Seaweed farming gains traction

It’s a move towards a more sustainable and responsible agriculture: growing marine algae (seaweed) would require no pesticides, hormones, and are virtually drought- resistant. And researchers have found that some types of algae grown in a cultured environment often produce a higher biomass of algae per cubic area than land-based crops like wheat and corn. The leafy sea crop is a low-calorie, low-fat source of protein and iron, and is full of nutrients like vitamin K, folic acid and calcium.

Norway, world-leading producer of farmed Atlantic salmon, is already on the map for utilizing natural stocks of algae and kelp in its cold, clean northern waters.

Since the beginning of salmon farming in the 1970s, Norway has been working hard to advance techniques in aquaculture and mariculture based on sustainable and ecologically safe growth and harvest practices. They have one of the most successful salmon farming operations worldwide, accounting for 54 percent of all farmed Atlantic salmon in 2016. Not surprisingly, the country is a source of innovation in techniques that the rest of the world have long valued for their own fish farming operations.

Research in seaweed has increased in line with a push for Scandinavian countries to take the lead in a Blue Bioeconomy — businesses based on the sustainable and smart use of renewable aquatic natural resources.

Seaweed aquaculture started here about 10 years ago, and already one can find over 20 companies in Norway involved in some way with seaweed cultivation.

Can one make seaweed aquaculture energy-efficient and eco-friendly?