AQUAPHOENIX

Foto: Jarle Ragnhildstveit, Framo

Innovative solutions to reduce AQUAculture emissions and valorize sludge through PHOsphorus and NItrogen eXtraction

Hardangerfjord, one of Norway's most intensive salmon farming regions, produces over 100,000 tonnes of farmed salmon annually in open cages, resulting in nutrient and sludge discharge into the fjord. This sludge, consisting of feed residues and faeces, poses a risk of eutrophication and negatively impacts the marine environment.

To address this, Framo has developed LiftUP technology to collect sludge from open cages, which is then filtered and stored. Ragn-Sells contributes technology to process the sludge into phosphorus, creating a sustainable feed ingredient and agricultural fertilizer. This circular solution aims to lower the climate footprint, reduce pressure on fjords, and increase fish yields while utilizing valuable raw materials and decreasing Europe's reliance on imported energy and nutrients.

NORCE and the Institute of Marine Research will evaluate the environmental effects of sludge collection, while industry partners Ragn-Sells and Framo provide the necessary technology. Participating aquaculture companies include Eide Fjordbruk and Lingalaks from Hardangerfjord and Brändö Lax and Storfjärdens Fisk from Åland.

The AQUAPHOENIX project brings together fish farmers, researchers, and industry to assess the environmental benefit of collecting sludge beneath fish farms and utilizing it.

image credit: Niels Johansen

The project involves 19 partners from Norway, Finland, Sweden, Belgium, and the Netherlands, including the Finnish Åland Fish Farmers' Association. It also addresses the Baltic Sea’s environmental challenges, where nutrient emissions from agriculture and industry limit fish farming expansion in Finland.

Scheduled to run from 2025 to 2028, AQUAPHOENIX is coordinated by NORCE.

Contact

Helena Hauss

Chief Scientist - Mekjarvik

heha@norceresearch.no
+47 51 87 55 02

Project facts

Name

AQUAPHOENIX: Innovative solutions to reduce AQUAculture emissions and valorize sludge through PHOsphorus and NItrogen eXtraction

Status

Active

Duration

01.01.25 - 31.12.28

Total budget

105.640.633 NOK

Research group

Marine Ecology

Funding

EU – Horizon Europe (EC/HEU)

Prosjekteier

NORCE

Project members

Helena Hauss

Ryan Weber

Hans Kleivdal

Megan Brunswig Sikaneta

AQUAPHOENIX

Innovative solutions to reduce AQUAculture emissions and valorize sludge through PHOsphorus and NItrogen eXtraction

The AQUAPHOENIX project brings together fish farmers, researchers, and industry to assess the environmental benefit of collecting sludge beneath fish farms and utilizing it.

Contact

Project facts

Name

Status

Duration

Total budget

Research group

Funding

Prosjekteier

Project members

Contact

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