Institute of Aquaculture Oral History
fish cages

Our Timeline and Key Events

1970's

  • Establishment of the Nuffield Unit of Aquatic Pathobiology
  • First MSc in Aquatic Veterinary Studies/Aquatic Pathobiology
  • First PhD students registered
  • First Short Course launched for fish farmers and those involved in water use and management
  • Masters degree and Postgraduate Diploma in Aquaculture and Fisheries management launched
  • Launch of Journal of Fish Disease. Eds: Ron Roberts & Rod Wootton
  • Tropical aquaculture facility funded by ODA, opened by Dr Dennis Hall [Chief Fisheries Officer, ODA]
  • Howietoun historic fish farm and hatchery purchased, to be run commercially

    • 1980's

  • Inauguration of The Institute of Aquaculture [IoA]
  • Howietoun produces first Ballantine trout
  • Unit of Aquaculture Nutrition established
  • Launch of the Institute's newspaper Aquaculture News distributed to present and past members of the Institute and to industry
  • IoA Tilapia Research Team nominated for UNESCO Science Prize
  • DFID Prawn Unit opened by Minister for Overseas Development, Timothy Raison who also visits Howietoun
  • Howietoun Sea Farm opens at Dunstaffnage
  • Aquatic Vaccine Unit established
  • Stirling Aquaculture Consultancy, STAQ, established
  • Launch of BSc Aquaculture degree programme
  • Opening of DFID Tropical Fish Virology Unit by Chris Patten MP , Minister for Overseas Development
  • Stirling Aquatic Technology begins trading (5 Farmocean cages, Firth of Lorne)
  • The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, visits Tarbert Fine Foods to see Institute Salmon being processed
  • IoA gains top 4* rating in first UGC Research Selectivity Exercise
  • IoA appointed to run ODA Aquatic Research Programme

    • 1990's

  • IoA awarded Queen''s Award for Export Achievement
  • Aquatic Systems Group established
  • HRH Princess of Wales, Lady Diana, opens Wolfson Aquatic Biotechnology Laboratories
  • Launch of Journal of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management (later became Aquaculture Research, Wiley)
  • NERC Aquatic Biochemistry Unit merges with IoA
  • South East Asian Health Program established, jointly funded by Royal Thai government and ODA
  • Environment and Aquaculture Systems Groups consolidated as Sustainable Aquaculture Research Group
  • GLP compliance established in the Institute
  • IoA celebrates its Silver Jubilee
  • Founder Director of the Institute Professor Ron Roberts retires

    • 2000's

  • Institute awarded 5* rating in Research Assessment Exercise
  • The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, visits Machrihanish Marine Environmental Research Laboratory
  • Machrihanish develops commercial marine fish hatchery
  • Niall Bromage Freshwater Research Unit established

    • 2010's

  • Institute awarded 4* in revised Research Excellence Framework
  • Project focus on Food Security and Sustainability
  • STAQ completes 150 projects worldwide
  • Institute awarded Queen's Anniversary Prize for Research Excellence

    • 2020's

  • 40th anniversary of the Institute of Aquaculture
  • Institute awarded £17m in Stirling's City Deal
  • 50th anniversary of our aquaculture research and training (1971-2021)
  • Major expansion and redevelopment of state-of-the-art aquarium and challenge facilities
  • Institute ranked TOP for research impact in 2021 UK Research Excellence Framework
  • Institute ranked 2nd in Scotland in 2021 Agriculture and Veterinary unit of assessment