OUR SCIENCE AROUND THE WORLD SAMS SAMS (THE SCOTTISH ASSOCIATION FOR MARINE SCIENCE) SCOTTISH MARINE INSTITUTE OBAN • ARGYLL • PA37 1QA • SCOTLAND • UK T: (+44) (0)1631 559000 F: (+44) (0)1631 559001 E: [email protected] W: WWW.SAMS.AC.UK ANNUAL REPORT OUR PARTNERS 2016-2017 SAMS IS A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE, REGISTERED IN SCOTLAND (NO. SC009292), INDEPENDENT MARINE SCIENCE FOR SCOTLAND SINCE 1884 AND A REGISTERED SCOTTISH CHARITY (NO 009206) OFFICE BEARERS AS Audit committee external SAMS Honorary Fellows and CONFIRMED AT 102ND AGM members Research Associates SAMS STAFF OF THE ASSOCIATION Paul Brennan Dr Bob Batty 1 April 2016 – 31 March 2017 SAMS President Carol Phillips Dr Ruth Brennan Dr Clive Craik DIRECTORATE Martino, Dr Simone EDUCATION FINANCIAL SUPPORT Michalek, Kati Prof Geoffrey Boulton Council observers Dr Katherine Duncan Director: Owens, Prof Nicholas Head: Calder, Dr Lois SERVICES Narayanaswamy, Dr Bhavani Deputy Director: Miller, Prof Axel Bury, Dr Helen Head: McInnes, Jacqueline Dr John Gordon O’Donnell, Dr Christopher Sophie Laurie (NERC) Hatton, Prof Angela Crooks, Polly Beard, Adrian Chairman of SAMS Board Prof Richard Gowen Payne, Dr Ben Jennifer Nicoll (HIE) Davidson, Prof Keith Magill, Dr Shona Black, Derek Dr Fiona Hannah Day, Stafford Pond, Prof David Morrison, Leah Campbell, Elizabeth Professor Clive Mulholland (UHI) Commodore Angus Ross Prof Angela Hatton MacKinnon, Lorna Porter, Dr Marie Tindall, Fiona Hart, Fiona Dr Ken Jones Risch, Dr Denise MacEachen, Janice COUNCIL MEMBERS Dr Ray Leakey SCIENCE Robinson, Dr Georgina DELIVERY SUPPORT McLuckie, Gillian Prof Jane Lewis Head: Heymans, Prof Sheila Rochford, Meghan TEAM Robertson, Sharyn Mr Mark Batho Dr Andrew McLeod Adams, Dr Thomas Rouse, Dr Sally Head: Dr Shimmield, Tracy Smith, Christine Professor Monty Priede Prof David Meldrum Aleynik, Dr Dmitry Serpetti, Dr Natalia Allen, Dr Christopher Tening, Eugene Professor Sandy Tudhope ProfGeoff Moore Anderson, Dr Philip Slocombe, Dr Stephen Hart, Dr Mark Watt, Lorna Smalley, Claire Mr Ian Dunn Dr Jake Rice Arosio, Dr Riccardo Hausrath, John Austin, Prof William Stanley, Dr Michele Livingstone, Craig HEALTH AND SAFETY Dr Melissa Chierici Prof Toby Sherwin Badis, Dr Yacine Steuben Dale, Marieke Miller, Dr Raeanne Clay, Christopher Professor Donald Maclean Dr Henrik Stahl Benjamins, Dr Steven Stewart-Sinclair, Phoebe Murray, Sine Mr Stuart Cannon Black, Prof Kenneth Strittmatter, Dr Martina Nickell, Dr Thomas HUMAN RESOURCES Professor Bob Ferrier Billing, Dr Suzi Tett, Prof Paul Stewart, Alan Head: Hausrath, Michelle Mr Ken Rundle Brown, Dr Thomas Toberman, Dr Matthew Guthrie, David Campbell, Karen Professor Jane Francis Burrows, Prof Michael Turnewitsch, Dr Robert Thompson, Phillip Cullen, Jacqueline Marilyn Jeffcoat Carpenter, Dr Trevor Whyte, Dr Callum Vare, Dr Lindsay Culver, Rachel Cottier, Dr Elizabeth Wilding, Dr Thomas Greenwood, Susan Cottier, Dr Finlo Wilson, Prof Ben DIVING Kersley, Shirley Crocket, Dr Kirsty Head: Sayer, Dr Martin Cunningham, Prof Stuart TECHNICAL SUPPORT Azzopardi, Elaine ICT AND INFORMATION Dale, Dr Andrew Abell, Richard Brown, Hugh SERVICES Day, Prof John Abernethy, Colin Mogg, Dr Andrew Head: Gontarek, Steven De Boever, Frederik Anderson, Sarah Thurston, Simon Arce, Paola Ditchfield, Dr Arlene Beaton, John Cook, Nicola Duncan, Dr Katherine Beveridge, Christine PROFESSIONAL Dale, Richard CONTENTS Fox, Dr Clive Brand, Timothy SERVICES Dobkowski, Krystian Gachon, Dr Claire Brennan, Debra Fraser, Stephen Garvetto, Andrea Brunner, Lars BOATS: MacLucas, NigeL Gary, Dr Stefan Campbell, Christine Smith, Norman Glud, Prof Ronnie Childs, Katharine Green, Dr David Cole, Eilidh COMMUNICATIONS Greenhill, Lucy Dumont, Estelle Head: Miller, Anuschka Grist, Dr Hannah Field, Joanne Crabb, Andrew Hicks, Dr Natalie Griffiths, Colin MacKinnon, Rory 1 Welcome 6 Obituaries 26 National Facilities Houpert, Dr Loic Hagan, Bernard McNeill, Helen Howe, Dr John Lamont, Peter Paterson, Euan Hughes, Dr Adam MacKechnie, Karen Roseblade, Marc Research: Hughes, Dr David Mair, Alison Wallace, Keri 2 Transatlantic connections 8 Ocean Processes 32 Education Hwang, Dr Phil McNeill, Sharon Inall, Prof Mark Mitchell, Elaine FACILITIES Johnson, Dr Clare Rad Menendez, Cecilia Head: MacCorquodale, Iain Rodwell, Shane Research: Jones, Dr Sam Burnip, Melvin 3 Our people 12 Blue Economy 38 Communications Kelly, Dr Maeve Saxon, Rachel James, Alistair Kenter, Dr Jasper Swan, Sarah MacEwan, James Kerrison, Dr Philip Thomas, Naomi MacLean, Kenneth Last, Dr Kim Twigg, Gail McLaren, Paul Research: MacDonald, Fraser Ubbara, Swati 4 Learned society 18 Changing Coasts 40 Publications MacLeod, Dr Adrian Venables, Emily Wilson, Karen 5 Newth lecture 24 SRSL 49 Staff list Editors: Euan Paterson