UK Aquaculture Initiative Network. Aquaculture Research Collaborative Hub -UK (ARCH-UK)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Stirling
Department Name: Institute of Aquaculture
Abstract
The UK aquaculture sector contributes around £600 million to a UK seafood industry worth at £6.3 billion in 2016. The UK seafood market is complex and includes large added value through wild fish imports, and both wild and farmed seafood exports. Within the UK the aquaculture sector in England, Wales and N. Ireland collectively produce 19,000 metric tons (mt) of shellfish and 9,200 mt of trout, with production coming mainly from SMEs. Scotland is a major producer of Atlantic salmon (>163,000 mt; third largest producer globally) and the industry is both highly consolidated and export focused. In Scotland there is also significant trout (6,000 mt) and shellfish (6,300 mt) production. There is also a significant and expanding aquaculture industry in England, Wales and Ireland, most notably for shellfish with the largest single UK shellfish farm in Southwest England.
In order for the UK to remain competitive within this rapidly growing sector it is essential that the expansion of the industry is supported by high quality, innovative research to better understand the basic biology, health and environmental interactions of farmed fish and shellfish and to ensure a sustainable future. In this application it is proposed that a single aquaculture network called the Aquaculture Research Collaborative Hub-UK (ARCH-UK) will be established operating through two groups, the Finfish Aquaculture Group and the Shellfish Aquaculture Group to support the development of scientific knowledge and technological capability to help to provide solutions to the shared and specific issues preventing growth in all sectors in the UK aquaculture industry.
ARCH will develop a community of academic based researchers and related businesses to foster collaborative activities to help identify and develop new approaches to tackle major research and innovation challenges and to help deliver key benefits to the UK aquaculture sector. The network will draw in researchers from the main disciplines of biological and environmental sciences and will actively engage with researchers from engineering, economics, social science, remote sensing and computational modelling.
In order for the UK to remain competitive within this rapidly growing sector it is essential that the expansion of the industry is supported by high quality, innovative research to better understand the basic biology, health and environmental interactions of farmed fish and shellfish and to ensure a sustainable future. In this application it is proposed that a single aquaculture network called the Aquaculture Research Collaborative Hub-UK (ARCH-UK) will be established operating through two groups, the Finfish Aquaculture Group and the Shellfish Aquaculture Group to support the development of scientific knowledge and technological capability to help to provide solutions to the shared and specific issues preventing growth in all sectors in the UK aquaculture industry.
ARCH will develop a community of academic based researchers and related businesses to foster collaborative activities to help identify and develop new approaches to tackle major research and innovation challenges and to help deliver key benefits to the UK aquaculture sector. The network will draw in researchers from the main disciplines of biological and environmental sciences and will actively engage with researchers from engineering, economics, social science, remote sensing and computational modelling.
Technical Summary
The ARCH network will consist of a management group Hub and working groups. The network will be led by PIs from the University of Stirling and Swansea University, supported by Co-Is from the University of Aberdeen and University of Exeter. A management Hub will be made up from the PIs, CoIs, network managers, workgroup leaders and the KE Fellow, and will meet to discuss the aims, objective, progress and outputs of the network.
Within the network there will be two groups - Finfish and Shellfish - reflecting the differences in principles, practice and challenges in the two main UK aquaculture sectors. Each group will have their own work groups that will focus on UK wide aquaculture priorities. The Finfish Group will be led by Brendan McAndrew and the Shellfish Group (SAG) by Andrew Rowley. The work groups (WG) will be led by an experienced academic who will convene an open network of leading academic, industry, governmental and regulatory stakeholders. They will be assisted in this by the respective network managers, based at Stirling and Swansea, who will ensure the widest possible engagement with the relevant scientific and stakeholders and an open request for membership of the different WGs. Each WG will work to develop a concise and focused set of research priorities which will reflect the view of the members of the WG and the wider community that they represent, as well as the medium to long term priority requirements of the industry. The latter will be achieved by consultation and feedback from relevant stakeholder organisations and a process of expert elicitation using experienced facilitators, Hub and WG resources. The outputs from the various WGs will be made available to the stakeholder community via the ARCH website and trade organisations. The management Hub will have to responsibility to ensure that duplication of effort between the WGs is avoided.
Within the network there will be two groups - Finfish and Shellfish - reflecting the differences in principles, practice and challenges in the two main UK aquaculture sectors. Each group will have their own work groups that will focus on UK wide aquaculture priorities. The Finfish Group will be led by Brendan McAndrew and the Shellfish Group (SAG) by Andrew Rowley. The work groups (WG) will be led by an experienced academic who will convene an open network of leading academic, industry, governmental and regulatory stakeholders. They will be assisted in this by the respective network managers, based at Stirling and Swansea, who will ensure the widest possible engagement with the relevant scientific and stakeholders and an open request for membership of the different WGs. Each WG will work to develop a concise and focused set of research priorities which will reflect the view of the members of the WG and the wider community that they represent, as well as the medium to long term priority requirements of the industry. The latter will be achieved by consultation and feedback from relevant stakeholder organisations and a process of expert elicitation using experienced facilitators, Hub and WG resources. The outputs from the various WGs will be made available to the stakeholder community via the ARCH website and trade organisations. The management Hub will have to responsibility to ensure that duplication of effort between the WGs is avoided.
