Kelp Boost
Development and demonstration of commercial seaweed production in Denmark
The Kelp Boost project, also known as the “Tang Vækst” project, was granted by the Fisheries Agency. This project aims to establish and demonstrate commercial seaweed production in Kerteminde with a focus on positive impact on water quality and the marine environment, as well as the production of healthy food and/or feed with a low climate footprint. Additionally, the project has the potential to create a sustainable business with opportunities for economic growth.
Kerteminde Seafarm has achieved good results over the past five years with the cultivation of sugar kelp in the waters off Kerteminde and has also supplied seaweed to interested food producers such as Munkebo Seafood. The role of Ocean Rainforest is to produce high quality seed material, to test automated direct seeding methods and multi-year harvesting of the seaweed lines.
The utilization of direct seeding requires in-depth knowledge of the surrounding marine environment, where water temperatures and mussel larvae are crucial parameters for the right deployment time. The University of Southern Denmark (SDU) has expertise in the marine environment and can measure mussel larvae, temperature, and salinity at the cultivation sites, so Kerteminde Seafarm, through in-depth knowledge of the marine environment, will be able to precisely time the deployment of new seaweed lines, which will further optimize the harvest yield. The precise harvest time is also related to water temperature, salinity, and fouling of the seaweed in the spring months, thus SDU's measurements will be important data for the continued operation and growth.
With the support from the Fisheries Agency, we will continue to expand this innovative collaboration, which not only has the potential to create sustainable seaweed production but also to promote a cleaner marine environment, produce climate-friendly food, and contribute to positive economic growth. We look forward to actively contributing to Denmark's green transition and sustainable development.
For further information:
Contact Urd Grandorf Bak, urd@oceanrainforest.com
Partners
