Interview with Alison Baker
Alison Baker is co-founder and Managing Director of Eco Cascade. Alison has a business background in sustainable fashion and law, and before moving to the Highlands ran a campaign to reduce plastic pollution in rivers. In 2022 Alison co-founded Eco Cascade, a Community Interest Company formed to support and grow the emerging seaweed cultivation industry in the west coast of Scotland. With the support of Marine Fund Scotland infrastructure funding, Eco Cascade opened its seaweed processing facility in April 2023 - in time for the Spring seaweed harvest - and provides washing, chopping and drying services for the industry.
What inspired you to become involved in aquaculture?
My inspiration to get involved in the seaweed industry was an online presentation in 2o21 by Paul Dobbins from WWF on the potential of seaweed farming, followed by me meeting with Grace Yu who has been a driving force and inspiration in the formation and development of Eco Cascade.
Briefly describe your aquaculture career
I founded Eco Cascade with Dr Cait Murray-Green in early 2022, and in late 2022 I moved to the west coast of Scotland to set up our seaweed processing facility in Kyle of Lochalsh. I had no experience in aquaculture prior to this, it was a case of hitting the ground running in the very challenging early days, growing a network, recruiting staff and bringing all the pieces together to make the enterprise work.
Which individuals or organisations in aquaculture have you found particularly inspirational?
I'm particularly inspired by GreenWave in the US, set up as a charitable enterprise with a central mission to drive forward the growth of seaweed farming, without profit motivation. They are motivated by the big picture, looking outwards rather than constantly chasing the bottom line. Eco Cascade has followed this focus by having a social and environmental impact mission.
What is your proudest aquaculture-related achievement to date?
Setting up Eco Cascade's processing site with no prior experience in production line processes, or seaweed handling. The learning curve was dizzying, it was a walk through the valley of hell, but we did it and we have grown our capacity year on year with continuous improvement in our processes, and no industrial accidents!
What do you think will be the key drivers/areas for innovation for Scottish aquaculture in the next decade?
I think seaweed farmers, and seaweed processors like us, will need to become keenly aware of the particular end market they are selling into. Rather than simply being specialists in seaweed, we will need to be known as specialists in these fields, for example, animal feed experts, or specialists in agricultural soil improvers.