Growing algae sustainably in the Baltic Sea

GRASS aims to close the legislative gap for macroalgae cultivation in order to facilitate its introduction to the market as food, energy and consumables, such as plastics. The project maps possible sites for macroalgae cultivation and harvesting, which include implications for spatial planning. It also provides public authorities with training on the licensing, production and use of macroalgae.

Macroalgae production is an upcoming sector for growing biomass for producing food, consumables - such as plastics - and energy without competing for arable land, depleting fresh water and using non-renewable fertiliser. However, the sector is still in its infancy in the Baltic Sea Region and there is a lack of in-depth and wide-spread knowledge on the potential benefits of macroalgae production. To deal with this challenge, GRASS aims to raise awareness and build capacity on macroalgae cultivation, harvesting and use among public authorities and other relevant stakeholders across the region. Public authorities, ministries, planning regions and counties play a crucial role in promoting macroalgae as they are the main legislative bodies that also control much of the national and regional funding.

Project partners:

• KTH, Royal Institute of Technology (SE);
• University of Tartu (EE);
• Finnish Environment Institute (FI);
• National Marine Fisheries Research Institute (PL);
• University of Turku (FI);
• Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Agency of Daugavpils University (LIAE) (LV);
• SUBMARINER Network for Blue Growth EEIG (DE);
• Republic of Estonia Ministry of the Environment (EE);
• Kurzeme Planning Region (LV);
• Uppsala University (SE);
• Interregional charitable public organization "Biologists for nature conservation" (RU).