This pilot project aims to explore the use of Chondrus crispus-derived ingredient (CEAMSEA) in aquaculture feeds to enhance sustainability and improve fish welfare. As the demand for aquaculture products continues to rise, the industry faces significant challenges in sourcing sustainable feed alternatives that meet the nutritional needs of farmed fish without compromising their health. Traditional fishmeal, while nutritionally beneficial, is costly and unsustainable. This project seeks to assess locally sourced algae meals as a viable alternative, focusing on their impact on fish growth, appetite regulation, and welfare. By improving feed quality and acceptance, this initiative aims to reduce reliance on expensive additives and promote environmentally friendly practices in aquaculture. Additionally, the scalability of algae production supports its potential as a sustainable feed ingredient. Ultimately, this research is crucial for developing innovative solutions that address the challenges of modern aquaculture, contributing to a more sustainable future for the industry and enhancing fish welfare.
Biotechnology Platform 1: Innovations for an efficient, sustainable, and resilient aquaculture.
Partners of the consortium
Principal investigator: Universidade de Vigo – Marine Research Center (UVigo-CIM) – Functional Biology And Health Sciences PhysToFish Group
Secondary investigator: University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) – Plentzia Marine Station (PiE-UPV/EHU)
External Innovator: CEAMSA
Seaweeds, such as the green algae Ulva, are fast growing natural carbon absorbers that provide invaluable ecological services for ocean health and contribute to large scale carbon uptake. Its biomass can be used to substitute polluting or non-sustainable products thereby supporting the blue circular bioeconomy. The material industry is desperate to find sustainable alternatives to the current cellulose production, which is costly and environmentally polluting. We propose cellulose extracted from cultivated Ulva spp. as a solution. The challenge to address this market is to produce enough Ulva biomass in Europe at scale to make an impact. Through two cultivation pilots in two contrasting locations: Gran Canaria Island with warm oligotrophic (low nutrient) waters and Vigo sea loch with cold upwelling (high nutrient) waters, we will test innovative approaches to cultivate native Ulva species at scale in the ocean. Our approach is to use floating mesh made of cellulosic materials derived from the algae to cultivate Ulva floating contained in a barrier. This approach is a clear example of how to implement sustainability and circularity in seaweed aquaculture to reduce costs compared to lines, as well as providing a novel source of cellulose for the material industry.
Biotechnology Platform 1: Innovations for an efficient, sustainable, and resilient aquaculture.
Partners of the consortium
Principal investigator: University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – Spanish Bank of Algae (BEA-ULPGC)
Secondary investigator: Universidade de Vigo – Marine Research Center (UVigo-CIM) – Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal
External Innovator: MACROCARBON S.L
Environmentally important kelp species are of significant commercial interest due to their high growth rate and the fact that cultivation at sea does not require freshwater input, fertilizers, feeds, or agricultural land. Cultured kelp can serve as a source for various products, as well as being a promising resource for ecosystem restoration, carbon capture and the development of Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture. Seaweed seedstocks are essential for the propagation and cultivation of seaweed, but nurseries currently rely exclusively on the collection of wild seed and therefore have no ability to control desirable traits. Methods for selectively breeding gametophyte strains exist, but optimizing and upscaling their growth is a major bottleneck. Focusing on the sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) and building upon recent advances in breeding techniques, the Kelp-Secure project will develop the framework for commercial seaweed aquaculture via 4 interconnected activities: (1) biobanking and cryopreservation of gametophytes; (2) phenotyping for growth performance; (3) phenotyping for biochemical composition and metabolites of interest; (4) improvement and upscaling of the growth of gametophyte biomass using bioreactors. Kelp-Secure will thus pilot a workflow for the implementation of seedling biobanks for seaweed farms along the Atlantic Area and for the transfer of phenotyping methods to other beneficiaries.
Biotechnology Platform 1: Innovations for an efficient, sustainable, and resilient aquaculture.
