Speed Presentation 2024 Australian Marine Sciences Association Annual Meeting combined with NZMSS

Seaweed Aquaculture and the Circular Economy: Unique Opportunities (#62)

Catriona Macleod 1 2 3 , Jo Kelly 1 4 , Adam Main 1 5
  1. Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
  2. Marine Bioproducts CRC, Adelaide, SA
  3. University of Tasmania - IMAS, Taroona, TASMANIA, Australia
  4. Australian Seaweed Institute, Bribie Island, QLD, Australia
  5. CH4 Global, Lonsdale, SA, Australia

The Circular Economy (CE) represents a significant opportunity for Australia, both in terms of improvements in sustainability and economic return. Whilst many benefits are associated with recovery and recycling of physical waste, there can also be significant benefits for companies willing to embrace CE principles more broadly and consider how their production model interacts with other value-chains to enhance overall outcomes. The aquaculture and fisheries sector has already shown how to valorise byproducts for economic and environmental gains (e.g. opportunities in pet food, extracted oils and collagen production). However, seaweed aquaculture offers some quite unique opportunities within the CE. In this presentation we will consider three different species (Asparagopsis sp., Ecklonia sp. and Macrocyctsis sp.) and the opportunities they present from a CE perspective. We will show how seaweed can be a beneficial and innovative partner in the regenerative economy strategy of other industries. We will discuss how seaweed production and ecosystem rehabilitation can be developed hand in hand for greater win-win outcomes. We will consider how multiple products can be developed from a single production start point. Finally, we will discuss some broader social sustainability benefits and how we might facilitate industry development and CE outcomes.