A target of $100 million in production by 2025 is the catalyst for the newly formed Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance (ASSA). The federal government has also boosted its investment, injecting $59 million into the Marine Bioproduct Cooperative Research Centre over the next 10 years.
ASSA was formed by the Australian Seaweed Institute, CH4 Global, FutureFeed, and the University of Tasmania, with support from AgriFutures Australia.
CEO Jo Kelly.
ASSA chair and Australian Seaweed Institute CEO Jo Kelly said the group invited current – and future – seaweed investors, farmers, and product makers to join.
“Our vision for the Australian seaweed industry is for a high tech and high value, sustainable industry to support thriving oceans and coastal communities,” Kelly said.
University of Tasmania associate professor Catriona Macleod said: “It is essential that we fast-track the R&D needed to really show the potential in seaweed aquaculture and products. ASSA is key to making sure that research efforts are strategic, and that funding and resources are optimised – which is essential if we really want to kick-start this industry.”
ASSA’s focus is to work with industry members, government and research agencies to coordinate the establishment and growth of sustainable seaweed aquaculture. While new to Australia, the sector is well established internationally, particularly in Asia, the alliance said.
Blueprint for growth
In 2020, AgriFutures released the Australian Seaweed Industry Blueprint that outlined plans for a $1.5 billion Australian seaweed industry. It said there was a $100 million opportunity for seaweed production over the five years to 2025, with potential to reach the $1.5 billion target in the next 20 years.
“Seaweed offers a huge opportunity for Australia’s sustainable ocean economy and regional economic development,” Kelly said, who was also lead author on the Blueprint. “It could employ 9000 people and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10 per cent in the coming decades.”
Asparagopsis investment
One of Australia’s native seaweeds, Asparagopsis, is shown to reduce methane emissions from cattle to almost zero when added to their feed. FutureFeed CEO Dr Regan Crooks said, “This is significant given around 10 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia come from the digestion process of cattle.”
The FutureFeed Asparagopsis solution is supported by almost a decade of global research and collaboration with CSIRO, MLA and James Cook University.
The company is regarded as a founding authority on Asparagopsis. It holds the global IP for the native seaweed and is a cornerstone partner in ASSA.
“ASSA is prioritising the establishment of a National Hatchery Network that will facilitate access to seedstock and the research capability to enable the industry to scale rapidly.
“Commercial cultivation of Asparagopsis is the next step and there are groups both here in Australia, and internationally, who are making significant headway. We believe that with adequate investment and continued momentum, supported by groups like ASSA, we will see commercial quantities growing rapidly,” Crooks said.
Major investors in FutureFeed are Andrew Forrest’s Harvest Road, Woolworths, GrainCorp, CSIRO and AGP Sustainable Real Assets/Sparklabs Cultiv8. Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets, PGA Investments and Rob Purves are investing in Asparagopsis production.
Meanwhile, CH4 Global is working closely with FutureFeed on making Asparagopsis aquaculture and environmental, economical and socially sustainable reality.
CH4 Australia general manager Dr Adam Main said: “In addition to the huge environmental benefits, the emergence of a seaweed industry in Australia will deliver significant economic development and employment opportunities in regional Australia with hundreds of jobs created over the next two to three years.
“Strategic partnerships will significantly help deliver this new product with urgency.”
Crooks said: “FutureFeed is playing a pivotal role in the future of livestock farming. The solution not only reduces the carbon footprint but studies have also indicated productivity improvements through average daily weight gain and feed conversion efficiencies.”
The future of weed
Kelly said low emissions animal feed was just the “tip of the iceberg”.
“Research into bioproducts from native Australian seaweed species has potential to contribute to global health and nutrition while adding significant value to the Australian environment and economy.
“We are absolutely delighted that the Marine Bioproducts CRC has received funding from the Australian government as this will be a critical enabler to increasing value and industry innovation.”
Image: Copyright University of Tasmania.
The Blueprint also highlighted the role of state government aquaculture policy and access to ocean lease space as critical to support industry development. “This is one of the big issues that ASSA will be working on to support our growers.” Jo added.
The future of the industry will rely on significant expansion of native seaweed cultivation and development of high value nutritional products for humans, animals and plants. Major opportunities identified by the report include:
- large scale open water cultivation of Asparagopsis seaweed is projected to feed at least 25% of Australia’s feedlot cattle herd by 2025;
- extension of Kelp farming around fish farms to improve environmental outcomes and provide additional revenue streams for aquaculture businesses across temperate southern Australia;
- development of seaweed biofilters to remove excess nutrients and protect the Great Barrier Reef while providing beneficial agricultural products in an innovative circular economy solution;
- development of offshore integrated food, energy and carbon sequestration platforms for sustainable food production into the future;
- biodiscovery – uncovering valuable compounds from native Australian seaweeds; and
- development of new seaweed products using advanced manufacturing techniques.
