SusOffAqua; Unleashing the sustainable value creation potential of offshore ocean aquaculture

SusOffAqua unites a cross-disciplinary team of scientists in a unique effort to provide competence, innovation and technology to ensure sustainability and resilience in future offshore aquaculture and its value chains. Ocean resources must be carefully managed, and our oceans are under pressure with multiple users and the ever more imminent global climate change. If the novel offshore aquaculture industry is to achieve societal acceptance and its full potential, the production must be in accordance with the aim to achieve climate neutrality and preserve biodiversity.

The consortium will develop real time monitoring approaches, working towards preventive biosecurity and reduced environmental impact. The concept of an artificial intelligence based autonomous steering systems will be piloted as a key enabling technology. The potential for the implementation of such technology in future offshore aquaculture will be evaluated in the areas highly relevant for offshore aquaculture, particularly feeding in view of high GHG emissions related to feed value chain. Concurrently fundamental knowledge will be built in key aspects of biological performance, ecological impact, fish welfare and energy systems in with relevance to developing sustainable offshore aquaculture value chains. The project will seek to develop and validate tools (LCA and economic analytics & energy system analysis) to assess to which extent uptake of technology and other innovations can propel the sector towards climate neutrality and low environmental impact.