University of Stirling aquaculture research facility approved

A £17 million world-class research and innovation facility at the University of Stirling has moved a step closer after the plans were approved by Stirling Council.The National Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Hub (NATIH), which builds on the University’s Institute of Aquaculture, will bring together experimental aquatic facilities, including a new tropical aquarium, with state-of-the-art laboratories, and space dedicated to business incubation and acceleration. The Hub is funded through a £17m investment from the UK Government, as part of the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal.Aquaculture, the cultivation of fish, crustaceans, aquatic plants, algae and shellfish in water environments, is one of the world’s fasting growing sectors, with an estimated global growth rate of 8%. NATIH will position University of Stirling expertise at the forefront of this expansion, delivering and increasing the economic, social and environmental benefits for the industry, and informing modern commercial aquaculture markets.The impact of this pioneering work will be felt both in Scotland, where the sector has plans to double its output by 2030, and internationally, where the aquaculture sector has a prominent footprint in Africa, Asia and South America.