The industry-wide initiative is underpinned by partnerships between UHI, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers, Seafood Shetland, and the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group. The collaboration is also strategically aligned with the UK Government’s growth mission to kick start the economy and the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation, ensuring it supports Scotland’s ambition for a thriving blue economy.

With a focus on sustainablility, the project is set to transform shellfish aquaculture and bring additional quality jobs in mussel farming based on detailed investigations (mapping and monitoring) and creating a model for improving security and reliability of wild spat recruitment, through industry best practice.

Spearheading the development and case for this project together with Shetland-based partners in industry, academia and the public sector, Michael Tait from Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group said: “Mussel farming is recognised as one of the most sustainable forms of aquaculture due to its low environmental impact, contributing positively to local ecosystems and offering a low-carbon, nutritious food source for consumers.

“This project will help to overcome some of the challenges that the industry faces in terms of growth, while focusing firmly on continued sustainability and contributing to national net zero targets. The aim is to grow Scotland’s mussel production by an additional 10,000 tonnes per year, safeguarding existing jobs and creating new ones in an industry operating in many of Scotland’s more remote and fragile areas.

“The industry has faced challenges in terms of reliable spat (juvenile mussel) recruitment in the past, which has affected mussel production. A strand of this project will be to create more secure and reliable capture of spat to ensure consistent production.

“There is still much to learn around the productivity of a particular environment or location, so we will be developing predictive growth models to assess production capacity in current and future farm locations.”

Ruth Henderson, chief executive of Seafood Shetland, added: “The final part of the project will be around establishing international collaboration between industry and academia to measure, analyse, and disseminate best practices into mussel farming.

“Mussel farming is still a relatively new industry and there is still much to discover, which will allow us to sustain and grow production in the most environmentally sustainable way.”

Overseeing the implementation of this nine-year project, Professor Derek McGhee, dean of research and innovation at UHI, said: “The Shell-volution project is a game-changer for Scotland’s mussel farming sector.

“By driving innovation and sustainability, we will unlock the full potential of this crucial industry, providing benefits for the economy, the environment, and rural communities for years to come.”

Dr Nick Lake, chief executive of the Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers, added: “This initiative will help us address key challenges in the sector, from environmental changes to production capacity.

“The collaborative nature of Shell-volution ensures that industry, academia, and the public sector work together to secure the future of mussel farming in Scotland.”

Elaine Jamieson, Head of Life Sciences and Blue Economy at Highlands and Islands Enterprise, added: “Mussel farming is a key part of our wider aquaculture industry, which sustains valuable employment in many of our rural and island communities.

“Like most industries it requires innovation to enable growth and improve productivity. Farmers have described their challenges and ambitions and through partnership with academia and the public sector have created Shell-volution.

“We are pleased to have been part of this collaborative approach, and we look forward to realising the forecast benefits for our producers, their employees and communities.”

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: “My priorities are focussed on working with partners to deliver sustainable growth in the Scottish economy and promoting Brand Scotland’s world-famous food and drink larder.

“This exciting shellfish aquaculture project - backed by £4.4m UK government funding - is a great example of collaboration to find innovative solutions for boosting productivity in mussel farming, creating jobs and decarbonising the sector in Scotland and beyond.”

With planning now underway, the Shell-volution project will have an early focus on the recruitment of two key project posts, establishing a project board, and developing an initial research and development plan. Full-scale implementation is set to begin in 2025, marking a transformative decade for Scotland’s blue economy.