Press

Over August and September 2023, Fishing News published three articles taking a look at innovations past and present that SIF has funded.

• Measuring up to crab and lobster data needs (31 August 2023)
• Getting SeaWise about vessel stability (12 September 2023)
• Flavours of the future: innovations to preserve taste and reduce waste (currently print only; stayed tuned for the link to the online version!)

Read our press release ‘Funding a New Wave of Innovation in the UK Seafood Sector‘ which announced the Research and Development (R&D) projects selected in our closed Call 3 and open Call 4 funding rounds.

The press release was covered by the following outlets:

• Fish Focus
• The Fishing Daily
• Fisker Forum

Read our press release ‘UK Seafood Innovation Fund Widens its Net with a New Call for Innovative Ideas‘ which announced the launch of Call 4 for Research and Development (R&D) projects.

The press release was covered by the following outlets:

• Seafood Source
• The Fishing Daily
• Fisker Forum
• Fish Farmer
• Fish Farming Expert
• Undercurrent News
• Through the Gaps
• Fish Focus
• Fishing News

Read our press release ‘All aboard for the future: new seafood sustainability projects receive government funding‘ announcing the feasibility projects which were awarded SIF funding in Call 3.

The press release was covered by the following outlets:

• Seafood Source
• Fish Farming Expert
• Fish Focus
• Fisker Forum
• World Fishing & Aquaculture
• The Skipper
• The Fishing Daily
• Through the Gaps

From December 2021 to January 2022, Fishing News published three articles taking a look at innovations past and present that SIF has funded.

• UK Seafood Innovation Fund: New Names, New Markets? (9 December 2021)
• Brixham Boats Trial Electric Outboards and Eco Gear (15 December 2021)
• Humane Slaughter System That’s Truly Cutting-Edge (24 December 2021)
• How Do You Age a Lobster? The Answer May Be In Its DNA (7 January 2022)

Read our press release ‘UK Seafood Innovation Fund Continues to Push the Boundaries with a New Call for Innovative Ideas‘ which announced the launch of Call 3 for feasibility projects.

The press release was covered by the following outlets:

• Matrix
• Through the Gaps
• Fish Focus
• Fishing Daily
• Seafood Source
• Fishing Farming Expert
• World Fishing & Aquaculture

Read our press release ‘Innovation Fund continues to support a sustainable future for UK Seafood Sector‘ announcing the projects which were awarded SIF funding in Call 2.

The press release was covered by the following outlets:

• The Fishing Daily
• Through the Gaps
• Fisker Forum

Read our press release ‘Innovation Fund prioritises sustainability in the UK seafood sector‘ announcing the completion of the feasibility projects which were awarded SIF funding in Call 1.

The press release was covered by the following outlets:

• The Fishing Daily
• The Skipper

Read our press release ‘Seafood fund seeks ideas for innovation projects up to £250k‘ announcing the projects which were awarded SIF funding in Call 2.

The press release was covered by the following outlets:

• Through The Gaps
• The Skipper
• Matrix
• The Fish Site
• EM4 Fish
• Fish Focus
• Research Professional News
• NS Agriculture
• Wired Gov
• Seafood Source
• Icon
• The Fishing Daily

Scallop Potting (RD130), also known as the ‘Scallop disco’ project, has been covered by the following press outlets:

• Accidental discovery that scallops love ‘disco’ lights leads to new fishing technique (The Guardian, 18 May 2022)
• Devon scientists discover scallops love ‘disco’ lights with world first fishing technique (ITV News, 18 May 2022)
• Scallops caught with illuminated pots in fishing breakthrough (BBC Cornwall, 19 May 2022)
• Scientists discover that scallops “love” disco lights (NME, 23 May 2022)
• Orkney part of ‘scallop discos’ fishing trial (BBC NE, Orkney & Shetland, 7 June 2022)
• Scallop disco: Catching scallops sustainably (Oceanographic Magazine)

Early warning system for infective sea lice: Development of holographic imaging for in-situ monitoring (RD201) has been covered by the following press outlets:

