SAMS Unites Industry, Regulators, and Researchers for Intensive Salmon Aquaculture Week

SAMS scientists conduct experiments on board the institute’s research vessel Seol Mara to attempt to measure the depths at which sea lice can be detected.

(IN BRIEF) During the first week of June, SAMS in Oban hosted a concentrated programme of events for the salmon aquaculture sector, including a sea lice detection workshop under the BBSRC-funded E(tive)lice project, a visit from Norway’s Seafood Research Fund, the Innovate UK–supported Aqua-Reg 2025 regulatory forum, and Salmon Scotland’s AGM. Researchers also conducted at-sea trials to map sea lice life cycles and prevalence. The collaborations aim to refine larval detection methods, explore evolutionary differences via lipidomics, and advance eDNA, HAB monitoring, and modelling techniques. SAMS leverages its Oban hub to foster innovation, talent development, and sustainability in the Scottish salmon farming industry.

(PRESS RELEASE) OBAN, 9-Jun-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — At the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) facility in Oban, an unofficial “week of salmon aquaculture” unfolded as the institute welcomed a diverse array of industry players, regulators, and academic experts. The programme kicked off with a BBSRC-backed stakeholder workshop on sea lice detection, followed by a delegation from Norway’s Seafood Research Fund, the Aqua-Reg 2025 Regulatory Science Network meeting, and the annual Salmon Scotland AGM and board session.

Concluding the week, SAMS researchers took to the water to carry out experiments aimed at deepening their understanding of sea lice life cycles and distribution—crucial data for devising strategies to mitigate their impact on farmed salmon.

“Over many years, SAMS has earned its reputation as an impartial, trustworthy source of aquaculture expertise,” said Steve Ham, Head of SAMS Enterprise. “Hosting so many stakeholders in just one week underlines our commitment to delivering the latest scientific insights to the sector and keeping our own teams up to speed on its pressing challenges.”

On Monday, 3 June, SAMS convened the “E(tive)lice: Revolutionising sea lice detection for sustainable salmon farming and conservation” meeting in partnership with the University of Glasgow, Mowi, and Argyll Fisheries Trust. Running through summer 2026, this project will trial novel methods for identifying and quantifying sea lice larvae across environments, benchmarked against traditional approaches, while employing lipidomics to investigate evolutionary differences between lice on wild versus farmed hosts.

The following day, directors from Norway’s Seafood Research Fund (FHF) explored SAMS’s cutting-edge work in environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis, harmful algal bloom (HAB) monitoring, predictive modelling, and sea lice tracking. Concurrently, the Aqua-Reg 2025 forum—funded by Innovate UK—brought together government, academia, and industry to explore breakthrough disease-prevention technologies for salmon farms.

On 5 June, Salmon Scotland held its AGM and board meeting at SAMS, assembling producers and supply-chain partners in the heart of Scottish aquaculture. “Our Oban campus isn’t just home to SAMS,” explained Daniel Carcajona, SAMS Enterprise Business Development Manager, “it anchors a cluster of marine innovation that fuels the finfish farming sector and broader Blue Economy. Together, we nurture talent through training, apprenticeships, and research, sustaining our rural communities.”

Discover more about the aquaculture services offered by SAMS Enterprise.

About us

The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) has been delivering independent marine science since 1884. Based in Oban, 150 staff are working for healthy and sustainably managed seas and oceans through world-class marine research, education and engagement with society.

Media Contact:

Euan Paterson
Communications and Media Officer
Euan.Paterson@sams.ac.uk
01631 559342 (direct dial)
07827 963984 (mobile)
01631 559000 (switchboard)

SOURCE: Scottish Association for Marine Science