A resilient and thriving future for the Scourie District

Background

Scourie Community Development Company aims to strengthen community resilience, address inequalities, and make a lasting impact with eco-friendly initiatives. Since launching in 2012, the charity has created positive change in Scourie by building a bird hide and a sports pavilion, repairing the pier, and restoring forgotten footpaths. Recognising opportunities for protection and enhancement, the Scourie Community Development Company Ltd has multiple ongoing projects to ensure a resilient and thriving future for the Scourie District. 

Project

Once a bustling crofting community, Scourie has struggled since the decline in fishing and fish processing two decades ago. The community now faces the challenge of an imbalanced population, with many young residents seeking education and employment opportunities elsewhere. Consequently, local schools operate at low capacity, with forecasts indicating a further decline to 22% capacity by 2035. Compounding these challenges is the high density of retirees and second-home ownership, resulting in an aging population and many properties lying vacant for a substantial part of the year.

While being on the famous North Coast 500 tourist trail can bring an influx of income, the employment opportunities tend to be seasonal and low-paid. The Scourie Community Development Company has highlighted the lack of viable employment opportunities as the most urgent threat to the population and the long-term survival of the community.

Seeking to revitalise the local economy, Scourie is turning to the sea once again, but this time its hopes are on seaweed. 

According to The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), 

“Seaweed is a greatly underestimated resource that provides food and shelter to marine life. It is also used as a food source for people - often referred to as a ‘superfood’ that is rich in iodine and calcium and contains natural antioxidants, minerals and amino acids. Seaweed is also an important source for future supply of food and feed (additives), pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, biomaterials and bioenergy.

Seaweed farming is a mature multi-billion dollar industry and some Asian countries produce tens of millions of tonnes a year. But although seaweed grows prolifically in Scottish waters, seaweed farming in the UK is only in its early stages as an emerging industry.”

Seeing the potential for stable employment and sustainable economic growth, the Scourie Community Development Company partnered with the Assynt Development Trust to introduce the ‘Seaweed Farming Project.’ In March 2022, Crown Estate Scotland donated £32,820 towards the project, which funded project management costs and a comprehensive feasibility study by SAMS. The study sought to ascertain the feasibility of a Seaweed Farm (or multiple farms) in the NW2045 area. A series of workshops and interviews were conducted to explore the scale of the industry, concerns held by the community, and the priorities that would shape the development of a new seaweed industry in the region. 

Impact  

In December 2022, SAMS successfully completed the feasibility study for the Seaweed Farming Project, identifying at least three potential seaweed farm sites along the coastline between Lochinver and Kinlochbervie. A crucial part of the research stage, the study provided valuable insights into the scientific, economic, and social dimensions of this project.

During the study, community engagement showed a strong emphasis on new and stable job opportunities, with a specific demand for non-seasonal roles. The community expressed a keen interest in "green" jobs contributing to environmental health, and the idea of integrating the seaweed industry into green tourism received positive responses.  

To deepen their understanding of the industry and its potential, the Scourie Community Development Company visited Hebridean Seaweed and Ishga in the Western Isles to learn about seaweed cultivation. During the two-day visit, they were taught about everything from the mechanical harvesting of kelp to the production of high-end seaweed-based cosmetics.  

Reflecting on the study, the Scourie Community Development Company and the Assynt Development Trust have made the informed decision to move forward with the project. The study will continue to be an essential part of their toolkit as they take steps to introduce seaweed farming sustainably and responsibly to the NW2045 coastline.