ASSA & FRDC Successful Contracted Projects 

Earlier in the year, the FRDC released a call for applications to address research, development & extension (RD&E) priorities nominated by the ASSA and FRDC to accelerate seaweed aquaculture in Australia, under the ‘Developing Australia’s Seaweed Farming Program’. The following projects were funded through this process:

• Design and build a portable hatchery prototype for the Australian seaweed industry - Sea Health Kelp Lab - Several companies in Australia are currently interested in growing Asparagopsis , but the challenge lies in the complexity of the lifecycle and the costs involved in setting up a hatchery/breeding facility for each individual company.  ASSA is supporting growers by building a prototype transportable seaweed laboratory/hatchery for Asparagopsis cultivation and other potentially commercially viable seaweed species. This will support the emerging seaweed industry and give smaller growers access to initial requirements to develop their farming potential. It also be made available to researchers to expand the existing knowledge base. This state of the art “lab on wheels”, will allow growers to undertake fieldwork and process collections in a timely manner, improving culture success. The transportable lab has solar panels, sterilised seawater, filtered air and facilities and will contribute to accelerate the success of the emerging seaweed industry in Australia.

• Protoplast-based mariculture solutions for scalable Asparagopsis farming - Central Queensland University - This project aims to transform Asparagopsis nursery development via an inventive aquaculture toolbox using protoplast technology. The sustainable approach ensures a continuous, high-yield production of quality seedstocks, providing an alternative to the industry's reliance on vegetative fragments and spore-based farming. This strategy supports a blue carbon circular economy, enhancing a resilient, sustainable, and economically viable seaweed industry, and yielding higher quality products amidst growing commercial interest.

• Optimal nutrient requirements for Asparagopsis cultivation - Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) Hobart - This project is assisting the seaweed industry to enhance the cultivation of Asparagopsis which is being grown in aquaculture for mitigation of methane emissions from ruminants. The IMAS research team will modify existing enrichment substances used by seaweed aqua-culturalists to develop a new Asparagopsis-specific substance that will be made available to Asparagopsis producers throughout Australia.

• The bigger blue potential for Asparagopsis: A review of the potential for blue carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and biodiversity credits for the Australian Asparagopsis seaweed industry - Blueshift Consulting - This project explores the potential of seaweed mariculture for environmental credits, including carbon, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), and biodiversity. Focusing on Asparagopsis, it aims to provide a comprehensive synthesis of existing credit schemes that could offer environmental benefits and commercial opportunities for Australia’s nascent seaweed industry. Based on this analysis, a policy position will be developed, which can be used by ASSA to make clear recommendations to the government on how the industry can benefit from participation in environmental credit markets.

• Investigating the bioremediation potential of seaweed aquaculture across Australia - Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) Hobart - Our project is using previous research on the physiology of Asparagopsis and other valuable native macroalgaes within an established model of macroalgae growth, to assess their bioremediation potential. We will then apply the model within a wide range of environmental conditions representative of different growing regions in coastal Australian waters. This approach will allow us to identify and address challenges specific to bioremediation across different states and macroalgae genera, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the feasibility and implications of this innovative and low-impact approach to nutrient remediation. This research will not only inform practical cultivation strategies but also provide knowledge of environmental impacts and tools for future regulations and research.

• Formulate a comprehensive framework to inform relevant regulatory bodies on safety regulations and legislation pertaining to food, feed, and other forms of bioproducts of Asparagopsis spp. and other seaweeds of key interest to the Australian seaweed industry - Integrity Compliance Solutions Pty Ltd (ICS) - Using publicly available information, ICS will identify the safety regulations and legislation currently in place for the  Australian seaweed industry. They will highlight any inconsistencies, best practices, and potential safety hazards within the existing regulations and industry guidelines, determine potential safety issues or constraints that could impede the industry’s ability to ensure the safety of end products and expand into broader markets. This will be aligned with FRDC's Strategy V, which  emphasizes supporting industry growth through foundational information and best practices. ICS will then develop a list of potential food safety hazards related to both human consumption and stock feeding for seaweed-based products.

• Establish an on-line portal where Australian seaweed industry members can find contact details and useful associated information to facilitate state and federal government permitting of seaweed related activities - Honey and Fox - The Seaweed Permit Portal will consolidate information about state and federal requirements for permits for seaweed operations. Simplifying the regulatory navigation process, reducing administrative burdens, and accelerating the timeline from permit application to operational activity will directly contribute to industry growth and vibrancy.

• Australian Seaweed ED: on-line portal containing material that can be used by educators, the industry and media to increase awareness and enhance industry’s social license to develop and operate Australian seaweed aquaculture - Honey and Fox - The online Seafood ED portal will serve as a knowledge hub, providing comprehensive resources for educators, media, and the public. It aims to elevate public understanding and acceptance of seaweed aquaculture, address misconceptions, and highlight the industry's environmental, social and economic benefits.

• Evaluate and optimise cost and energy effective solutions for lighting, carbon delivery and mixing in intensive commercial scale tetrasporophyte production of Asparagopsis - Flinders University - This project seeks to improve process efficiencies in inoculum production systems in hatcheries and mass culture grow-out systems in land-based seaweed aquaculture facilities through selection of light sources with appropriate spectral qualities and intensities as well as efficient carbon delivery and mixing systems. Laboratory scale optimisation trials on tetrasporophytes of Asparagopsis Taxiformis and Asparagopsis Armata are being validated under scaled-up industrial scale systems. The project proposes to trial various commercially available light sources as well as carbon delivery systems that the industry could adopt.

• Biorefinery approaches to creating value from Asparagopsis - Deakin University Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus - The project is creating bioprocessing “blueprint” that can be utilised by industry to develop manufacturing protocols to produce multiple bioproducts from Asparagopsis biomass. The blueprint will consist of flow diagrams, tables and text similar to a technology transfer document from lab/pilot scale to biomanufacturing. The project will compare Asparagopsis Taxiformis and Asparagopsis Armata at both gametophyte and tetrasporophyte life stages.

For further information please call or email Lindsay Hermes at 0418 948 447 or lindsay.hermes@seaweedalliance.org.au