch.”