Partners of the consortium
Principal investigator: Sorbonne-University / SBR – FR2424 CRBM
Secondary investigator: University of Galway – School of Biological and Chemical Sciences
External Innovator: Algolesko SAS
Climate change and pollution impact oogenesis and reproduction of marine fish populations while resilience to environmental deterioration and overfishing depends on female capacity to produce enough good quality oocytes. Scientific fish stock management as imposed by International management organisations and EU requires careful assessment of female reproductive capacity. Oocytes in fish ovaries accumulate molecules that upon fertilisation allow early protein synthesis in the newly formed embryo. These molecules, for instance ribosomal intermediates, are not accumulated at the same levels (nor the same specific molecules) in sperm or somatic cells, so they can be used as markers of oocyte development. In the same way, these molecules are differentially accumulated during oogenesis. This marine bio‐observation pilot‐project proposes to validate molecular tools to identify the developmental stage of oocytes and quantitatively rank the maturation profile of tuna fish stocks from the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. This will contribute to the scientifically based management of commercial tuna stocks substituting/complementing the currently applied histological ranking. Additionally, base‐level ribosomal profiling during oogenesis in Cyprinodon variegatus will be performed to validate our molecular approach for the study of environmental xenoestrogenicity in this marine model species widely used in the USA in ecotoxicology and in regulatory toxicity testing.
Biotechnology Platform 2: Omic and observation technologies for preserving marine biodiversity and restore ocean health.
Partners of the consortium
Principal investigator: University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) – Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Plentzia Marine Station (PiE-UPV/EHU)
Secondary investigator: Universidade de Vigo – Marine Research Center (UVigo-CIM) – Ecology and Marine Bioology group
External Innovator: AZTI Foundation
Seaweeds and kelps in particular are essential components of the seaweed revolution due to their high biomass available in the Northeastern Atlantic and their unique biomolecules. This marine bioresource has provided diverse products for different applications such as the lginates, phycolloids etc mainly for human use or agriculture. Kelps are increasingly being used in supplements in animal feed especially for livestock or aquaculture but less interest has been paid for the pet market. The company Blue Pet Co in Ireland has been developing supplements for pet food and the market is growing exponentially due to the benefits brought by the biomolecules contained in two common seaweeds found in the west coast of Ireland. The large biomass of the kelp Laminaria digitata also known as Irish Kombu in the Northeastern Atlantic and Laminaria hyperborea but also other common red and green seaweeds make these species ideal candidates for developing alternative products as supplement in pet food. However, these applications have not been yet developed and KelPet will aim to fill this gap through the collaborations of the company with the Marine Biodiscovery/diversity group at the University of Galway and MTU in the southern region of Ireland
Biotechnology Platform 3: Marine-derived products for industrial applications.
Partners of the consortium
Principal investigator: University of Galway – School of Biological and Chemical Sciences
Secondary investigator: Universidade de Minho – Biomaterials , Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group
External Innovator: Blue Pet Co
Phytoplankton, particularly algae, are primary sources of marine biotoxins found in filter-feeding animals, often termed “shellfish poisons.” These biotoxins are categorized into four main types based on their clinical effects: neurotoxic, paralytic, diarrhetic, and amnesic shellfish poisoning. Despite the presence of ciguatoxins from dinoflagellates like Gambierdiscus spp. along the coasts of Spain and Portugal, they remain unregulated in Europe, highlighting a gap in monitoring and public health safety. Regular monitoring of seafood production areas is mandated, but challenges persist in establishing toxicity equivalency factors (TEFs) and replacing traditional bioassays with analytical methods like LC-MS/MS. The current lack of certified reference materials for various biotoxins, including azaspiracids and ciguatoxins, hampers accurate detection and quantification, necessitating continued development. This pilot project involving three research centers (CNIEO-CSIC, BEA-ULPGC, RCC) and CIFGA aims to address this by sharing microalgae strains from culture collections to produce certified reference materials (CRM). The project will focus on dinoflagellates, cyanobacteria, and diatoms while adhering to regulations and promoting genetic resource sharing, with the goal of fulfilling the demand for specific biotoxin reference materials and conducting genetic and morphological studies on promising new isolates.
Biotechnology Platform 3: Marine-derived products for industrial applications.
