Dr Amina Moss is a Lecturer in Aquaculture Nutrition at the Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling. As an Aquaculture Nutrition Lecturer, Amina specialises in developing sustainable feeding strategies for crustaceans, formulating specialised diets such as microbound feeds, and extracting fractions such as protein, phospholipids from marine by-products. Committed to inclusivity, she contributes to initiatives like the Institute of Aquaculture's EDI committee and Aurora Advance HE.
What inspired you to become involved in aquaculture?
I had always been interested in the biological sciences and I remember spending many times outdoors in nature, growing up. That, combined with my love for swimming, along with the beach never being too far, if you live in The Bahamas, it was inevitable that I would sway towards marine biology. Still, most Bahamians would strictly focus on marine conversation science, which is an honourable path, but too common in The Bahamas, which is a country that imports over 95% of the food its residents eat. This had led me into researching ways of combining marine biology and food production. Aquaculture seemed to be the obvious route to take. This realization was a pivotal moment for me, highlighting both a challenge and an opportunity.
Briefly describe your aquaculture career
My career in aquaculture began with a BSc in Biology (minor in Chemistry), combined with a deep-rooted interest in the rich marine life of The Bahamas, where I spent many years swimming along its beautiful shores, which led me to specialize in Aquaculture Nutrition during my master’s and doctorate degrees in Japan, mostly focusing on penaeid shrimp. During my time in Japan, I tried to gain many skills, knowing that I would return to The Bahamas, where there was no aquaculture expertise. So, outwith of my studies, I actively spent my available time talking to Japanese shrimp farmers, traveling to various islands touring their farms, and learning how they operated their businesses. Likewise, they allowed me to tour their adjacent feed factories and taste their shrimp feed. A memorable moment was when a shrimp farmer took some live shrimp from his farm and ate them raw along with soy sauce.
Tour of shrimp hatchery, Miyazaki, Japan
Trip to shrimp farm in Amami, Japan
Trip to shrimp processing plant
Tour of Feed Manufacturing company Higashimaru, Japan
Raw shrimp with soy sauce at a shrimp farm in Japan
It was incredibly hard to balance my extra-curricular activities, my studies, and raising a family in Japan, so far from home, but somehow it worked out. I saw a few friends start and quit mid-degree as the pressures were too much to handle.
Graduation day with my daughters (3 months and 4 years old)
After obtaining my PhD, I returned to The Bahamas, where I taught marine biology courses, and helped in the designing of new courses. However, several months later, hit by the coronavirus pandemic, priorities had shifted, and I had to redesign the marine biology courses to be suitable for online teaching. This was actually quite fun, as we ended up spending lots more time on beaches. I purchased a microscope, lots of sanitary wipes, and gloves, as we were not allowed on campus due to quarantine laws, and we studied the outdoors. In some instances, I created kits for the students to do practicals at home, such as dissections, while following online with the class.
My class in The Bahamas during the pandemic, doing fish dissection at the beach
Currently, a lecturer in aquaculture nutrition, I have dedicated myself to understanding and improving the nutritional requirements of crustaceans, particularly focusing on crustaceans such as Artemia and penaeids.
Which individuals or organisations in aquaculture have you found particularly inspirational?
In the field of aquaculture, Kagoshima University in Japan stood out as a significant source of inspiration, particularly in the domain of shrimp nutrition research, which is what led me there to study aquaculture, in the first place. Renowned researchers like Professors Akio Kanazawa, Shin-ichi Teshima, Shunsuke Koshio and Manabu Ishikawa from Kagoshima University have made considerable contributions to our understanding of shrimp nutrition. Their work established a lot of what we currently know about various aspects of dietary needs, growth optimization, and health management of shrimps.
During your career, have you noticed inequalities in the sector, be it in policies or culture? If yes, what actions do you think would best address those issues?
In Japan, I faced exclusion from certain activities like being overlooked for projects with a prominent international feed company, due to the presumption that because of childcare responsibilities, I would not be interested. Such experiences spurred me to proactively seek out my own opportunities with local companies to enrich my experience and learn more about the business side of aquaculture.
A recent trip to Malawi highlighted the rarity of black women in aquaculture academia, as an MSc student expressed her surprise at meeting a black woman aquaculture lecturer for the first time. This showed the need for increased representation and diversity in the field.
Finally, I would say that the hunger for learning, as a foreign student hoping to change things up in her home country, has led me to be a jack of all trades. Whilst there is a stark contrast with persons who are from countries where aquaculture is already established and they can comfortably find a niche area and grow their skills, and expertise there. These cultural differences are profound and often only recognized by those who have personally encountered them. More outward reaching mentorship programs from industry, government and academia, aimed at persons within various countries and with different cultures, backgrounds would be a good start, to give them access to opportunities that they would not necessarily have, otherwise.
What advice would you give to someone (man or woman) looking to start a career in the aquaculture sector, or progress their existing career?
To anyone wishing to start a career in the aquaculture sector, you can do it! Since aquaculture combines biology, chemistry, environmental sciences and marine biology, I recommend starting there. Many industrial partners are open to having interns, or volunteers, and some may even have entry-level positions available, all of these give valuable insights into the various paths one can take. You can also gain insights into the challenges they face, which could be an opportunity for research! Ask lots of questions and read a lot to help you find your niche area. Finally, learn to communicate, to problem-solve and to work within a team, as these are key skills within the aquaculture field.
What do you think will be the key drivers/areas for innovation for Scottish aquaculture in the next decade?
In my humble opinion, I believe that within the next decade, Scottish aquaculture will be driven by advancements in aquaculture nutrition, AI technology or AI-driven predictive models, and species diversification. All of these factors are intricately tied to the overarching challenge of climate change, which necessitates innovative approaches to ensure sustainability and resilience in the sector. Developing robust, climate-resilient species that can thrive in changing environmental conditions will be essential. I also believe that more research into the cultivation of native species or those with lower environmental footprints will align with Scotland’s rich marine biodiversity and sustainability goals.