The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) had seaweed success at this year’s Aquaculture Awards.
The co-ordinator of the newly launched Seaweed Academy, Rhianna Rees, picked up one of the top awards.
SAMS is based at Dunstaffnage near Oban – and is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands.
Ms Rees was jointly awarded the rising star award at the ceremony in Aviemore on Wednesday, May 4, alongside Andre Van of Kames Fish Farm.
‘This was a win for seaweed’
The award comes a week after the launch of the Seaweed Academy, the UK’s first dedicated seaweed industry facility.
The academy uses research knowledge generated at SAMS to offer advice to start-ups, train workers and share the latest research to help businesses develop.
The success of the Seaweed Academy launch at SAMS, which attracted nearly 200 people and hundreds more virtual attendees, demonstrated the huge scope of interest in seaweed cultivation in the UK and Europe.
Ms Rees said: “Words cannot describe how grateful, surprised, proud, and honoured I am to have been awarded Aquaculture UK Rising Star award.
“This was a win for seaweed, for SAMS, and everyone in the team who has worked so hard to achieve all the things we have so far as part of the Seaweed Academy.”
‘A tremendous achievement’
Mike Spain, of SAMS Enterprise, said: “This is a tremendous achievement for Rhianna, who has established an incredibly comprehensive and high-quality Seaweed Academy project in a short period of time.
“It has been an incredibly busy and rewarding few weeks for the SAMS Enterprise team but also for the developing seaweed farming industry as a whole.
“As the profile of seaweed cultivation grows, we move ever closer to a thriving new industry for the UK and Europe. SAMS Enterprise is helping to lead that movement.”