The Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Cluster (SAIC) has appointed 14 experts from academia and industry to its new science panel, as the organization launches its first funding call following a major organizational transition.

The panel brings together specialists with experience spanning the UK, Norway, Chile and Australia. Members will provide independent scientific advice to SAIC’s board and assess research and innovation proposals for their scientific merit, potential impact and commercial relevance.

Pieter van West, director of the international center for aquaculture research and development at the University of Aberdeen, will chair the group. At the same time, Tim Bean of the Roslin Institute becomes vice-chair.

The expanded panel includes experts in environmental sustainability, fish and shellfish health, veterinary science, technology and environmental modeling, covering finfish, shellfish and seaweed aquaculture.

The appointments support SAIC’s funding call, which opened on Aug. 24 and follows the cluster’s move to independence from the University of Stirling earlier this year. SAIC has also relocated to the Scottish Highlands after securing £1.4 million ($1.9m) in annual funding for at least five years from Crown Estate Scotland.

Sarah Riddle, SAIC’s principal officer, said the strength of applications had prompted SAIC to increase the panel from its originally planned 12 members.

“The quality of the applications meant we expanded the group from the 12 originally planned, which also reflects the fact that this is the strongest science panel we have ever had.”

“The scientific panel acts as an extension of SAIC’s delivery team. By drawing on decades of expertise from across the aquaculture sector, we can assess the quality, commercial relevance, and sector impact of projects, ensuring that each one we support is scientifically robust and has real potential benefit to aquaculture,” added Linda Wood, non-executive director at SAIC. 

Fish health expertise is provided by Martin Llewellyn, an expert in molecular ecology at the University of Glasgow; Byron Morales Lange, scientific researcher at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences; and Sophie Fridman, senior aquaculture consultant at MacAlister Elliott & Partners. Carmel McDougall, reader in marine biology at the University of St Andrews, and Tim Bean will support the panel with their experience in shellfish health.
 
Meanwhile, veterinary knowledge is being provided by Fernando Mardones, senior lecturer in One Health and aquaculture at the University of Edinburgh; Johanna Baily, aquatic veterinary pathologist at Patogen; and Khalid Shahin, head of diagnostics at Pharmaq Analytiq. Fateh Kerrouche from Edinburgh Napier University’s School of Computing, Engineering, and Built Environment and environmental modeling specialist Anton Edwards complete the group with their backgrounds in technology.

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