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NAERINGSPH-Nærings-phd

Mikroalger som ressurs i landbasert lakseoppdrett

Alternative title: Microalgae as a resource in land based salmon farming

Awarded: NOK 2.4 mill.

Project Manager:

Project Number:

333940

Application Type:

Project Period:

2022 - 2025

Funding received from:

Land based fish farming enable food production with a reduced environmental footprint and increased circularity. Fish production in a closed system allow for use of other resources than the fish biomass, including the wastewater. Even in facilities based on recycling aquaculture system (RAS) technology, the wastewater can contain high nutrient concentrations which may potentially affect coastal ecosystems. In this project, we will investigate the possibility of growing microalgae in the wastewater from the RAS-based test fasility for salmon production of Ecofishcircle AS. Photosynthetic microalgae take up nutrients from the water and use light and CO2 to produce organic carbon. We will determine the content of the wastewater from salmon production and which species of microalgae are able to grow in the wastewater. While the fatty acids required for fish growth previously were added to the fish feed as fish oils, terrestrial long-distance transported sources are more commonly used these days. The expected increase in salmon production the coming decades will increase the need for long-distance transported feed sources unless other and more local sources are found. In this project, we will investigate the possible use of microalgae grown in salmon farm wastewater as fish feed. In addition to containing essential omega-3 fatty acids, microalgae may also contain e.g. antiinflammatory substances which may improve fish health.

I dette prosjektet vil vi undersøke muligheten for å dyrke mikroalger i avfallsvannet fra Ecofishcircle AS sitt landbaserte oppdrettsanlegg. Vi vil analysere innholdet i avfallsvannet og teste bruken av dette til dyrkning av ulike arter av mikroalger isolert lokalt (i Agder) og fra kultursamlinger. Vi vil samtidig teste egenskapene til arter av mikroalger med tanke på fettsyreinnhold og fiskehelsefremmende egenskaper og deres bruk i fiskefôr. Muligheten for å kombinere rensing av avløpsvannet med lokal produksjon av fettrike og helsefremmende mikroalger til bruk i fiskefôr vil kunne øke den sirkulær bioøkonomien i anlegget. En slik dyrking av mikroalger under kontrollerte betingelser og basert primært på avfallsvannet fra lakseanlegget, vil utnytte ubrukte ressurser samtidig som vannet behandles med et ekstra rensetrinn før det slippes ut i kystøkosystemet.

Funding scheme:

NAERINGSPH-Nærings-phd