Planned Impact
An integrated aquaculture network, called the Aquaculture Research Collaborative Hub-UK (ARCH-UK) will be established. This will:
1. Facilitate the exchange of knowledge between academia and other stakeholders, including industry.
2. Support the UK Aquaculture Initiative by providing expertise and strategic advice on potential priorities for future research funding.
3. Assist in developing early career researchers and others new to aquaculture. This will create a community of new researcher with the ability to assist industry in future years.
Overall, ARCH-UK will build capacity and expertise in sustainable aquaculture and thereby make a valuable contribution to national food security.
1. Facilitate the exchange of knowledge between academia and other stakeholders, including industry.
2. Support the UK Aquaculture Initiative by providing expertise and strategic advice on potential priorities for future research funding.
3. Assist in developing early career researchers and others new to aquaculture. This will create a community of new researcher with the ability to assist industry in future years.
Overall, ARCH-UK will build capacity and expertise in sustainable aquaculture and thereby make a valuable contribution to national food security.
Organisations
- University of Stirling (Lead Research Organisation)
- Natural Environment Research Council (Co-funder)
- Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (Collaboration)
- University of Sheffield (Collaboration)
- Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (Collaboration)
- University of Newcastle (Collaboration)
- Seafish (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE (Collaboration)
- AquaGen (Collaboration)
- Shellfish Association of Great Britain (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF YORK (Collaboration)
Publications
Houston RD
(2019)
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) genetics in the 21st century: taking leaps forward in aquaculture and biological understanding.
in Animal genetics
Shepherd C
(2017)
Future availability of raw materials for salmon feeds and supply chain implications: The case of Scottish farmed salmon
in Aquaculture
Falconer L
(2020)
The importance of calibrating climate change projections to local conditions at aquaculture sites
in Aquaculture
Bush S
(2019)
Emerging trends in aquaculture value chain research
in Aquaculture
Glencross B
(2020)
A feed is still only as good as its ingredients: An update on the nutritional research strategies for the optimal evaluation of ingredients for aquaculture feeds
in Aquaculture Nutrition
Gratacap RL
(2020)
Efficient CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in a salmonid fish cell line using a lentivirus delivery system.
in BMC biotechnology
Sánchez-Vázquez FJ
(2019)
Environmental Cycles, Melatonin, and Circadian Control of Stress Response in Fish.
in Frontiers in endocrinology
Li R
(2020)
The Whole-Genome Sequencing and Hybrid Assembly of Mytilus coruscus.
in Frontiers in genetics
Lorgen-Ritchie M
(2021)
A Temporally Dynamic Gut Microbiome in Atlantic Salmon During Freshwater Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) Production and Post-seawater Transfer
in Frontiers in Marine Science
| Description | A key objective of ARCH-UK for Year 1 was to create Working Groups and to employ these to draft reports on research needs for UK Aquaculture. Eight Working Groups were formed each with two academic staff as leads. They drafted a report on research needs for their field and submitted these to the grant holders in late summer 2017. These reports are available on the web site for ARCH-UK. The Hub of ARCH-UK then drafted a summary (strategic) report that was submitted to the funders (BBSRC and NERC) for use in their development of the final call for funding in the Aquaculture Initiative. In Year 2 of ARCH UK we have organised our first Annual Meeting (Belfast, September 2018) and several themed workshops. We have also concentrated on the development of Early Career Researchers (ECRs) by holding training sessions and ensuring their involvement in workshops. We provide financial support of ca. £150 for each ECR to attend workshops. All of these events have been well-received by delegates. In Year 3 of ARCH-UK we organised several workshops, organised our second Annual Science Event (Stirling, July 19) and provided opportunities for early career researchers to take greater roles in ARCH-UK. The Annual Report due to be submitted to the funders in March 2020 gives details of these activities and those planned for 2020-21. In Year 4, a guidance document for national & international funding agencies on the aquaculture research priorities for South East Asia was prepared. This document was developed by the ARCH-UK Management Team, including expertise covering a wide range of national and international aquaculture research from The University of Stirling, Swansea University, The University of Aberdeen, and The University of Exeter. Specialist expertise was also sought through the ARCH-UK Working Groups. This document can be made available on request. A final 'science in society' meeting @seafood Matters UK' held in June 2022 resulted in three key policy recommendations: 1. Ensure that seafood becomes part of a life-long, nutrient rich diet through early and constant exposure throughout childhood. Orientation of parents, carers and teachers to the importance of seafood consumption for young children and inclusion in pre-school, primary and secondary school meals is critical. This will increase familiarity with seafood and normalise its consumption into adulthood. Mussels are fun, salmon is straightforward, canned mackerel is great value, pangasius is versatile. 2. Do not demonise imported seafood, but explain the benefits of, and strengthen, such international trade. Supporting the consumption of imported fish supports consumption by lower income people groups with poorer diets and it should be promoted, whilst also increasing the opportunities for UK wild caught and farmed fish, shellfish and seaweed. 3. Encourage product innovation so that seafood arrives in supermarkets, restaurants, fast food outlets in formats that consumers are familiar with and will enjoy. Create nutritional requirements for fast food that can be met by a greater inclusion of seafood in menus |
| Exploitation Route | Outcomes of ARCH UK will be taken forward by academia, industry and policy. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| URL | https://sites.google.com/view/seafoodmattersuk |
