ADVANCING SUSTAINABLE SEAWEED CULTIVATION IN EUROPE
The ONF Project was developed by Óir na Farraige to address a key gap in the Irish seaweed sector — the need for scalable cultivation systems that can operate in Irish waters while delivering a viable economic model.
Supported by EIT Food, the project explores improved cultivation methods while examining the environmental interactions of seaweed farming, including water quality, biodiversity, and marine ecosystem impacts.
About the ONF Project
The consortium includes Óir na Farraige (Ireland) as project lead, Arctic Seaweeds (Norway) providing cultivation technology expertise, and the University of Galway (Ireland) supporting environmental and scientific research.
Together, the partners aim to develop practical cultivation approaches and deliver sustainable seaweed biomass to support the growing blue economy.
TECHNICAL METADATA
SCOPE: PAN-EUROPEAN BLUE BIOECONOMY
CORE FOCUS: OFFSHORE MACRO-ALGAE SYSTEMS
PILOT HUB: WEST COAST MARINE FACILITY
STAGE: INDUSTRIAL SCALING & VALIDATION
Innovating the European Blue Bioeconomy
Scalable Cultivation Systems
Developing practical seaweed cultivation approaches suited to Irish coastal waters that can support long-term commercial production.
Environmental Monitoring
Assessing the interaction between seaweed cultivation and the marine environment, including water quality, biodiversity, and ecosystem impacts.
Seeding & Production Methods
Exploring improved seeding techniques and production systems to increase reliability and efficiency in seaweed cultivation.
Valuing Additional Services
Exploring the wider environmental benefits of seaweed cultivation, including nutrient uptake, habitat support, and other marine ecosystem services.
Industry & Research Collaboration
Bringing together industry expertise and scientific research through collaboration between Óir na Farraige, Arctic Seaweeds, and the University of Galway.
Linking to Existing Blue Economy Industries
Exploring how seaweed biomass can integrate with existing sectors within the blue economy, creating opportunities for collaboration and new value chains.