THE Malin Group, the marine engineering specialist, and Isle of Skye Mussel Company – part of Scotland’s growing community of seafood small and medium-sized enterprises – have joined the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre consortium, taking its membership beyond 150 organisations for the first time.

The SAIC said the move marks a significant milestone in its membership base, as “Scotland’s aquaculture sector increasingly looks to collaborative innovation to deliver sustainable growth”.

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The consortium is said to act as a connecting point for different parts of the sector, including seafood producers, supply chain companies, regulators, and the public sector. Beyond aquaculture, sectors represented range from biotechnology, subsea companies and equipment suppliers to logistics firms and retailers.

Heather Jones, SAIC chief executive, said: “The growth of SAIC’s consortium reflects the increasing commitment from aquaculture – as well as the many industries that support it – to innovation and collaboration. It also highlights the growing diversity of the sector, not only in terms of geography, but also in the types of businesses involved, their size, and areas of focus." More than half of SAIC’s membership is made up of SMEs.