| Description | The purpose of ARCH-UK was to facilitate the development of a community of people that works together towards the goal of the development of sustainable aquaculture systems. It also fulfilled the role of academic leadership in helping RCUK develop a strategic research agenda that to underpin capacity and the needs of industry into the future. Overall, ARCH supported the development of a thriving aquaculture community in the UK that in turn will continue to help industry in the national food security agenda. ARCH achieved these goals by:1. Creating Eight Working Groups; 2. Forming an independent Advisory Board that reports to the funders and guides the Hub as necessary; 3. Providing a Strategic Report to the funders; 4. Creating a Website and Twitter that informed our membership; 5. Developed a focussed group to meet the needs of Early Career Researchers (in our case this refers to all postdoctoral staff not in permanent posts) and 6. Developed focussed Workshops and Annual Science Events (The first of these took place in 2018). Both the Annual Science Event and the Workshops were highly successful events. Over the two days there were demonstrations about new and existing UK seafood products open to the general public. A final 2 day science in society event was held in June 2022 'Seafood Matters UK' . This event focused on raising awareness of demand and consumption issues around seafood and attracted 119 delegates from commercial, not-for-profit and policy audiences. A collaboration between the Universities of Stirling, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Lancaster, research outcomes and intertest of ECRs was a key feature. A video summarising the event is available on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXCv6GNYMvU) and a presentations summarising the main results given to ACIG, Seafish on 19th October 2022 by Prof. Dave Little |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Impact Types | Economic,Policy & public services |
| Description | REPORT FROM ARCH-UK ON THE POTENTIAL RESEARCH PRIORITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM'S AQUACULTURE R&D |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Impact | This will strengthen the research capability of the academic and industrial community in the UK. ARCH-UK proves a mechanism to review progress of the final round of the Aquaculture Initiative grants |
| Description | Witness in Scottish Parliament inquiry on salmon farming |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | AquaLeap: Innovation in Genetics and Breeding to Advance UK Aquaculture Production |
| Amount | £158,711 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/S004416/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 12/2021 |
| Description | China - UK Partnering Award: Breeding and health for robustness in aquaculture |
| Amount | £30,345 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/S020357/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2019 |
| End | 05/2021 |
| Description | Investigating the potential of nutritional programming to improve the utilisation of sustainable feeds in aquaculture |
| Amount | £673,766 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/R018812/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 12/2021 |
| Description | MASTS |
| Amount | £282,385 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | SG416 |
| Organisation | Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2017 |
| End | 07/2017 |
| Description | MASTS Sustainable Aquaculture Forum |
| Amount | £16,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2018 |
| End | 01/2019 |
| Description | ProtoNutrition, Robustness, Oxygen and Omega-3 in Salmon (ProtoROOS) |
| Amount | £474,758 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/S018271/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2019 |
| End | 08/2021 |
| Description | ROBUST-SMOLT Impact of early life history in freshwater Recirculation Aquaculture Systems on A. salmon robustness and susceptibility to disease at sea |
| Amount | £357,521 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/S004432/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 12/2021 |
| Description | ARCH-UK membership |
| Organisation | Seafish |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | ARCH-UK holds a database of over 480 individuals as of March 2019 and their organisations in the UK that are kept informed on a regular basis (monthly newsletters) of the outcomes of the project and how they can be involved. Of the ca. 480 members, 282 are from academia and 94 from industry (producers and suppliers). These members have been invited to meetings of Working Groups and the Annual Science Event that were held during 2018-19. The membership is across industry, regulators and academia. ARCH-UK hub has a high profile on Twitter that has grown by 247% since last year. Google searches for ARCH-UK stand at 2,029 - an increase of 458%. SAGB and Seafish are key partner organisations that provide support via the Advisory Board and participate in our meetings. |
| Collaborator Contribution | These individuals have contributed their expertise in drafting the Strategic Report that was submitted to BBSRC/NERC in late 2017. They participate in workshops organised by ARCH-UK by helping with the organisation and delivering talks. |
| Impact | 1. Strategic Report to BBSRC/NERC Aquaculture Initiative 2. Organisation and participation in workshops 3. Act as advisors via membership of the Advisory Board |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | ARCH-UK membership |
| Organisation | Shellfish Association of Great Britain |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | ARCH-UK holds a database of over 480 individuals as of March 2019 and their organisations in the UK that are kept informed on a regular basis (monthly newsletters) of the outcomes of the project and how they can be involved. Of the ca. 480 members, 282 are from academia and 94 from industry (producers and suppliers). These members have been invited to meetings of Working Groups and the Annual Science Event that were held during 2018-19. The membership is across industry, regulators and academia. ARCH-UK hub has a high profile on Twitter that has grown by 247% since last year. Google searches for ARCH-UK stand at 2,029 - an increase of 458%. SAGB and Seafish are key partner organisations that provide support via the Advisory Board and participate in our meetings. |
