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Establishing mariculture of red algae for food production in Northern Norway

Finished Last updated: 20.10.2025
End: dec 2015
Start: jan 2013
Macroalgae are an important food source.
Status Concluded
Start - end date 01.01.2013 - 31.12.2015
Project manager Christian Guido Bruckner
We aim to establish eco-friendly macroalgae mariculture for food production in Northern Norway by using native red algae. Our team is based on North Norwegian research competence highly qualified in food research and production, including a private partner planning to extend aquaculture activities from fish to red algae farming to create food products. We test by combined in situ and in vitro approaches for the adequacy of native red algae for commercial mariculture. We test red algae suited for food production, as e. g. Chondrus sp. , Gracilaria ssp. , Porphyra spp. and Palmaria sp.. For all used plants and their products global markets exist and mariculture procedures are established in other countries. State of the art knowledge to produce these algae will be transferred from existing facilities, tested in Norway and adapted to our needs. We will identify suitable cultivation sites and techniques and investigate the obvious adaptation of native algae to dark winters and long, intensive light periods in summer. Main monitored biotic parameters include algae fresh/dry weight, agar, carrageenan or protein production, pigments, photosynthetic activity and photoadaptation capabilities. Main abiotic parameters monitored in situ are light and temperature, both also investigated in laboratory experiments, where algae are grown in defined conditions. By understanding adaptation of the algae to North Norwegian light conditions we will determine best time points to initiate/harvest cultures in the sea and may provide optimal growth conditions throughout the year by manipulating cultivation depths with respect to light conditions. Depth manipulations may potentially also allow to react on diseases or epiphytes or to manipulate quantity/quality of biopolymers produced. We are convinced that red algae farming will provide a new sustainable economic resource for Northern Norway.

Publications in the project