Europe's big plans for seaweed

Seaweed, the next green crop - 19th September 2022

Is seaweed something you associate with European farms? Some aquaculturists, or sea farmers, think it will be. They want to start growing seaweed extensively throughout the North Sea.

Seaweed isn't just a food for soups like ramen. The oceanic plant is also used as food for livestock, fertiliser for crops, and an ingredient in beauty products. It can also be used as biofuel, a way of trapping CO2 or even a type of biologically friendly packaging that reduces our dependence on plastics.

Those supporting European seaweed have argued that the industry's already worth an estimated $40 billion, although that figure may rise to $95 billion by 2027. Currently, 97 percent of the world’s seaweed comes from Asia, while only 0.8 percent is produced in Europe.

Programme Director for Seaweed for Europe, Adrien Vincent said that though small, Europe's seaweed sector has the potential to grow into a major "industry with many social and environmental benefits.”

The European Union (EU) provides $277 million in funding to seaweed farming projects although that figure could grow in the future. Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands have already started seaweed harvesting projects, although some in Europe want to start farming on a larger scale. The Dutch government already allocated 400 square kilometres of its waters for seaweed cultivation.

Large scale seaweed production is not everyone’s cup of tea. Some ecologists have argued that if one species overtakes others, it can have seriously detrimental effects on sealife. One example is a reduction in phytoplankton. These small creatures are a necessary food source for fish which are essential for the diets of seals and porpoises.

A top Dutch enterprise, The Seaweed Company, still thinks farming seaweed at scale is the way forward. The company’s founder, Joost Wouters said “Scale and speed is our mission. To be sustainable from the financial, social and ecological side, you need a lot of seaweed.”