| Collaborator Contribution | These individuals have contributed their expertise in drafting the Strategic Report that was submitted to BBSRC/NERC in late 2017. They participate in workshops organised by ARCH-UK by helping with the organisation and delivering talks. |
| Impact | 1. Strategic Report to BBSRC/NERC Aquaculture Initiative 2. Organisation and participation in workshops 3. Act as advisors via membership of the Advisory Board |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Academia to Industry knowledge exchange initiative for Early Career Researchers |
| Organisation | Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Multiple |
| PI Contribution | ARCH-UK procured and administered the organisation of Early Career Researcher 'Elevator Pitches' to industry at the industry facing trade event 'Aquaculture UK' in Aviemore, May 2018. ARCH-UK provided funding for 10 ECRs to attend the event and take part in a special ECR session to translate their research to industry. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The NERC Aquaculture KE Fellow (Dr Sofia Cota-Franco, University of Newcastle) Provided 1:1 'elevator pitch training for ECRs' and chaired the event. SAIC provided time within their booked session for ECRs to present and also aided in choosing successful applicants. |
| Impact | - ECR skills in research translation gained - ECR understanding of industry priorities gained - ECRs gained experience presenting in front of an industry audience - ECRs gained access to future collaborative partners - Short video created to showcase the advantages of industry-academia knowledge exchange and what ECRs gained from attending the event |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Academia to Industry knowledge exchange initiative for Early Career Researchers |
| Organisation | University of Newcastle |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | ARCH-UK procured and administered the organisation of Early Career Researcher 'Elevator Pitches' to industry at the industry facing trade event 'Aquaculture UK' in Aviemore, May 2018. ARCH-UK provided funding for 10 ECRs to attend the event and take part in a special ECR session to translate their research to industry. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The NERC Aquaculture KE Fellow (Dr Sofia Cota-Franco, University of Newcastle) Provided 1:1 'elevator pitch training for ECRs' and chaired the event. SAIC provided time within their booked session for ECRs to present and also aided in choosing successful applicants. |
| Impact | - ECR skills in research translation gained - ECR understanding of industry priorities gained - ECRs gained experience presenting in front of an industry audience - ECRs gained access to future collaborative partners - Short video created to showcase the advantages of industry-academia knowledge exchange and what ECRs gained from attending the event |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Agrifood Network Netzero + |
| Organisation | University of Sheffield |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Offering a read made well organised body of expertise in aquaculture. |
| Collaborator Contribution | No contribution yet as applications are in progress. |
| Impact | Not yet |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Agrifood Network Netzero + |
| Organisation | University of Strathclyde |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Offering a read made well organised body of expertise in aquaculture. |
| Collaborator Contribution | No contribution yet as applications are in progress. |
| Impact | Not yet |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Agrifood Network Netzero + |
| Organisation | University of York |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Offering a read made well organised body of expertise in aquaculture. |
| Collaborator Contribution | No contribution yet as applications are in progress. |
| Impact | Not yet |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | MASTS Sustainable Aquaculture Forum Steering Group (Joanna Gosling and Sam Martin) |
| Organisation | Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | 1) Participated in a UK-India science and innovation dialogue focussing on the aquaculture sector, facilitating further contribution from academics across the UK, generating wider interest in the initiative. UK FCO (organisers) hope this dialogue could help to: - Generate UK growth opportunities from exchanging developments on India and the UK's innovation strengths and aspirations in the aquatic animal health space; - Provide additional evidence on research gaps/ opportunities to underpin future large scale research calls - including in the multilateral arena; - Contribute to wider bilateral policy discussions and activities related to oceans, biodiversity and food security. 2) Organised, hosted and facilitated training events for the MASTS-Annual Science Meeting |
| Collaborator Contribution | 1) Provide platforms (physical and virtual) through which ARCH-UK can conduct knowledge exchange and training activities i.e. The MASTS Annual Science Event 2) Invitation to contribute to UK-India aquaculture research collaboration discussion with FCO/UK Gov. 3) Cash contributions to the running costs of ARCH-UK |
| Impact | - Delivery of ARCH-UK Grant Writing and Review Training for Early Career Researchers - Delivery of ARCH-UK Research Impact Training (with Prof Mark Reed) for Early Career Researchers - Capacity building within the UK Aquaculture Early Career Researcher Community - Contributions to the development of UK-India aquaculture research partnerships, including sourcing academic expertise to contribute to a UK-India Aquaculture Engagement Matrix and attendance at a UK-India networking event. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | New research on triploid induction and protocols |
| Organisation | AquaGen |
