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Seaweed based market applications

Project description

Increasing biomass, where life begins

There’s a natural solution for mitigating climate change and it’s seaweed. A valuable and underutilised resource right from the oceans where all life began, seaweed has a large potential for exploitation in a variety of markets. The European industry, however, remains in its infancy and requires significant growth to become commercially viable. The EU-funded SeaMark project will use new breeding technologies within EU seaweed crop genetics to increase biomass yield. The goal is to upscale circular ocean cultivation and land-based integrated multi-trophic aquaculture systems, as well as to develop novel processing methods like fermentation and biotransformation. This will result in a more resilient food system, helping fulfil the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Objective

Seaweed is a valuable and underutilised resource that has large potential for exploitation in a variety of markets. Seaweed cultivation is a natural solution for mitigating climate change. The European seaweed industry remains in its infancy and requires significant growth in order to become commercially viable. Seamark will utilise recent ground-breaking selective breeding technologies within EU seaweed crop genetics to increase biomass yield.
SeaMark aims to upscale circular ocean seaweed cultivation and land-based integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems and develop novel processing methods involving fermentation and biotransformation into twelve innovative seaweed-based products. The entire value chain will be analysed for techno-economic feasibility and socio-economic impact. SeaMark will also identify and quantify ecosystem services provided by seaweed cultivation. This will feed into a strategic development plan for upscaling seaweed production, and addressing the carrying capacity of seaweed cultivation in Europe. Due to the need to build more resilient food systems and decrease reliance on fossil-based products, it is necessary to grow the blue bio-economy through seaweed cultivation and product innovation. SeaMark will help fulfil the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (3, 8, 9, 12, 13 & 14) by developing this industry and, simultaneously, providing a positive impact on people and the planet.

Coordinator

SPF OCEAN RAINFOREST
Net EU contribution
€ 1 040 281,50
Address
MJOLKARGOTA 20
180 KALDBAK
Faeroe Islands

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost
€ 1 801 992,50

Participants (23)

Partners (1)