DRIVING SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD

Driving sustainable seafood. Insights and innovations from the Responsible Seafood Summit, held earlier this year in St Andrews.

Fish Focus takes a look back at the event with our Responsible Seafood Summit in Focus.

Seafood Scotland co-hosted the Responsible Seafood Summit in St Andrews which saw a whirlwind of presentations, workshops and networking that underscored the power of collaboration.

Attendees witnessed first-hand how much can be accomplished when stakeholders unite around one common goal: ensuring seafood is more sustainable for future generations.

It was clear that strong connections are central to this ambition. As Donna Fordyce, Chief Executive of Seafood Scotland puts it:

“Virtual meetings are useful, but nothing beats the power of gathering talented, driven people in the same space.”

The venue – The Fairmont Hotel, perched on the clifftop outside St Andrews – is a tailor-made space to encourage these kinds of interactions between set piece presentations – over meals, during breaks and even while dancing at the lively Gala Dinner.

One of the summit’s main highlights included an impromptu meeting among key stakeholders of the emerging Scotland Ocean Cluster. This included Zero Waste Scotland, Opportunity North East (ONE) and Aberdeenshire Council joining Seafood Scotland to meet with Dr. Alexandra Leeper, CEO of Iceland’s Ocean Cluster.

According to Donna:

“These kinds of spontaneous conversations bring an energy that weeks of virtual meetings cannot replicate.”

Another key takeaway from the event was the Pride in the Seas campaign. Led by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, the campaign celebrated fishing heritage and spotlighted rewarding careers
for young people.

Crew welfare was also a focus, with Mike Park from the Scottish White Fish Producers Association, highlighting improvements like onboard Wi-Fi, which makes life at sea more connected.

In an inspiring keynote address, Scottish entrepreneur Chris van der Kuyl spoke about his investment in Ace Aquatec, emphasising that data and a clear vision are crucial for attracting investors.

Additionally, a key discussion on seafood ‘side streams’ – such as heads, backbones, skin and other rest raw material – emphasised the income potential of seafood by-products.

The team at Iceland Ocean Cluster noted that a single fish can be valued at $4,750 when its oils, collagen and minerals are fully utilised and brought to market. This forward-thinking approach – backed up by credible data – aligns perfectly with Seafood Scotland’s vision for a sustainable seafood industry.