Seaweed Scotland: interview with the Chief Executive

Fish Farmer: Could you tell us something about the theme for this year’s conference?

Rhianna Rees: The theme this year is Building a Connected Seaweed Sector: Cooperation and Collaboration, Turning the Tide of Innovation. It’s about getting together as a sector to improve our efficiency, reduce bottlenecks and hopefully to scale the sector in the way that it needs to be scaled.

FF: SSIA is rebranding, can you tell us something about that?

RR: The “Scottish Seaweed Industry Association” has always been a little bit of a mouthful. It’s great that the SSIA has got the recognition that it deserves, as a  brand, but our thinking has been that as we move forward other trade associations in Scotland have shortened their names, and “Seaweed Scotland” is more in line with our values at this time.

FF: There are also some UK-wide initiatives going on?

RR: Seaweed Scotland has built the reputation that it has over the last 11 years, but there is no trade association for the rest of the UK. There is a gap there to be filled for collaboration and further connection… we feel that Scotland is in the best position to have oversight and leadership, bringing the other devolved nations alongside us, to build a sector we can be proud of.

FF: It’s been a challenging year for the seaweed industry – how do you see its prospects?

RR: It has been particularly challenging this year for a number of reasons; we are seeing competitiveness in the marketplace, challenges with Brexit and funding, and investment, but I do see opportunities in innovation and making sure that we do work together, potentially in the form of cooperatives or clusters, to solve those problems. I feel a tremendous sense of unity at this conference even though it’s shrouded by some of the unfortunate things that have happened, and a real drive to get us into a better position.