Reflections on a busy 2023
In April 2023 Eco Cascade launched its operations in Kyle of Lochalsh, kicking off with a launch event that included a tour of the processing plant at Fishery Pier. The launch coincided with the start of the harvest season, and from that point on the year hurtled by at speed. Now, nearly into February 24, we take a look back on some of the highlights of the year that was. Some of our achievements in 2023 included:
▶ opening a seaweed processing plant at breakneck speed in time for the 2023 Spring harvest
▶ recruiting a team and running our first processing season for our seaweed farmer customers - washing, chopping and drying many tonnes of seaweed while on a learning curve so steep we were left giddy
▶ getting picked as research partners in an Innovate UK consortium lead by NOTPLA to research a new method of bio-plastic production
▶ winning funding via substantial social impact financial support from the People's Postcode Lottery, and also Treebeard Trust philanthropic support, and also Scottish Government's Marine Directorate Marine Fund equipment funding; and running a successful Crowdfunder
▶ Networking with seaweed industry peers from around the world at the Global Seaweed Coalition summit in Paris in October including
▶ Sharing our experiences with industry - including speaker engagements at the Scottish Seaweed Industry Association annual conference in Oban and at the Scottish Association For Marine Science, in addition to a presentation for members of Green Angel Ventures, and later this month Eco Cascade be sharing our processing experiences with US-based GreenWave's intro course to seaweed.
All the while, the super team at Eco Cascade have been growing knowledge in the puzzle of how to make the seaweed farming industry expand and thrive in Scotland. Every answer throws up more questions but so far we have been nimble enough to change tack, move fast or proceed with caution as required.
We are all on to something hopefully beautiful and grand with seaweed and its regenerative potential, whether through bio-plastics, improving soils, nutrition or bio-extracts. What's become clear in our team’s collective experience to date is there must be a lot of holding of hands 🤝 - rather than going solo - to really make this fly in an exceptionally challenging time for our overexerted wee Blue Dot 🌏. 2024, bring it on!
#seaweedrevolution #seaweed #blueeconomy #aquaculture