The primary objective of NoMaRe is to support the restoration of kelp forests along Norway’s coastline. These underwater forests are crucial for maintaining marine biodiversity and play a significant role in carbon sequestration. However, they have been in decline globally, with approximately 60 percent disappearing due to human activities and the overgrazing of sea urchins, which have proliferated following the decline of their natural predators.
NoMaRe aims to address these challenges by promoting marine restoration as a priority in national policies and regulations, while also securing funding from both public and private sectors. The platform will focus on practical restoration efforts, starting with the removal of excess sea urchins across 5,000 km² in Northern Norway. Additionally, NoMaRe will work to enhance research, share knowledge, and build broad-based support for its initiatives. The initiative brings together several key players, including The Bellona Foundation, Urchinomics, Tarevoktere, and IFF, all focused on restoring vital marine ecosystems.
Kerstin Schmeiduch, director of sustainability & corporate communications at Purina Europe, stated: “Collaborative efforts are required to address the dramatic decline in marine biodiversity across Europe. At Purina, we recently launched our Ocean Restoration Programme to help tackle this challenge by restoring marine habitats across Europe, because fish by-products are part of our extended supply chain. We are now delighted to be joining the NoMaRe platform as a founding partner, which we hope will bring benefits to the marine restoration work being done through our Programme in Norway due to the shared interests and ambitions of the platform.”
Purina Europe’s involvement in NoMaRe aligns with its broader commitment to tackling marine biodiversity loss. The company recently launched its Ocean Restoration Programme, which partners with expert organisations to restore seagrass, oyster reefs, and kelp across Europe. By joining NoMaRe, Purina aims to contribute its expertise and resources to support the large-scale restoration of kelp forests in Norway.
Joakim Hauge, global head of science and strategy at Bellona, highlighted the significance of the initiative: “The loss of the kelp forest is Norway's forgotten environmental crisis. Through our involvement in NoMaRe, Bellona aims to use our extensive experience in ecological restoration to facilitate a large-scale restoration of the Norwegian kelp forest. The partners in NoMaRe are already well underway with practical restoration trials and knowledge gathering. At the same time, it will be important for us to accelerate research, knowledge dissemination, and advocacy. We need to establish a national initiative for restoring the Norwegian kelp forest as soon as possible. Such an initiative could provide Norway with substantial climate and environmental benefits. We are very pleased to welcome Nestle Petcare Purina Europe as founding partner of NoMaRe and we acknowledge their commitment to marine restoration through their Ocean Restoration Programme”.
As NoMaRe moves forward, the collaboration among its founding members is expected to play a key role in revitalising marine ecosystems in Norway.
