The group forms part of a Japanese delegation visiting Norway to benchmark expertise on seaweed cultivation.
Photo: Leroy Seafood / LinkedIn
Norwegian seafood group Lerøy Seafood Group has this week welcomed a Japanese delegation to Austevoll for discussions on large-scale seaweed cultivation and potential international collaboration in sustainable ocean industries.
The visit focused on the role seaweed cultivation could play in climate mitigation, ecosystem restoration and the development of sustainable marine industries. Lerøy said the delegation was seeking inspiration from Norwegian aquaculture expertise, with site visits and discussions covering cultivation methods, offshore production systems, environmental monitoring and sustainability.
The programme also explored future opportunities for the seaweed and mussel industries, as well as the potential use of seaweed as both a food resource and an industrial raw material. Shoreline tastings were also included to showcase the versatility of seaweed, Lerøy said.
"History has shown what collaboration between Japan and Norway can achieve, the salmon and sushi success story being one well-known example," the company said in a LinkedIn post detailing the visit.
“We look forward to continuing the dialogue and exploring how international collaboration can help unlock the potential of sustainable ocean industries,” it concluded.
Brian Tsuyoshi Takeda is the third from the left in the back row. Dr. Tomohiro Kuwae is to his right, and Dr. Kenta Watanabe is to his right.
The group of Japanese visitors are part of a the wider Norwegian tour by a formal Japanese delegation, as previously reported by WeAreAquaculture in May.
According to Restorae, which announced the visit and whose CEO Brian Tsuyoshi Takeda is part of the delegation, the tour, taking place from 20-26 June, forms part of Japan’s national efforts to develop large-scale seaweed cultivation systems and accelerate blue carbon deployment.
The group included representatives from the Japan Blue Economy Association, the Port and Airport Research Institute, the Waterfront Revitalization and Environment Research Foundation, and Restorae. Its wider programme included visits to Møre og Romsdal and Vestland, with meetings planned in Ulsteinvik and Bergen with stakeholders in the maritime, aquaculture, industry and research sectors.
According to Restorae, Japan is seeking solutions that could support large-scale deployment, with the ambition of contributing to the elimination of at least 1 million tonnes of CO₂ through mass cultivation of seaweed.