BlueBioclusters Regions
Belgium
France
Portugal
Scotland
Lithuania
Estonia
Sweden
Norway
Iceland
9 Regions in the transition to the
Blue BioEconomy
Belgium holds a potential of cultivated seaweed for biopolymer products (e.g. chitosan, cellulose) used in food packaging, drug delivery, cosmetics, chemicals. There is also a valorization of oyster shells into high-end products.
Mussels cultivated on ropes have the potential for meat production, as well as for growing together with rainbow trouts in offshore cages. The production of marine algae based dyes and fertilisers is also under development. In addition, the valorization of the whole seaweed biomass for cosmetics and other industries is being developed, e.g. the production of different seaweed extracts.
The region has the potential to develop seaweed cultivation for gelling agents, bioplastics, and textile dyes. The same is true for microalgae compounds that can be used for aquaculture feed, cosmetics, wastewater treatment, biofertilisers, bioplastics and biofuels. There are also limited applications for cyanobacteria, shellfish and whitefish.
The cod fishery is highly relevant due to its direct non-linear production with full utilization of compounds (either for food or cosmetics). There are other fish species with linear and non-linear value chains (e.g. biopolymers from shrimp shells). The use of microalgae for food and cosmetic purposes is still under development.
Although the Lithuanian fishery and aquaculture value chain is highly developed, there is still a challenging gap. The vast majority of open sea and coastal landings are exported to neighboring countries for further processing, while local fish processing companies import the raw material.
The region has the potential to harvest and cultivate macroalgae for the production of gelling agents, food, chemicals, biopolymers, compostable bioplastics and textile dyes. Although the aquaculture industry is highly developed, there is still room for the development of other value chains through the use of waste materials for feedstock and human consumption. In addition, there is a movement towards biorefineries through bioactives from microalgae.
The Portuguese region embraces the fish sector at different levels like fisheries, fish processing, and canning industry. Discards and byproducts from these activities are mainly used to produce feed formulations playing a role in aquaculture feed compounds. Products for the food market, cosmetics, fertilizers and nutraceuticals are produced by harvesting and cultivating seaweed and microalgae. The latter is also used, cosmetics, food and nutraceuticals, wastewater treatment, biofertilizers, bioplastics among others.
The region harvests and cultivates seaweed for animal feed supplements, plant growth stimulants, cosmetics, food market, chemicals, biopolymers, compostable bioplastics and textile dying. Shellfish and crustaceans are entirely harvested for human consumption, but their waste products could be harnessed for bioplastics, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Microalgae are grown for aquaculture and larviculture feed, cosmetics, food, and nutraceuticals.
The production of compounds for aquaculture and larviculture, cosmetics, food, and nutraceuticals are the main results of microalgae cultivation. Seaweeds are also cultivated and processed for food and nutraceuticals, and there is no waste in the cultivation of sea squirts, which are also used for food.
