SAMS-AR 2013_. 21/10/2013 09:52 Page 1 SAMS ANNUAL REPORT 2012-13 SAMS-AR 2013_. 21/10/2013 09:39 Page 2 FRONT COVER: Bathymetry of the Firth of Lorn generated by the SEUPB funded INIS Hydro project. Image: Philip Crump, SAMS Follow us... ABOUT US www.faceboook.com/SAMS.Marine SAMS (The Scottish Association for Marine Science) is a learned society with around 300 members who share an interest in marine science. SAMS is a charity (009206) and a Company Limited by Guarantee (SC009292) registered in Scotland. SAMS’ mission is to deliver world-class marine science that supports society with innovative solutions to developing a sustainable relationship with the marine #ScotMarineInst environment. SAMS delivers this mission through research, education and services to CONTENTS Page business, learned society activities and public engagement initiatives. The organisation maintains four strategic partnerships: it is a founding partner of the University of the Highlands and Islands, a delivery partner of the Natural Environment Our location 04 Research Council, the only marine associated institution of the United Nations University and a member of the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Welcome from the Crow’s Nest 05 Scotland. Our research (including fellows reports) 06 SAMS operates the Scottish Marine Institute at Dunstaffnage near Oban where more than 160 employees conduct research and provide education and services in marine National Capabilities 64 science. Our Education 74 Services to business are delivered through SRSL, a wholly owned commercial subsidiary company (SC224404). SAMS also operates a business incubator known as the European SAMS Research Services Ltd 84 Centre for Marine Biotechnology (SC205318) that hosts tenant companies. Public Engagement at SAMS 86 The Association is governed by an independent non-executive Council elected by SAMS’ members at the Annual General Meeting. Council is supported by the Board of Council Our resources 88 and a number of committees: research; education; finance; audit. Board and committees are made up from Council members and executive staff. The audit committee also Our people 90 includes independent members. SAMS business is conducted in accordance with the Articles and the Memorandum of Association. Our finances 92 SAMS Council members are the non-executive directors of the company and trustees of The Learned Society 94 the charity. SAMS Council members on 31 March 2013 were: Editor President Professor Geoffrey Boulton Dr Anuschka Miller SAMS, Scottish Marine Institute, Oban, Chairman of Board Michael Gibson Argyll PA37 1QA, UK Council (Board of Directors) T: 01631 559000 F: 01631 559001 E: [email protected] Professor Mary Bownes Views expressed in this report are the Professor Peter Burkill views of the individual contributors and do Stuart Cannon not necessarily reflect the views of SAMS. Professor Robert Ferrier Professor Lora Fleming Design Rory MacKinnon, SAMS Gordon McAllister Professor David Paterson Dr Carol Phillips Company Secretary Funders Professor Monty Priede Elaine Walton Commodore Angus Ross Ken Rundle Michael Wilkins Vice Presidents Our main partners External members of Audit Committee Professor Sir John Arbuthnott Dr Keith Duff Professor Sir Frederick Holliday Marilyn Jeffcoat Sir David Smith Dr John H Steele Director Professor Laurence Mee Professor Stephen A Thorpe SAMS Annual Report 2012-13 2 SAMS Annual Report 2012-13 3 SAMS-AR 2013_. 21/10/2013 09:39 Page 4 WELCOME OUR LOCATION FROM THE CROW’S @ Dunstaffnage, Oban NEST: THE BUZZ GETS LOUDER I hope you will enjoy learning about the I have always felt a buzz in the air at SAMS in the sea and on deep-sea mining impacts, progress in our work and our many new as new ideas emerge and my colleagues to name a few examples. Much of this work partnerships, including that with the United share their enthusiasm and excitement. would have been unimaginable just a Nations University (p. 82). My own voyage of Nowadays, this virtual buzz has been decade ago and yet we are building on the discovery as Director of SAMS has already augmented by a real buzz as our newly past and now reaping the rewards of well lasted five years, not a roller coaster ride but acquired remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs) over 40 years on the Dunstaffnage site. This a continuous process of engagement and take off with their precision cameras that can has given enough time to develop time teamwork as we face the challenges of accurately survey intertidal areas or the sea series such as the Ellet Line (repeat surveys operating in a period of relative austerity but surface in a fraction of the time of traditional between Scotland and Iceland) and the with huge opportunities for hard-working techniques (p. 56). SAMS has become a West Coast shoreline and intertidal surveys. scientific entrepreneurs. And we have