Young professionals ready to make a splash in aquaculture

Scotland’s aquaculture minister Mairi Gougeon has welcomed the formation of a society for young professionals working in the sector in the UK.

The Young Aquaculture Society (YAS) is dedicated to fostering collaboration, innovation and knowledge exchange among aquaculture peers across the UK, and cultivating the next generation of leaders in the industry.

“Aquaculture makes a huge contribution to Scotland’s rural economy and offers a range or rewarding career paths for young people,” said Gougeon, who responsibilities as Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands include looking after fish farming. “We welcome efforts to reinforce and promote these opportunities, and I look forward to hearing more about the Society’s work.”

The YAS will be formally launched on May 14 next year at Aquaculture UK in Aviemore at an event hosted by trade body Salmon Scotland.

Grassroots platform

Salmon Scotland chief executive Tavish Scott said: “With over 700 amazing young people working directly within our salmon sector, it’s great to see a grass-roots platform be developed to help them network, socialise and learn.”

Key features of YAS are set to include:

• Collaborative network: opportunities for young professionals, researchers, students, and professionals interested in aquaculture and its related fields to build lasting friendships, collaborate, and share insights.
• Professional development: Through events, webinars and workshops the society will provide valuable resources to help members develop key skills.
• Reach: by fostering a diverse and inclusive community, the society aims to leverage a wealth of perspectives and experiences to address the complex challenges facing the aquaculture industry.

Professor Dan Macqueen, chair of fish genomics at Edinburgh University’s Roslin Institute, said: “I can’t overstate the importance of building a network early on in your career. YAS offers the opportunity to get to know peers from both industry and academia, across all sectors from salmon farming to seaweed.”

Those wishing to join YAS can register for free by emailing young.aqua.soc@gmail.com or visiting the society's LinkedIn page.