A FUNDING boost of £50,000 has been aimed at developing the careers of women within Scotland's aquaculture sector.

The Scottish Government will provide £20,000 in funding to Women in Scottish Aquaculture (WiSA), with a further £30,000 of industry sponsorship – in an effort to improve equality within the industry and to encourage more women into Scottish aquaculture. The funding will deliver a mentoring scheme to support women already working within the industry to develop their careers and a website to promote aquaculture and job opportunities to women.

Making the announcement at the annual conference of the Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers in Oban, rural affairs minister Mairi Gougeon said: “It cannot be right that there are so few women working in Scottish aquaculture. In any professional industry it is important to nurture a workforce that is diverse, and that means having a healthy gender balance."

In 2018 only 11% of salmon farm workers and 15% of shellfish farm workers were women.

“Women in Scottish Aquaculture was developed in close collaboration with industry because there is a growing desire by all to break down the barriers stopping women from moving into this thriving sector," she continued. "This will help to kick-start this work. I hope it will lead to many more women considering a career in aquaculture.”

CEO of the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre Heather Jones added: “I am passionate about supporting and promoting the role of women in Scottish aquaculture. I believe it is a vital step in helping the industry to grow. It’s been fantastic to secure financial support for this initiative from both the Scottish Government and the aquaculture industry in Scotland. The resources announced today will allow us to build capacity, confidence and capability amongst women working in Scottish aquaculture.”