| Country | Norway |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Research on triploid egg temperature sensitivity. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to eggs from a selective breeding program and genotyping. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | ARCH-UK Annual Science Events |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Description and purpose: The ARCH-UK Annual Science Events (ASE) have been held in collaboration with major UK research institutes, industry members and the ARCH-UK advisory board, attracting over 80-100 delegates each year who enjoy a wide range of presentations on current research innovations in nutrition, genetics, health and welfare, social acceptability, environment and climate change, as well as keynote talks from industry representatives. Holding the event in different parts of the UK also aids capacity building within the aquaculture sector. Each event has included a report on the current UK finfish and shellfish aquaculture industrial and research challenges, from senior members of both the academic and industry community. In 2018, the BBSRC/NERC Aquaculture Initiative projects were announced (total £5.1 million investment by UKRI) and each year a progress update is shared by project leads. Early Career Researchers (ECRs) are prioritised in presentation sessions and given a specific networking session designed to increase relationships between ECRs, project leads, senior academics, industry and government stakeholders. Outcomes: Prior to the 1st event, ARCH-UK membership from stakeholders based in Ireland was low, this event provided us with the opportunity to raise awareness about ARCH-UK in this region, encouraging increased membership and collaboration. This event is key to building the depth and breadth of ARCH-UKs reach within the community, causing a surge in ARCH-UK membership applications each year. This event also functions as a platform to launch the Seafish landscaping tool and the development of a 'Technical Aquaculture Knowledge Exchange Group' for those who work within the research facilities of academic institutes to share best practice on fish/shellfish husbandry and biosecurity. Attendees commonly report that the event aids them in 1) developing collaborations 2) gaining up to date knowledge 3) discovering new funding streams 4) identifying industry needs 5) accessing alternative viewpoints out-with their stakeholder type 6) identifying research gaps. Through live surveys, this event also highlighted priority activities which would benefit the ARCH-UK community - this led to ARCH-UK organising industry site visits (unfortunately cancelled due to pandemic), providing ECR research impact training and setting up a mentoring scheme (delivered through the creation of the ARCH-UK ECR Co-lead group). 2-page project outlines to effectively disseminate information about the UKRI Aquaculture Initiative Projects have also been created by the ARCH-UK team in collaboration with project PIs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019,2021 |
| URL | https://www.aquaculturehub-uk.com/annual-science-event |
| Description | ARCH-UK Introduction at ASA Aquaculture Careers Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The Aquaculture Students' Association was proud to host the 5th Careers Day in the Pathfoot building, University of Stirling with a goal to bring students closer to the aquaculture industry and use it as an opportunity for networking and recruiting. This event was sponsored by Scottish Aquaculture Innovation centre (SAIC) and comprised of presentations from Stirling alumni and other leading members of the European aquaculture sector. In addition to presentations there was exhibitor stalls from over 15 international companies offering the opportunity to network with individuals working in aquaculture health, nutrition, technology, genetics and environmental management. This was an opportunity for 4th Year Undergraduates, Masters and PhD students to begin their career path by interacting with working professionals from within the aquaculture field. ARCH-UK conducted a survey to find out the wants and needs of ECRs at this event, to focus future activities. Results are displayed on the website or via the link. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.aquaculturehub-uk.com/past-events/2019/8/26/asa-aquaculture-careers-day#:~:text=The%20Aq... |
| Description | ARCH-UK WG 1 Finfish and Shellfish Microbiome Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Microbiome research in aquaculture is in its relative infancy in comparison with other disciplines. Over 70 researchers from a wide variety of specialisms and sectors, including from human and mammalian health, microbial ecology, bioinformatics, metagenomics, and shellfish and finfish aquaculture, came together with industry to discuss understanding on microbiomes and their importance in the future development of aquaculture. The meeting sought to draw on knowledge in microbiome research gained through studies on human and livestock health in particular, where studies of this nature have been ongoing for many years. The meeting was truly interdisciplinary in both the assembled researchers and outlook. A series of thought provoking presentations was followed by round table discussions to identify skills and resource gaps, opportunities for collaboration and the best research approach moving forward. There was a strong representation from ECRs throughput via poster presentations, contributions to discussions and the resulting recommendations, which are summarised on the ARCH-UK website. A position paper is currently in preparation by the meeting organisers (Prof Sam Martin, Prof Charles Tyler, Dr David Bass, Dr Martyn Llewellyn) to capture the scientific consensus based on the meeting discussions for the academic community. Members of the Knowledge Transfer Network also found the event particularly useful in developing their Microbiome Network and resulting 'Microbiome Strategic Roadmap' which included key recommendations on how to advance science translation and business creation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.aquaculturehub-uk.com/past-events/2019/8/26/microbiome-workshop |
| Description | ARCH-UK WG 6 Seafood Consumption Initiative (SCI), Stirling |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The 'Sustainable Seafood Consumption Initiative' was launched by Dave Little (ARCH-UK WG 6 Lead) Rachel Norman and Stacia Stetkiewicz (University of Stirling) on 14 June in partnership with ARCH-UK as part of the Global Food Security research programme. The aim of this workshop was to discuss how UK families could be encouraged to consume one more portion of shellfish or finfish per week, transforming the UK food industry, and to discuss how the aquaculture community can help to put 'seafood' central to global food security discussions. Over 50 delegates heard talks from Worldfish, Seafish, the Shellfish Association of Great Britain and the Monterey Bay Aquarium as well as international colleagues from Cambodia, Bangladesh, Zambia, Malawi and Ghana. The role that seafood currently plays in global food security discussions was highlighted to be relatively low, and plans were put forward to develop potential GCRF projects on seafood, nutrition and health. Discussion emphasised the importance of gaining a global perspective for the creation of new markets and effective public education. Ensuring food safety and sustainability by sharing best practice (of which the UK was identified world leading in this respect) was also encouraged to improve public perception. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.aquaculturehub-uk.com/past-events/2019/8/26/the-sustainable-seafood-consumption-initiati... |
