SELKIE Project takes part in Blue economy event

Swansea University: LINC – Blue Economy Event

The Selkie Project was delighted to take part in the Swansea University: LINC event at the end of June, centred around the Blue Economy and sustainable use of ocean resources in Wales. Hosted by Swansea University and Selkie’s own Professor Ian Masters, the event highlighted the increasing importance of the Blue Economy in Wales. Showcasing projects and developments within sustainable aquaculture, blue carbon and marine energy, amongst others, the session was a fantastic snapshot of the many activities taking place within the blue economy across the region and highlighted the numerous opportunities for collaboration across the sector.

The event had brilliant coverage for the marine energy sector with Bethan Simes from Marine Energy Wales giving a fantastic presentation on the acceleration of sector growth across the region. Bethan detailed the benefits, opportunities, and current activity of the industry, shining a light on the terrific industry progress that is coming out of Wales. Facilities such as META, operated by MEW, are providing accessible and fully licensed opportunities for developers to test their devices with the relevant infrastructure and supply chain capabilities right on their doorstep, and are therefore acting as a vital steppingstone to further progress the industry.

Another spotlight on the marine energy sector included an excellent presentation from James Moon of Natural Resources Wales, detailing the sustainable management of marine energy resources in Wales. As the national regulator, NRW are working to support sustainable renewable energy developments whilst also ensuring that the marine environment is protected. James detailed some of the work that NRW is doing to achieve this, including the development of the Offshore Renewable Energy Programme (OREP) which provides advice to ORE projects and developments in Welsh waters. A pertinent point highlighted was how NRW are working with key stakeholders to address some of the main uncertainties for the industry, further emphasising the importance of collaborative work for the development of the Blue Economy.

As well as the brilliant representation for the marine energy sector, it was also great to hear of the synergies between other areas of the blue economy with representatives from the Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research (CSAR), Marine Conservation Society and Swansea Bay City Deal all providing valuable insight into their on-going work.

The session ended with highlights and calls for collaboration amongst the sector, where the Selkie Project was also given the opportunity to put a spotlight on our business support network and industry engagement work package. Overall, it was fantastic session with a positive outlook on the development of the blue economy and on-going work within the sustainable use of ocean resources in Wales.

For more information on Swansea University: LINC, please visit their website here, and a recording of the Blue Economy event can also be accessed here. We look forward to further collaborations with the brilliant organisations involved in the event and industry in Wales.