Front cover photo: Courtesy of Dr Thomas Brown (SAMS) Design: Rory MacKinnon PROFESSOR NICHOLAS OWENS SAMS DIRECTOR WELCOME As always, the year has had its environment and SAMS led the trading subsidiary SRSL had the highs and lows. The highs are the production of a policy briefing most successful year commercially outstanding outputs from each on safeguarding the future of since it was established. Some of our three ‘pillars’ of activity: the global seaweed aquaculture examples of the projects Science, Education & Outreach industry. This was a major undertaken are described later in and Enterprise. The lows are the collaborative effort alongside the report. loss of some dear friends and 21 academic and commercial colleagues. partners, including the United As I close it is sad to report Nations University, and is sure to the passing of three influential To focus first on the highs, our have a significant future impact for colleagues and friends of scientific outputs, cover the the industry. SAMS. Ian Graham-Bryce was customary wide range of topics. a dedicated former SAMS When I am questioned “what Our education activities President. He presided over a does SAMS do”, my answer is: continue to thrive with more period of intense change which “we try to discover how the seas students than ever. However, saw the initiation of the UHI and oceans work, from the level education is measured in Millennium Institute, now the of genes to ecosystems”. Whilst quality, not just numbers and University, and the development that might seem to be a rather several of our students received of the existing SAMS buildings. flippant answer, it is supported by prestigious awards for their Ian Bryden, UHI Vice-Principal for the list of publications produced outstanding achievements. Sam Research was a great advocate this year. SAMS has a world- Black received the best UHI for SAMS within the University. class capability in marine science undergraduate of the year and It was his initiative that brought across a very broad front; this is a the best dissertation in a UK- us together with our now strong strength, but the funding realities wide award. Our PhD students collaborators and colleagues from dictate that SAMS has to focus its did outstandingly well, with Laura Texas A & M University, USA. And efforts and an ongoing activity is Hobbs awarded the best UHI finally, Graham Shimmield. As to continually look at the work we postgraduate student of 2016, well as a personal friend, Graham do. Winnie Courtene-Jones won was an inspirational Director of the P1 Marine Foundation UK SAMS and led the significant One of the up-and-coming areas student award and Kati Michalek growth of SAMS, during the late for SAMS is our work on seaweed, was awarded the Lantra Scotland ‘90s and 2000s, to what it is now. especially related to helping the Higher Education Learner of the Graham’s influence and legacy is development of a new industry. Year – many congratulations to very evident but all will be sadly This involves fundamental these students. We are very proud missed. discovery science, for example on to be able to contribute to their diseases in seaweeds, through to development. more applied investigations such as testing coppicing techniques SAMS’ enterprise activities, where to enhance commercial yields. we use our knowledge and know- However, science needs how to solve real-world problems to operate within a policy continues to thrive, indeed our RESEARCH SUMMIT TO BUILD TRANSATLANTIC CONNECTIONS An international marine science The aim was to build connections cement the relationship between and technology summit held across the whole spectrum of the institutions. in Dunstaffnage and Oban in marine science, with an initial September 2016 has brought focus on learning, education and SAMS Director, Prof Nicholas together leading academics from outreach; emerging technologies Owens said during the exchange: across the UK, Europe and the in aquaculture; and advanced “This summit is a tremendous USA to explore new research and remote sensing capabilities and learning opportunity for both business opportunities. data science through robotics. academic partners. Not only will we learn what we do differently, The three-day The Global Marine Among the delegates leading we will learn what we have in Sustainability Workshop used the research discussions were: common; our situation in the facilities at the European Marine Prof Peter Liss FRS CBE, one of North East Atlantic and the Harte Science Park in Dunstaffnage the UK’s leading environmental Research Institute’s setting by and welcomed representatives scientists; Dr Marty Rogers, the Gulf of Mexico – two areas of from world-renowned institutes Director of the Alaska Centre great scientific work and joined by specialising