| Description | Aquaculture Initiative Webinar Series |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Following the national lockdown in response to COVID-19 and the resultant postponement of future ARCH-UK events, the network launched a webinar series to continue its delivery of those events deemed suitable for translation to online format. The inaugural webinar series focussed on the consortium projects of the UKRI Aquaculture Initiative, an element originally envisaged as a session of the wider ARCH-UK Annual Science Event, which was to be held at Swansea University 1st - 2nd July 2020. The primary intention with this webinar series was to provide the ECRs employed on each of the Aquaculture Initiative consortium projects the opportunity to provide an overview of the industry relevance of their project, an update on their latest experiments and future plans as well as to provide an insight and unique perspective into what it is like to be part of a large consortium research project with multiple industry partners. These webinars reached over 543 attendees worldwide, leading to further discussion and interest in UK aquaculture research, facilitating the development of new national and international collaborative partnerships. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
| URL | https://www.aquaculturehub-uk.com/latest-research-projects |
| Description | Aquaculture Priority Subjects Working Groups |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | In establishing the ARCH-UK network we had been given the remit to identify priority strategic research topics for the whole UK aquaculture sector. This entailed the development of a website and the identification of eight Aquaculture subject area champions to lead networks and identify research challenges that are limiting the long-term sustainable development of the UK aquaculture sector. These open forums were open to all who indicated an active interest in one or more of the themes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://aquaculturehub-uk.com |
| Description | Aquaculture session chaired by ARCH-UK at BSAS conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | ARCH-UK (Sam Martin) invited to chair a special session on Aquaculture at the British Society of Animal Science annual meeting. This generated cross-disciplinary discussion and understanding with the agri-food sector on how microbiome research can aid both industries, as well as expanding the reach of ARCH-UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/1E725FEC9443C13E5F36D90B9A69... |
| Description | CRISPR & Gene-editing techniques workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Interactive online workshop for gene editing in aquaculture species - aim was to provide networking and capacity building in this area of UK research (between academic, industry and policy) and increase understanding and awareness of novel techniques and policy development around the commercial use of gene editing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | ECR Elevator pitches at Aquaculture UK (industry-facing event) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Description: ARCH-UK funded 10 ECRs to attend the largest UK industry conference, Aquaculture UK, in Aviemore in 2018. Six were given the opportunity to present an elevator pitch to industry during the 'SAIC Aquavation' session with guidance from NERC KE Fellow Dr Sofia Cota-Franco and with funding from SAIC. A campaign about the KE event was launched via social media through various infographics designed by Sofia Cota-Franco. Purpose: To provide opportunities and training for ECRs to present their science directly to industry - a key skill. The initiative was also aimed to facilitate and encourage academia-industry knowledge exchange and broaden ECR networks. Outcomes and impact: A short 5-minute video was produced in collaboration with University of Stirling media students to highlight the ECR experience of the event. The video aimed to; communicate what ECRs gained from attending and presenting; encourage academics to use industry facing events to gain industry perspective and source project partners or support. The attendees gained an increased understanding of industry priorities and how these can be addressed through their research, whilst also gaining valuable science communication experience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.aquaculturehub-uk.com/past-events/2019/8/26/arch-uk-ecr-knowledge-exchange-at-aquacultur... |
| Description | ECR Proteomics Training Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This workshop invited 18 ECRs to learn and discuss practical considerations on proteomic approaches for the analysis of biological samples within the context of aquaculture applications. Proteomics is a rapidly developing discipline that is concerned with the analysis of all proteins present in a tissue, biofluid or an organism; also known as the proteome. This workshop focussed on discussing advantages and limitations of different analytical workflows for the study of the proteome. Topics covered included: Advanced techniques in mass spectrometry for proteomic analysis; Use of MALDI-TOF-MS for bacteria characterisation; Quantification strategies in proteomics and Bioinformatic tools and data analysis of proteomics data. Attendees also gained practical experience on MALDI-TOF-MS sample preparation and analysis aimed at profiling of proteins and peptides and on 2-dimensional SDS gel electrophoresis. A key output was improved understanding of proteomics and increased confidence by ECRs to design more robust experiments - increasing overall research excellence. The workshop also helped to capacity build within this area of research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.aquaculturehub-uk.com/past-events/2019/11/6/ecr-proteomics-workshop |
