SEAGROW Partners met in person for the first time at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland.
Photo: SEAGROW.
SEAGROW —'Seaweed in Ecosystem Enhancing Aquaculture for Growth and Sustainability'—the European project led from Ireland aimed at improving the productivity, environmental performance, and economic viability of seaweed farming and integrated aquaculture systems, supporting sustainable seafood production, biodiversity protection, and climate resilience, held its kick-off meeting at Trinity College Dublin.
Although, as reported by WeAreAquaculture, the project officially began in the last quarter of last year, this was the first time that the Irish and European partners had met in person to initiate the collaboration and begin the work.
Coordinated from Ireland by Óir Na Farraige, which leads the overall project management and operational deployment of regenerative aquaculture systems, the SEAGROW project consortium—which is funded by the European Union—includes partners from five different EU countries: Ireland, Portugal, Malta, Bulgaria, and the Netherlands.
As an Irish regenerative, nature-positive aquaculture company, Óir Na Farraige is developing scalable seaweed farming systems that improve productivity while enhancing marine ecosystems. Alongside it, the other partners participating in SEAGROW from Ireland are Trinity College Dublin, which will be responsible for assessing environmental and biodiversity impacts, and Clear Seas Aqua, which will contribute its operational and farm design expertise.
In addition, the project consortium also includes the Atlantic International Research Centre in Portugal, which will be responsible for scientific synthesis and links with public policy; Sea Going Green, a consulting company in the Netherlands specializing in regenerative and carbon reduction strategies for the tourism industry, which will take charge of communication, dissemination, and stakeholder participation; the Via Pontica Foundation in Bulgaria, which will assess the feasibility and participation of actors in the Black Sea region; and AquaBioTech Group from Malta, which will carry out life cycle assessment and regulatory assessment, including compatibility with marine protected areas.
"In Ireland, we have a word — fite fuaite — meaning intertwined," said Gareth Murphy, Managing Director of Óir na Farraige and Chair of the Irish Seaweed Association. "SEAGROW brings together science, industry, and European collaboration to strengthen how we produce food from the ocean while protecting marine ecosystems. This project is about building practical evidence and scalable models that can support sustainable growth while maintaining high environmental standards in Ireland and across Europe."
The project and the support it receives from Ireland's seafood development agency, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), were also commented on by BIM's interim CEO, Richard Donnelly, who noted how closely it aligns with its seaweed strategy.
"The SEAGROW project, being led by Óir na Farraige, directly aligns with BIM's Irish Macro Algal Cultivation Strategy to 2030, a strategy that is essentially a roadmap for industry to develop their processing capabilities," he said.
"The project's use of innovative seaweed cultivation technologies in Ireland with a focus on improving productivity and performance directly speaks to the need to increase the volume of farmed seaweed to ensure a sustainable and economically profitable industry in Ireland," Donnelly added.
With a total eligible project value of EUR 1,427,742.73, SEAGROW is supported by EU funding at a rate of 70% under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) at a time when the algae sector is gaining momentum in Europe.
As reported by WeAreAquaculture at the start of the project last October, large-scale seaweed aquaculture systems will be tested in Galway Bay, Ireland, assessing their role in nutrient uptake and marine ecosystem enhancement. The project will also develop tools and standards, including eco-labeling systems, to expand regenerative aquaculture to the Mediterranean and Black Sea basins.
According to the release now provided by SEAGROW, the project will demonstrate advanced seaweed farming approaches designed to increase yield per hectare while reducing material use, labor intensity, and production costs within existing licensed marine space.
In collaboration with Trinity College Dublin, the project will generate robust environmental and biodiversity data to inform best practices and evidence-based decision-making. Integrated aquaculture interactions will also be assessed to explore opportunities for diversified and resilient coastal livelihoods.
Throughout its duration—it will run for 36 months—SEAGROW will provide practical tools and evidence to support the responsible scaling up of regenerative aquaculture across Europe, including, as mentioned, the Mediterranean and Black Sea basins.
"For the Black Sea region, the project is expected to provide a valuable opportunity to explore how regenerative seaweed farming could support both sustainable production and ecosystem restoration," said Ina Agafonova, Founder of Via Pontica Foundation and SEAGROW partner for the Black Sea region.
"The project will generate evidence needed to evaluate the feasibility of transferring such nature-positive models to sensitive marine basins like the Black Sea," she added.
Together, the consortium combines operational experience, scientific assessment, and public policy expertise to support more productive and environmentally responsible seaweed farming. In addition, the project includes a Europe-wide outreach program, with stakeholder engagement activities in partner countries and at the EU level.
Finally, the note recalled that SEAGROW supports the objectives of the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork Strategy, and the EU Strategic Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture, reinforcing Europe's commitment to sustainable food systems, biodiversity protection, and coastal resilience.