• Could AI finally end the scourge of sea-lice and help reduce the price of our supermarket salmon? (The Press & Journal, 7 October 2023)
• Holographic cameras bring sea lice early warning system into focus (ECO Magazine, 9 October 2023)

Innovative value-added Cornish seafood products (FS103) has been covered by the following press outlets:

• Seafood surprise: could rebranding this ugly fish as ‘Cornish sole’ make Brits eat it? (The Guardian, 9 February 2021)
• Brexit: ‘Under-loved’ fish renamed for British tastes (BBC News, 9 February 2021)
• Fancy a spot of megrim or Cornish sole for lunch?… (Mail Online, 9 February 2021) 
• How to rebrand a fish so that it sounds tastier (The Conversation, 16 February 2021)
• The flat fish guide: how to identify and cook these unloved species (The Telegraph, 27 February 2021)

Rapid, quantitative field test for shellfish toxins (RD189) has been covered by the following press release:

• Government Chief Scientific Advisor’s visit to Cefas and Fera (GOV.UK, 22 August 2022)

Smartrawl: a solution to discards and bycatch in trawl fisheries (RD174) has been covered by the following press outlets:

• Funding a new wave of innovation in UK Seafood (FiskerForum, 17 May 2023)
• AI-empowered fishing net to help prevent marine bycatch (Heriot Watt University, 28 June 2023)
• Scottish scientists trial ‘intelligent’ fishing net that could stop needless deaths of marine wildlife (The Scotsman, 5 July 2023) 
• Fish and seafood collaborations for good (Sainsbury’s, 13 October 2023)

Fish welfare improvement through low biomass density transfers achieved with the innovative Voluntary Swim-In (VSI) system (RD173) has been covered by the following press outlets:

• ‘Happier and Healthier”: New fish transportation technology emphasises voluntary movement (Global Seafood Alliance, 10 July 2023)

SeaMist: a high yielding, low impact land-based seaweed cultivation system (RD151) has been covered by the following press outlets:

• You will soon be eating seaweed (Sifted, 30 September 2021)
• Funding of a new wave of innovation in UK Seafood (Fisker Forum, 17 May 2023)

Hemp by-products as a protein source for Scottish salmon (RD147) has been covered by the following press outlets:

• Hemp protein to be tested as a potential salmon feed ingredient (Global Seafood Alliance, 3 August 2023)
• UK project explores benefits for salmon when fed hemp seed protein (Feed Navigator, 3 August 2023) 

KelpRing – A natural habitat for cleaner fish (RD132) has been covered by the following press outlets:

• Can algal engineering help to tackle sea lice? (The Fish Site, 7 December 2021)
• Loch Duart explores use of kelp hides in salmon farming (Seafood Source, 10 December 2021)

Humane slaughter for wild fish through electric in-water stunning followed by innovative automated waterjet bleeder (RD004) has been covered by the following press outlets:

• World is the oyster for Dundee fish farm technology company (The Herald, 2 August 2021)
• Ace Aquatec aiming to stun trade show with technology (Fishfarming expert, 5 August 2021)
• Partnership between Ace Aquatec and Fresh By Design to supply APAC region (International Aquafeed, 13 May 2022)

Multibeam sonar for measuring fish health and biomass, controlling feeding regimes and triggering predator deterrents (RD005) has been covered by the following press outlets:

• Innovative AI salmon biomass data capture system unveiled at Aqua Nor 2023 (The Fish Site, 22 August 2023)

Tools for improving the welfare of lumpfish (RD103) has been covered by the following press outlets:

• Researchers launch lumpfish welfare tool (The Fish Site, 28 July 2021)

Omega-3 rich microalgae salmon feed trials (RD106) has been covered by the following press outlets:

• MiAlgae launches algae derived omega-3 product for aqua feed and pet food (Feed Navigator, 17 April 2023)

ZOEX for Aquaculture (RD192) has been covered by the following press outlets:

• New pen design “could quadruple Scottish salmon production” (The Fish Site, 9 December 2022)