| Description | Early Career Researcher Grant Review Training Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 30 Early Career Researchers attended to gain practical guided experience in reviewing grants. The aim was to gain an understanding of the reviewers perspective, to inform future grant writing, rather than focus on physically writing grant applications. Major UK aquaculture research funders (UKRI, Innovate UK, SAIC) gave an overview of how they review applications to their funding programmes and senior academics gave advice on career progression and increasing grant capture. ECRs then had an opportunity to practice reviewing real examples of both successful and unsuccessful grants with the presenting panel, which were donated by the ARCH-UK community. The event received 9/10 average feedback and participants reported greatly increased confidence and ability to write grant applications. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.aquaculturehub-uk.com/past-events/2019/8/26/arch-uk-grant-review-training-day |
| Description | Engagement with representatives of aquaculture industry and their organisations in the UK-SAGB Annual Meeting 2017, 2018, 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Andrew Rowley presented a talk to the SAGB Annual Meeting in May 2017 on behalf of ARCH-UK. This was to highlight our goals and to engage with all sectors of the shellfish aquaculture industry in the UK. James Taylor ' manned' a stand at the meeting in 2018/2019 to publicise our activities and attract new members. In May 2019 we will have a joint meeting on Oyster cultivation between SAGB and ARCH-UK. We will be representing ARCH-UK at the upcoming SAGB meeting in may 2020 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018,2019,2020 |
| Description | Engagement with representatives of aquaculture industry and their organisations in the UK-Seafish Aquaculture Common Issues Group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Seafish represents the UK aquaculture and fisheries organisations. Andrew Rowley and others from the ARCH-UK hub have attended all meetings in 2017-2020 and given updates on our activities to an audience of industry, regulators and other interested parties. We use this to publicise our workshops to ensure industry engagement. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018,2019,2020 |
| Description | Future Outlook for Genetic Improvement in Aquaculture |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The event brought together over 60 academics, industry and funder representatives to talk about the future role of genetics and genomics in aquaculture. The event focussed on both shellfish and finfish breeding, and coincided with the visit from the Cawthron Institute in New Zealand where successful mussel and oyster genetic improvement programmes are already underway. The symposium included a broad range of scientific talks. The symposium ended with a industry-led panel discussion chaired by Prof. Ross Houston, with representatives from Benchmark genetics, Mowi, Hendrix genetics, Aquagen, the Cawthron Institute and SAIC. The panel members highlighted the importance of understanding the genomic features behind the traits of interest to enable accurate selection and open the possibility of precise genome editing in the future, pending regulatory and societal changes. When asked about epigenetics and microbiomes, the panel agreed that these are exciting areas with potential for application in aquaculture, but are at a much earlier stage in terms of application. Therefore, some key priority areas emerging from the discussion were: - Understanding the functional genetic basis of disease resistance and other performance traits - Improving genomic selection accuracy in distant relatives in breeding programmes - Improving genome editing techniques and application of genome editing to understand and improve disease resistance and other traits - Epigenetic influences on aquaculture traits, and the molecular mechanisms underlying them - Improving selective breeding technology in shellfish, learning from the more advanced finfish sectors. Overall, the event was a major success, with the speakers delivering excellent talks with much discussion of how the research landscape is developing. A common theme was the rapid development of genetics and breeding technologies, with increasing industry buy-in, and it is clear that the future outlook for genetic technologies to improve aquaculture stocks is very promising. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.aquaculturehub-uk.com/past-events/2019/8/26/future-outlook-for-genetic-improvement-in-aq... |
| Description | Industry workshop on salmon RAS |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The purpose of the event was to exchange knowledge and data on RAS in Scotland. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Industry-Academia workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Outputs from a collaborative trial with PHARMAQ (part of Zoetis) in SALMOTRIP+ project have led to discussions to establish a research partnership for Knowledge Exchange between UoS and NOFIMA (Grete Bæverfjord) to support R&D for Zoetis on spinal health challenges in salmon. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | International Finfish Sterility workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Description: 90 academics and industry representatives attended the workshop from the UK, Norway, Canada, USA and Tasmania. This workshop highlighted the work of the Salmotrip+ project (funded by BBSRC and Innovate UK in collaboration with Mowi, BioMar and Pharmaq) which aimed to optimise triploid salmon farming. A wide range of perspectives from academics and industry stakeholders from Norway, America, Canada and Tasmania were also provided. The latter of which where triploidisation has been used for decades as a tool to combat early maturation, as the usual use of lights is ineffective in turbid Tasmanian waters. Purpose: Capacity building (national and international) and knowledge exchange, showcasing new methods, research and innovation in the area of finfish sterility. This workshop also aimed to create consensus on appropriate community actions and advocacy of the commercial use gene editing within UK agri-food systems. Outcomes: Two news reports were generated as a result of this workshop by Rob Fletcher, senior editor at 'The Fish Site' (industry facing news service). 1) 'How to commercialise sterile finfish production' and 2) 'Does gene editing effect salmon health and welfare?'. Education and understanding of sterile fish at all levels will be key to the development and uptake of new technologies. Visibility and transparency with consumers, regulators and politicians will also be vital. Workshop attendees collectively agreed that academics can contribute to changing opinions by considering the language used to describe triploid finfish deformities, taking care to differentiate between visible deformities and minor less commercially-relevant malformations detectable only by x-ray. With further international collaboration, the integration of applied and fundamental research, and the certification of new sterilisation tools and techniques, successful sterile finfish cultivation in the UK is possible. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.aquaculturehub-uk.com/past-events/2019/8/26/international-finfish-sterility-workshop |
