6th macroalgae stakeholder meeting: don’t panic we are organic
SUBMARINER Network who is project partner in the seaweed project GRASS (Growing Algae Sustainably in the Baltic Sea) organized on 02.12.2020 a stakeholder meeting for German speaking community. It was the 6th meeting for stakeholders organized within the GRASS project. This time the German speaking stakeholders were the main target group. The meeting was conducted in a virtual format due to the corona restrictions.
37 participants joined the event, among them were representatives of public authorities in Germany, research organizations and companies who either produce or process macroalgae. Also, a representative of the European Commission and private individuals affiliated to the macroalgae topic were attending the meeting.
The main aim of the event was the elaboration of the seaweed cultivation potential in the Baltic Sea Region based on the interim results of the GRASS project and the inputs of external speakers who presented the potential of macroalgae and macroalgae beach cast from a perspective of public side, research side and commercial side.
The interim results of GRASS showed to the stakeholders during the meeting have encompassed:
- Interactive digital maps showing suitable sites for macroalgae cultivation and collection of beach cast http://www.sea.ee/bbg-odss/Map/MapMain and the report describing the methodology used for the modeling of the macroalgae data https://www.submariner-network.eu/images/grass/GRASS_OA2.1_pan-Baltic_map_depicting_potential_of_macroalgal_cultivation_and_harvesting.pdf
- Regulative opportunities and barriers concerning macroalgae production in Germany
- Seaweed as food ingredient and feed ingredient in the EU https://www.submariner-network.eu/images/grass/GRASS_O3.4a_EU_regulation_of_seaweed_food_and_feed.pdf
- Results of consumer survey and the attitude to seaweed products from customer perspective.
The external presentations were dealing with the following points:
- Macroalgae role in the European Green Deal
- Fucoidans gained from brown algae
- Exploitation of macroalgae beach cast based on the case study of the CONTRA project
- The German macroalgae farm Kieler Meeresfarm
- Young start-up Oceanfruit offering food products based on macroalgae and working already with the biggest supermarket chains in Germany.
The inputs of the GRASS project and the inputs of external speakers were discussed in two discussion rounds, in which all participants had the possibility to ask questions, rise comments and provide own suggestions to the topic and potential of seaweed in the Baltic Sea Region.
A big thank you to all attendees and greetings to all seaweed passionates!
Status: 03.12.2020
Written by Kamila Zalesiak/SUBMARINER Network
