Growing Algae Sustainably in the Baltic Sea
GRASS
 
PROGRAMME 2014-2020
priority
2 Natural resources
objective
2.4 Blue growth

GRASS

GRASS helped ministries, regional administrations and municipalities as well as businesses understand benefits of macroalgae cultivation as a new blue economy opportunity for the region.
Project summary

Growing algae sustainably in the Baltic Sea

Biomass produced from macroalgae could be used as food and consumables, such as plastics and energy. However, growing and harvesting macroalgae was still in its infancy in the Baltic Sea: there was a lack of in-depth and wide-spread knowledge on the potential benefits. Furthermore, there were gaps in legislation and regulations to unlock the potential of sustainable production and use of macroalgae, for example as food. To deal with this challenge, the project GRASS raised the awareness and built capacities on the macroalgae cultivation, harvesting and use among public authorities and other relevant stakeholders across the region.

 

All you need to know about macroalgae

GRASS collected and analysed environmental data, pointed out to sites where macroalgae could be grown and identified efficient production methods. This comprehensive knowledge compiled by GRASS on the macroalgae cultivation, harvesting and application helped regional and national public authorities, such as environmental and planning agencies, practitioners, research institutes and related NGOs to understand the benefits of macroalgae production and create favourable conditions for it. By this, GRASS helped develop blue bioeconomy and triggered blue growth in the Baltic Sea region.

Budgets

GRASS
in numbers
  • 2.00
    Million
    Total
  • 1.55
    Million
    Erdf
  • 0.05
    Million
    Eni + Russia
  • 0.00
    Million
    Norway

Achievements

New knowledge to untap potential of macroalgae cultivation to protect environment and do business

With the help of GRASS, ministries, regional administrations and municipalities learned about socio-economic benefits of macroalgae cultivation, like job creation, reduction of eutrophication in the Baltic Sea. They gained the knowledge about opportunities, such as new products and markets as well as the protection of the environment. The project highlighted that the seaweed provided habitat for small marine species, as well as took carbon from the atmosphere and improved water quality. They also gained the knowledge about risks, like unfriendly legislation and overly strict licensing of cultivation sites, start-up costs, international competition. For example, macroalgae was not mentioned in policy documents such as the Baltic Sea Action Plan updated in 2021. Furthermore, macroalgae cultivation completed with other sectors such as shipping.

Altogether, 18 transnational and regional stakeholder meetings were organised in the participating countries: Sweden, Estonia, Finland, Poland, Latvia, Germany, and Russia. These meetings brought authorities closer to the industry and created a platform to start a dialogue on what needed to be adjusted in terms of policy and regulations.

Based on this exchange and networking, the partners created a macroalgae working group that serves as a platform for stakeholders (policymakers and industry partners) across the region to meet, discuss the latest developments and share experiences also after the end of the project.

New tools to set up macroalgae cultivation sites

The partner in the project, the Estonian Marine Institute of the University of Tartu, pooled together all available data on environmental proxies and macroalgal production to quantify their relationships, as well as to predict macroalgae production at the Baltic Sea scale. They also built a similar model for
macroalgal beach cast (or beach wrack) to predict potential beach cast production at the Baltic Sea scale. The resulting maps are useful for maritime spatial planning as they enable the identification of areas most suitable for macroalgae farming and/or beach-cast harvesting. From the range of suitable sites, areas can then be identified that allow for the long-term cultivation, while considering trade-offs and possible conflicts with existing industries (fishing, shipping routes, etc.). Access to the information is open via the user-friendly Operational Decision Support System (ODSS) web platform

Outputs

The GRASS Operational Decision Support System (ODSS) web platform

The ODSS web platform enables spatial planners and other users of the maritime space to make effective decisions about macroalgae cultivation in the Baltic Sea based on existing monitoring and modelling data. It guides public authorities and private actors interested in licensing, setting up, investing in, or funding a farm in their region, either as an environmental tool (e.g. ecosystem services, nutrient removal) or as a macroalgae business.

Handbook for public authorities on macroalgae cultivation, harvesting and applications

This publication helps public authorities in the BSR to untap the potential of macroalgae cultivation and to increase awareness of its wider societal value in the form of employment opportunities, improved skills and competencies, resilience to economic shocks and multiple environmental benefits, providing a blueprint for a sustainable circular industry.

Guide to macroalgae cultivation and use

The guide helps businesses make informed decisions on starting the cultivation of seaweed in the Baltic Sea region and anticipate trends that may increase the overall chance of success for their ventures. The guide collects the available knowledge about the production possibilities and the seaweed market in the Baltic Sea region.

Synthesis report of benefits, risks, and opportunities of macroalgae cultivation, harvesting, and us

This synthesis report analyses and summarises the benefits, risks, and opportunities at local, regional, national, and international levels in the BSR for the cultivation, harvesting, and use of macroalgae, covering environmental and ecological legal frameworks and socio-economic aspects. It also provides recommendations for unlocking the potential of the macroalgae-based business. It targets public authorities, ministries, planning regions having a role in promoting macroalgae.

Project Stories

Partners

KTH, Royal Institute of Technology

  • Town
    Stockholm
  • Region
    Stockholms län
  • Country
    Sweden
Approximate total partner budget in EUR
465,310.00
59.325117218.0710935

University of Tartu

  • Town
    Tartu
  • Region
    Lõuna-Eesti
  • Country
    Estonia
Approximate total partner budget in EUR
245,500.00
58.39564534999999526.630885501668523

Finnish Environment Institute

  • Town
    Helsinki
  • Region
    Helsinki-Uusimaa
  • Country
    Finland
Approximate total partner budget in EUR
270,000.00
60.167488124.9427473

National Marine Fisheries Research Institute

  • Town
    Gdynia
  • Region
    Trójmiejski
  • Country
    Poland
Approximate total partner budget in EUR
206,303.50
53.255277819.3958333

University of Turku

  • Town
    Turku
  • Region
    Varsinais-Suomi
  • Country
    Finland
Approximate total partner budget in EUR
160,345.30
60.451753122.2670522

Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Agency of Daugavpils University (LIAE)

  • Town
    Riga
  • Region
    RÄ«ga
  • Country
    Latvia
Approximate total partner budget in EUR
170,000.00
56.949397724.1051846

SUBMARINER Network for Blue Growth EEIG

  • Town
    Berlin
  • Region
    Berlin
  • Country
    Germany
Approximate total partner budget in EUR
140,950.00
52.517036513.3888599

Republic of Estonia Ministry of the Environment

  • Town
    Tallinn
  • Region
    Põhja-Eesti
  • Country
    Estonia
Approximate total partner budget in EUR
53,300.00
59.437215524.7453688

Kurzeme Planning Region

  • Town
    Saldus
  • Region
    Kurzeme
  • Country
    Latvia
Approximate total partner budget in EUR
179,417.00
55.612908523.0473165

Uppsala University

  • Town
    Visby
  • Region
    Gotlands län
  • Country
    Sweden
Approximate total partner budget in EUR
54,932.00
57.637936118.297982

Interregional charitable public organization "Biologists for nature conservation"

  • Town
    St. Petersburg
  • Region
    City of St. Petersburg
  • Country
    Russian Federation
Approximate total partner budget in EUR
55,200.00
59.91785735000000630.380619357025516