New aquaculture links with China

The Joint Lab Agreement- known as ‘SAIL’ or the ‘Sino-Scottish Aquaculture Invertebrate Laboratory’ - between SAMS and the Yellow Seas Fisheries Research Institute in Qingdao, will serve as a basis to facilitate further collaboration and exchange visits, as well as assist the further development of aquaculture in both countries. The research will focus on integrated aquaculture programmes to minimise environmental impacts and on new species.

Dr Maeve Kelly of SAMS, accompanied by former SAMS scientist Dirk Campbell and Douglas McLeod of the Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers, travelled to China to celebrate the launch.

The delegates visited Sangou Bay, famous for its seaweed and shellfish cultivation, and Dalian Islands, where the Zhangzidao shellfish company produces scallops, clams, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, whelks and fan shells on a massive scale, relaying shellfish seeds over 40,000 hectares of sea floor. The company already exports its produce to the US , Australia and New Zealand and has its sights firmly set on Europe as the next destination.