What We Do
Founded on the principles of collaboration and innovation, the Scottish Ocean Cluster provides a platform for organisations to connect, share knowledge and explore new opportunities. By bringing together diverse expertise and perspectives, we help strengthen Scotland's position as a centre for seafood innovation and sustainable economic growth.
How We Support
We seek to build on the success of the Iceland Ocean Cluster model, adapting it to the Scottish context to increase the valorisation of high-value seafood side streams, share best practice, and harness emerging opportunities, including:
1. Collaboration and innovation – bringing together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, who may not otherwise meet, to develop high-value side stream value chains.
2. Market development and awareness – identifying opportunities and raising awareness of the potential for creating sustainable, value-added products.
3. Economic growth and job creation – increasing the economic value of the seafood sector while generating skilled, high-paying jobs across Scotland, particularly in coastal communities.
4. Industry sustainability and resilience – strengthening Scotland’s seafood sector by driving long-term innovation, investment, and future opportunities.
Key Outputs
The Scottish Ocean Cluster aims to deliver the following key outputs:
1. Increased profits and productivity – maximising the value of seafood side streams, creating new high-value markets and building processor resilience.
2. Improved environmental sustainability – promoting 100% utilisation of fish, including high-value by-products currently discarded at sea, such as langoustine heads and white fish viscera.
3. Entrepreneurship and job creation - driving innovation, increasing start-up activity, and expanding bio-manufacturing in Scotland, generating skilled, high-paying jobs, particularly in coastal communities.
4. Improved food security - converting more high-value by-products into food products like fishcakes and fish fingers, reducing reliance on imports.
5. Attraction of funding and investment – strengthening the blue economy by securing investment and fostering economic development across the Scotland.