The report, authored by Tunley’s marine biodiversity specialist Dr Nora von Xylander, provides insights into the potential of regenerative ocean farming to address key environmental challenges, including nutrient mitigation, carbon capture and marine ecosystem restoration.
At the heart of the research is Algapelago’s innovative Blue Forest project, an initiative integrating the cultivation of sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) and blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) to enhance nutrient cycling, improve water quality and support biodiversity. The project also evaluates the natural capital value of regenerative aquaculture, offering valuable knowledge into its potential for fostering sustainable marine ecosystems and advancing the blue economy.
With the pilot project set to deploy an advanced modular cultivation system at Algapelago’s licensed site off the coast of North Devon, the research highlights the ecological and economic benefits of large-scale integrated cultivation. The system is designed to scale up to 116 hectares, producing substantial biomass while effectively extracting nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon from the marine environment.
The research finds that Algapelago’s system will extract between 17.6-21.2 tonnes of nitrogen, 1.0-1.3 tonnes of phosphate, and 195.9-257.5 tonnes of carbon annually, helping to improve water quality and combat nutrient pollution in marine environments.
Luke Ansell, head of operations for Algapelago, said, “The release of this report showcases the nature-positive potential of the whole Blue Forest project. Major industries have been calling for effective and scalable nutrient mitigation solutions, so we’re delighted to have a robust baseline to measure the success of the Blue Forest. We sincerely thank Tunley Environmental for their support as we build new momentum behind regenerative aquaculture as a key tool for combatting the causes and impacts of climate change at sea.”