Partners of the consortium
Principal investigator: Centro Nacional Instituto Español de Oceanografía (CNIEO-CSIC) – Harmful Microalgae and Plankton Ecology (VGOHAB)
Secondary investigator: University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – Spanish Bank of Algae (BEA-ULPGC)
Third investigator: Sorbonne University – Roscoff Biological Station/ Roscoff Culture Collection
External Innovator: Laboratorio CIFGA S.A.
Climate change is the great global challenge we face as humanity. Its impact is increasingly significant, due to the increase in the frequency and intensity of adverse meteorological events, such as the devastating DANA storm in November in the Valencian Community (Spain). Addressing climate change is of great urgency and microalgae are positioned as part of the solution. Microalgae are highly efficient at capturing CO2 due to their rapid growth rates and high photosynthetic efficiency. However, current wild strains have limitations in their carbon capture capacity. These limitations hinder the large-scale application of microalgae for effective CO2 capture and utilization. ALGACAP project aims to improve the efficiency of the decarbonization in market-relevant microalgae. It will focus on the genetic improvement of microalgae strains and optimization of cultivation conditions. By applying random mutagenesis, we will induce genetic variations to develop strains with superior carbon fixation capabilities with interesting compounds for different industries. Additionally, the culture conditions of the improved microalgae will be improved considering light conditions and bicarbonate supply. In those strains, lipid, pigments and protein analysis will be carried out. Finally, ALGACAP addresses urgent environmental challenges, promotes sustainable development and circular economy through innovative biotechnological solutions.
Biotechnology Platform 3: Marine-derived products for industrial applications.
Partners of the consortium
Principal investigator: University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) – Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Plentzia Marine Station (PiE-UPV/EHU)
Secondary investigator: University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – Spanish Bank of Algae (BEA-ULPGC)
External Innovator: Algaverso
Soil salinization is a major global challenge with serious environmental and socioeconomic implications, predicted to aggravate due to climatic change. The increasing salinity of arable land poses a significant threat to food security and sustainable resource management, highlighting the urgent need for effective mitigation measures to address this pressing concern. Salicornia, a halophyte known for its exceptional salt tolerance, presents a promising solution to soil salinization due to its ability to thrive in saline environments and remediate soils. In addition to its ecological importance, Salicornia is a valuable food crop and an untapped source of bioactive molecules for diverse applications. In this context, the POLYSAL project aims to develop sustainable and economically viable processes for extracting and utilizing polysaccharides from Salicornia sp., contributing to the growing demand for natural resources in various industries. By focusing on the extraction, characterization, and bioactivity of these polysaccharides, the project seeks to establish a solid foundation for the development of innovative and sustainable products that leverage this natural resource for health-related applications. POLYSAL not only enhances the value of Salicornia but also supports global sustainability efforts by promoting the responsible use of coastal bioresources and advancing solutions for human health.
Biotechnology Platform 3: Marine-derived products for industrial applications.
Partners of the consortium
Principal investigator: Universidade de Minho – Biomaterials , Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group
Secondary investigator: University of Galway – School of Biological and Chemical Sciences
External Innovator: Horta dos Peixinhos, Lda
As the world grapples with environmental and health challenges, the underutilization of marine by-products presents a golden opportunity for innovation. Traditionally viewed as waste, sardine and codfish skins —especially from the fish canning industry—are rich in valuable compounds like collagen and gelatin. These proteins are not only essential for maintaining human health but are also in high demand in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals due to their superior absorption and bioactivity compared to their mammalian counterparts. With the global population on the rise, the urgency for sustainable practices has never been greater. This project aims to transform discarded fish skins, based on a biorefinery concept, into high-value products, paving the way for a circular economy that minimizes waste while enhancing health and wellness. By beginning at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4, it will be validated efficient extraction methods in the lab, setting the stage for broader applications, expecting to achieve TRL 5. This approach not only supports environmental sustainability but also addresses growing consumer demand for natural and ethically sourced ingredients, making it a win-win for the planet and public health.
Biotechnology Platform 3: Marine-derived products for industrial applications.
Partners of the consortium
Principal investigator: Universidade de Minho – Biomaterials , Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group
Secondary investigator: Universidade de Vigo – Marine Research Center (UVigo-CIM) – Functional Biology And Health Sciences PhysToFish Group
External Innovator: Comur
