Marine Sciences

Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department,
Fisheries Research Services (FRS)

Contact Information

Mission Statement

The aim of FRS is to provide the Scottish Ministers with expert scientific and technical advice on marine and freshwater fisheries, on aquaculture and on the protection of the aquatic environment and its wildlife. This is to ensure as far as possible, that Government Policy, and its regulatory and statutory activities, are informed by a full and up-to-date knowledge of marine and freshwater fisheries, of aquaculture and of the aquatic environment.

Short Historical Statement

The Aberdeen Marine Laboratory was set up in Torry, in Aberdeen, in 1923 and was considerably increased in size, post war, under the Scottish Home Department. In 1948, a Freshwater Fisheries Laboratory was established at Pitlochry as a sister organisation and subsequently field stations were established at Loch Ewe, Loch Torridon and Loch Duich.

Research Leaders

• Professor R Cook (Aberdeen)
• Dr R Stagg (Aberdeen)
• Dr C Moffat (Aberdeen)
• Dr M Heath (Aberdeen)
• Mr J Simmonds (Aberdeen)
• Dr R Shelton (Pitlochry)

Overseas Links

Cooperative links with institutions in Norway, France, Ireland, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Iceland, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and Belgium.

Industrial Links

Links with industry – mainly in the fields of fish cultivation and disease research.

Special Facilities

• Chemical, biological and microbiological laboratory facilities.
• Specialist sea water aquarium with single pass water system for disease and pollution studies.
• Extensive sea water aquarium facilities including an annular tank (10 m in diameter with moving gantry for research on swimming behaviour and respiration of fish.
• A 12,000 litre respirometer for fish respiration studies.
• Acoustic rooms associated with the aquarium for fish learning studies.

Research Vessels Associated with the Centre

• FRV Scotia: a 68 m, 3,000 kW diesel-electric vessel completed in 1998. The vessel was built to an extremely low underwater noise specification and has a large drop keel to carry acoustic transducers. The vessel has the capability of pelagic trawling, demersal trawling to 1,500 m depth and can deploy a wide array of oceanographic survey equipment. The vessel can carry up to five container laboratories, 12 scientists and has a crew of 17.
• FRV Clupia: a 32 m diesel powered stern trawler built in 1969. This vessel is fitted for pelagic and demersal fishing and can deploy a wide range of acoustic and oceanographic equipment.