Offshore Low-trophic Aquaculture in Multi-Use Scenario Realisation

Expansion of low trophic aquaculture (LTA) for increasing seafood production are faced with opportunities in unexploited regions and environments and maximizing benefits of marine space by considering low impact multi-use (MU) of space such as combining wind farm areas and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA). The main objective of OLAMUR (Offshore Low-trophic Aquaculture in Multi-Use scenario Realisation) is to bring together multi-use low-trophic aquaculture (MU-LTA) related key sectors, to demonstrate sustainable commercial solutions for both the North and the Baltic Sea. OLAMUR will establish three pilot demonstration sites where seaweed and blue mussels will be grown within windfarms or in the vicinity of a trout farm. The wind farm pilot sites are located in the German exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the North Sea north of Helgoland, in the Danish EEZ of the Baltic Sea at Kriegers Flak and the third pilot demonstration site will be next to a trout farm in the Estonian Sea near the Port of Veere. All data, information, products and standards for establishing, operating and evaluating will be monitored, simulated, stored and customized as an “OLAMUR digital MU-LTA farm service”. This will provide a solid basis for MU-LTA upscaling. Through a transdisciplinary holistic approach, OLAMUR will ensure severe contributions towards demonstrating and documenting the possibilities for low impact co-use of the marine space. A data-based service system will be developed for policymakers for knowledge-based decisions, and innovative governance/policy arrangements will be developed towards achieving a holistic, effective and sustainable solution for multiple uses. OLAMUR will focus on 3 pilots that will serve as testing and demonstration sites. An important pathway towards impact in OLAMUR is the science-policy-industry-community interface. With that OLAMUR ensures advancement in developing optimal and carbon-neutral use and enabling a quantum leap towards long term sustainable, healthy and rich European marine spaces.