PAVING THE WAVES

A growing human population, and changing diets under increased prosperity will cause an increase in the global demand for feed and food. On land, space and water are becoming scarce commodities. Therefore an increase in use of the ocean’s resources is taking place. In Europe, the need to sustainably harvest more food from the oceans is reflected in for example the 2012 Blue Growth strategy. Especially in the inshore and coastal zone however, competition for spaces can be fierce, since many activities already take place, including aquaculture. Ongoing trends are aiming to develop aquaculture in offshore areas, thereby giving the opportunity to enhance production volumes, and to reduce environmental impacts in coastal zones. Within the Space@Sea project, use of modular floating islands for offshore aquaculture was investigated. We evaluated the possibilities and benefits of finfish, shellfish, seaweeds and microalgae culture systems in conjunction with these floating platforms. This following culture systems were then selected to be designed in more detail. Salmon culturing in closed cage aquaculture systems (CCAS) with logistics, operation & maintenance, and processing on the floating modules; recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) for seabream placed on top of the floating modules; the use of the floating platforms as a workspace for of the culturing of mussels and seaweeds, including processing and logistic infrastructures; the installation of photobioreactors to feed floating tube systems for mass production of microalgae. The space provided by floating platforms can be used to fulfil several functions related to aquaculture production, including the placing of systems, processing of harvest, storage of feed and harvest, and use as workspace and accommodation for staff. In the presentation, a concise overview will be given of the possibilities to use floating modular platforms for aquaculture purposes, and which options seem to be most promising for the near future. A growing human population, and changing diets under increased prosperity will cause an increase in the global demand for feed and food. On land, space and water are becoming scarce commodities. Therefore an increase in use of the ocean’s resources is taking place. In Europe, the need to sustainably harvest more food from the oceans is reflected in for example the 2012 Blue Growth strategy. Especially in the inshore and coastal zone however, competition for spaces can be fierce, since many activities already take place, including aquaculture. Ongoing trends are aiming to develop aquaculture in offshore areas, thereby giving the opportunity to enhance production volumes, and to reduce environmental impacts in coastal zones. Within the Space@Sea project, use of modular floating islands for offshore aquaculture was investigated. We evaluated the possibilities and benefits of finfish, shellfish, seaweeds and microalgae culture systems in conjunction with these floating platforms. This following culture systems were then selected to be designed in more detail. Salmon culturing in closed cage aquaculture systems (CCAS) with logistics, operation & maintenance, and processing on the floating modules; recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) for seabream placed on top of the floating modules; the use of the floating platforms as a workspace for of the culturing of mussels and seaweeds, including processing and logistic infrastructures; the installation of photobioreactors to feed floating tube systems for mass production of microalgae. The space provided by floating platforms can be used to fulfil several functions related to aquaculture production, including the placing of systems, processing of harvest, storage of feed and harvest, and use as workspace and accommodation for staff. In the presentation, a concise overview will be given of the possibilities to use floating modular platforms for aquaculture purposes, and which options seem to be most promising for the near future.