AquaUP endorsed by United Nations Ocean Decade

Now NIBIO and the EU-co-funded AquaUP-project – a part of the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership (SBEP) – has joined a ten-year mission «to trigger nothing less than a revolution in ocean science».

− We are so happy and proud that our project, AquaUp has been endorsed by the IOC Executive Secretary as part of the UN Ocean Decade under the joint call with SBEP, says NIBIO Research Scientist Dr. Abirami Ramu Ganesan, located in Bodø, Norway.

− To help grow the aquaculture industry, one strategy is to create alternative aquatic feeds enriched with functional compounds from farmed seaweeds, Ganesan says.

− These compounds can enhance feed quality, promote fish health, and minimize environmental impact to create self-sustainability.

AquaUP is pan-European blue partnership project consisting of multidisciplinary teams of scientists from Italy, the Netherlands, Ireland and Norway. Their aim: to investigate how seaweed-modified functional compounds can be used in aquatic feed to improve fish health.

– Our goal is to develop a climate-neutral processing technology for seaweeds, one that is both environmentally responsible and ecologically sustainable. By developing resource-efficient feed additive, derived from seaweed, we aim to overcome key barriers hindering industrial growth in the EU, unlocking new opportunities for a sustainable blue economy, Ganesan says.

The AquaUP project consortium is composed by NORCE, Arctic Seaweed and Seaweed Solutions in Norway; Maynooth University and University College Cork in Ireland; the University of Bologna in Italy; and Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands. Dr. Ganesan leads the three-year, EU-funded multidisciplinary AquaUP research initiative, backed by €1.31 million, to drive innovation in sustainable fish feed for the future."

United Nations’ Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development started in 2021 and runs until 2030. Its mission is to catalyze transformative ocean science solutions for sustainable development, connecting people and our ocean.

– Our team consists of women experts from diverse, interdisciplinary, and technological backgrounds, united to tackle societal challenges in food, feed, and sustainability, Ganesan says.

– Through innovative solutions, we align with global efforts, such as those outlined by UNESCO’s sustainable ocean initiatives, to drive meaningful change.

AquaUP has been recognized by the highly selective UN Ocean Decade endorsement process, which identifies projects that make a demonstrable impact through strategic stakeholder engagement, co-design across the ocean science value chain, and meaningful collaboration with decision- and policymakers.

AquaUP is integrated into the UN Ocean Decade Programme (UN37) on Sustainable Ocean Planning (SOP Programme), extending its impact through strategic partnerships across diverse geographical regions and sea basins, including the Arctic, North Atlantic, Mediterranean, and North Sea.

–  By advancing the integration of seaweed into the fish feed value chain, AquaUP actively contributes to critical Decade Actions, specifically Sustainable Blue Food (Action 3), a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Action 4), and Capacity Development (Action 9), fostering informed, inclusive, and transformative decision-making.