| Description | International workshop on aquaculture |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Academics from 4 UK Universities (Stirling, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Exeter) together with CEFAS and 3 Universities from East China Sea (Ningbo, Zhejiang and Shanghai) co-organised a conference to exchange knowledge on challenges faced by the aquaculture sector including breeding and genetics, health and environment. The event was attended by academics, students and industry. This led to in depth discussion on future research collaborations to tackle some of the discussed challenges. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Microplastics, Aquaculture & Fisheries Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The micro-plastics workshop sought to bring together the prominent names in the field with representation from academia, industry and policy to review our current understanding of micro-plastics and the environmental impacts they may have. A series of talks from both academia and policy addressed two main themes during round-table discussion. Firstly, are micro-plastics dangerous to fish and shellfish 'health'? Secondly, are micro-plastics in fish and shellfish of any risk to human health? Session one covered the broader aspects of the effects of micro-plastics in the marine environment. Professor Tamara Galloway of the University of Exeter opened with an overview of the current research and understanding of micro- and nano-plastics. Discussed were the sources of their existence, problems they may pose and to highlight the further-research requirement looking to the future if we are to both better understand the true concerns, and if any, how we might go about preparing ourselves to prevent or deal with these. Session two addressed some more specific questions and aspects of micro-plastics' effects with references to case-studies and current policy. Dr. Matthew Cole of Plymouth Marine Laboratory informed on a less commonly heard of aspect in antifouling paint particles, which are typically produced during the maintenance or weathering of boats. These particles are often shed during the process of keeping a vessel seaworthy, and have been shown to accumulate in certain marine species, but to what effect? This event strengthened dialogues between academia, industry and policy - leading to further discussion and engagement. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.aquaculturehub-uk.com/past-events/2019/8/26/microplastics-aquaculture-amp-fisheries-a-ri... |
| Description | Participation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Technical delivery & excellence on contract trial commercial feed screening during 2017 for clients has opened up opportunities for further R&D links with Australian salmon industry facilitated through BioMar UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Regional aquaculture research seminars - Scotland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | As for the regional England event |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Regional aquaculture research seminars - South West England |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The event showcased the wide range of aquaculture research, innovation and practice in South West England. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Regional aquaculture research seminars - Wales |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Same as for other regional seminars done in 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | SSPO technical meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | An opportunity was provided by SSPO to present a brief overview about ARCH-UK at their technical meeting. This event was designed specifically for an industry audience and experience of which will aid ARCH-UK in encouraging future industry engagement at our events. Useful insights and perspectives were gained from networking with delegates to inform the design of future ARCH-UK activities. The possibility of ECR visits to farm sights (a need identified by ARCH-UK WG 8) was also discussed with a number of producers, with the aim to improve ECR understanding of farm operations and how to effectively design and manage collaborative projects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | WAS AQUA 2018, Montpellier |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a once-every-6-years event co-organised by the European Aquaculture Society (EAS) and the World Aquaculture Society (WAS), and is one of the largest international gatherings of aquaculture researchers with industry. ARCH-UK representation at the event was used to scope the possibility of curating a 'UK aquaculture' session at the next EAS event (Aquaculture Europe 7th to10th October 2019), to identify relevant international links, and to discuss existing and successful mentorship schemes with EAS staff. The ARCH-UK Working Group 8 ECR community have indicated that a UK aquaculture mentorship scheme would be beneficial to career progression and facilitate future collaboration. Advice from EAS staff suggests that mentorship schemes should be as flexible as possible in terms of what mentees can achieve whilst giving a 3-6 month timeframe to achieve the agreed task or gain specific experience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Workshops e.g. Shellfish & Human Health Workshop 6th July 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | This workshop sought to review the current UK food safety resulting from shellfish cultivation with viewpoints from industry and regulators. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |