STUDY AREAS

SAMS - Scottish Association for Marine Science

Founded over 100 years ago the Scottish Association for Marine Science (formerly the Scottish Marine Biological Association) is an independent research organisation with an outstanding reputation in marine science. Based at Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory the organisation has researchers of international standing in the fields of aquaculture, bio-geochemistry, deep-sea biology, marine biotechnology and marine ecology. The laboratory is well equipped with its own research vessels, dive teams, recompression chamber, sea water aquaria, analytical equipment, library and advanced computing, microscope and communication facilities. SAMS also houses the UK Marine and Freshwater Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa.

The environmental research conducted in SAMS Coastal Impacts Research Group focuses on measuring the impact of aquaculture, quantitatively defining the factors that influence biological and chemical processes in sediments around aquaculture facilities. The scale and extent of sediment impacts are key factors that limit the scale of the industry. The fate of dissolved and particulate emissions from aquaculture is also examined, computer models such as 'DEPOMOD' are an increasingly important tool in this respect, aiding in the selection of sites suited to for aquaculture

In SAMS Invertebrate Biology and Mariculture group research focuses on different aspects of integrated aquaculture, sustainability and bioremediation in marine systems. The integration of nutrient extracting species (filter feeders, grazers and marine plants) into culture systems for nutrient enriching species (such as fin-fish) is being examined. We also examine the potential of 'new' aquaculture species such as edible sea urchins and the red sea weed dulce. The group has additional expertise in the distribution and biological implications of harmful algal toxin accumulation in shellfish and methods for mitigating their impact.