United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) is addressing challenges in the UK’s aquaculture industry with a £5.1 million investment to fund innovative research.

The investment will be used to fund twelve projects aimed at meeting the challenges in the industry.

One of the projects involved is developing vaccines made using algae to keep fish free from disease and help protect the UK’s aquaculture industry.

Other projects include studying genetics and breeding patterns, looking at how shellfish can be more sustainable, immunising trout against kidney disease and examining how robust salmon are and how susceptible to disease they are at sea.

The UK Aquaculture Initiative is a joint BBSRC and NERC project to support high-quality, innovative research and address strategic challenges facing UK aquaculture.

Karen Lewis, BBSRC Executive Director, Innovation & Skills, said: “Aquaculture is a key food production sector for the UK. These projects will improve our understanding of the challenges facing aquaculture production.

“Working together with industry partners, UK researchers will help to address these challenges and contribute to developing a healthy, safe and sustainable aquaculture system which will deliver societal and economic benefit for the UK.”