plenty leader in smart technology for observations SAMS work in education (p. 74-83) has taken of them here! The big milestone in my own and holds the record for the longest a huge leap forward thanks to three main journey is that I am no longer called ‘the operational deployment of an underwater factors. The first is the full commissioning of new Director’… glider in Europe (to Iceland and back). We our new Sheina Marshall building; one of the have a versatile Remus autonomous best marine science teaching facilities in the underwater vehicle and are in the process of UK. Secondly, UHI’s full university title has Professor Laurence Mee acquiring a new ROV (remotely operated made it more attractive to students. Thirdly, Director of SAMS vehicle). One of our benthic landers was and most importantly, we have established a deployed to the bottom of the Challenger strong reputation for experiential learning Deep in the Marianas Trench, the deepest with a high level of engagement of research- point in the oceans (p.46). Follow Laurence’s ‘Musings from the Crow’s active staff. Nest’ blog at: Deploying these devices is not just about Another key development has been in our http://scotmarineinst.blogspot.co.uk/ breaking endurance records, it is the logical engagement with society: we organised a way forward for filling the huge gap we have second successful marine science festival in observations of the sea. Incredibly, we and prepared the new Ocean Explorer have only surveyed some 7% of the deep Centre, where our world will be open to oceans and the main reason why climate visitors to explore and discover. models have high levels of uncertainty is our lack of knowledge of ocean processes and SAMS’ research success has been mirrored long term cycles. There just isn’t enough by our commercial work, conducted through money and time to fill these observational SRSL, a wholly owned company (p. 84). SRSL gaps ‘the old way’ using research vessels (we has a diverse portfolio with particular still use them by the way and will always success in understanding the impacts of have to; not everything can be automated). mine tailings disposal in the seas around Papua New Guinea and in the development This development gives you a little insight and marketing of instruments to measure into the modern SAMS. We have a solid sea ice cover in both polar regions. We also foundation as the oldest marine institute in conduct a wide programme of sanitary Scotland (130 year birthday in 2014) but are surveys for the Food Standards Agency. All constantly working at the frontier of of this underlines our ‘end-to-end’ approach knowledge, technology and applications… to marine science: education and training - and also of public engagement. This is why research - applications – societal impacts. we are working on the development of marine biofuels, on renewable energy, on marine spatial planning, on climate change SAMS Annual Report 2012-13 4 SAMS Annual Report 2012-13 5 SAMS-AR 2013_. 21/10/2013 09:39 Page 6 OUR RESEARCH SAMS Annual Report 2012-13 6 SAMS Annual Report 2012-13 7 SAMS-AR 2013_. 21/10/2013 09:39 Page 8 ECOLOGY ECOLOGY DR ADAM HUGHES The search for economic & environmental PUBLICATIONS 2012-13 sustainability in the aquaculture industry Hughes AD, Kelly M, Black K, Stanley MS. Callaway, R., Shinn, A.P., Bron, J.E., Burnell, Carboni S, Hughes AD, Atack T, Tocher DR, 2012. Biogas from macroalgae: is it time to G., Cook, E.J., Cumlish, M., Culloty, S., Migaud H. 2013. Fatty acid profiles during revisit the idea? Biotechnology for Biofuels, Davidson, K., Ellis, R.P., Flynn, K.J., Fox, C., gametogenesis in sea urchin (Paracentrotus Aquaculture is expanding faster than any Developing our seaweed 5: 86. Green, D.M., Grenfell, S.E., Hayes, G., lividus): Effects of dietary inputs on gonad, other food production sector and is crucial in Hughes, A., Johnston, E., Lupatsch, I., egg and embryo profiles. Comparative industry Hughes AD, Black K, Campbell DA, helping to ensure global food security. In Malham, S., Mendzil, A.F., Nickell, T., Biochemistry and Physiology - Part A: Another way for the aquaculture industry to Heymans S, Orr KK, Stanley MS et al. 2012. Europe, however, the aquaculture industry is Pickerel, T., Rowley, A.F., Stanley, M., Tocher, Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 164 diversify and develop is the use of the Comments on "Prospects for the use of experiencing low to zero growth. D.R., Turnbull, J.F., Webb, G., Wooton, E., (2):376-82. marine environment to produce non-food macroalgae for fuel in Ireland and UK: An Sheilds, R. (2012). Review of climate change The European industry is characterised by products; for example growing seaweed for overview of marine management issues". Levas SJ, Grottoli AG, Hughes A, Osburn impacts on marine aquaculture in the UK and monoculture of fin and shellfish species. This a source of biofuels.