Update: We have posted the video of this workshop here.
The Algae Biomass Organization will be hosting a virtual and in-person workshop on March 5, 2022 in San Diego to explore how macroalgae (seaweeds) and microalgae can improve sustainability and productivity in the world’s aquaculture industries.
Global aquaculture production of finfish and shrimp is growing rapidly and is projected to continue to grow faster than terrestrial animal production. There are multiple environmental and sustainability challenges associated with this growth in aquaculture including natural habitat conversion, wastewater and unsustainable harvest of fish meal and fish oil (FMFO). In particular, FMFO in aquafeeds causes ecological harm and food security impacts and to combat these issues there has been significant progress by the aquaculture industry in reducing FMFO in aquafeeds. However, with demand for aquaculture projected to grow there is a need to accelerate the development of cost-effective alternatives with lower ecological and food security footprints. An important opportunity exists to improve the environmental performance of finfish and shrimp aquaculture with micro and macroalgae.
The objective of the workshop is to convene leaders across the full value chain of algae production, feed formulation, and aquaculture to co-create a mutual understanding between industry, academics, and environmental NGOs on how macroalgae and microalgae can improve the sustainability of aquaculture production systems. The state of the algae industry from research to inclusion in aquaculture production, environmental life cycle, and economics will be presented by expert panels.
One important goal will be to define a post-workshop process to develop a logic model that defines the barriers and challenges to achieve algae meal/oil at nutritional and economic equivalence to fish meal/oil so the opportunity that algae presents can be realized.
The format during the 1-day meeting includes expert panels focused on:
- The Current State of the Algae Industry and Research
- Technoeconomic and Sustainability Targets
- Feasibility of Further Inclusion of Algae in Aquafeeds
- Discussion Panel – Opportunities, Barriers, and Challenges
- Breakout Discussions
- What is needed to demonstrate sustainability
- RD&D needed to accelerate technology, scale and regulatory approval
- Financial concepts, e.g. blended finance, public, private, philanthropic
A summary report with recommendations for next steps will be drafted after the workshop for review by the participants followed by public dissemination.
Workshop attendance will be limited! If you would like to express interest in participating please fill out this form.
A post-event recording will be made available for those that are unable to attend.
Workshop Agenda
Saturday March 5, 2022 San Diego
8:30 am PST- Welcome
Rebecca White – Algae Biomass Organization – Purpose of the meeting, goals and format
8:45 am PST Current State of the Algae Industry and Research
Jesse Traller – Global Algae Innovations – Moderator
Ana Morão – Corbion – AlgaPrime DHA, a sustainable alternative to fish oil produced by algae fermentation
Pallab Sarker – UC Santa Cruz – R&D on algae replacement of fishmeal and oil
John Benemann – MicroBio Eng.- Commercial Production of diatoms for aquafeed
Charles Yarish -U.Connecticut – NIST inter-laboratory proficiency of compositional analysis funded by WWF
Amha Belay -Algae4All – Algae nutrition and aquafeed requirements
9:45 am PST Technoeconomic and Sustainability Targets
Greg Mitchell – Scripps Institution of Oceanography UC San Diego – Moderator
Ryan Davis – NREL – Current status of DOE Harmonization of LCA and TEA
Colin Beal – B&D Engineering and Consulting – Lifecycle Analysis and key sustainability targets of algae biomass
Dave Hazlebeck – Global Algae Innovations – Global Algae Farm 160 commercial pilot and scale up projections
Brandi McKuin – UC Santa Cruz – Decision support tool for sustainable aquafeed
10:15 am PST Feasibility of Further Inclusion of Algae in Aquafeeds
Dane Klinger – Conservation International – Moderator
Rod Fujita – Environmental Defense Fund – Quantifying sustainability metrics
Karim Kumaly – Veramaris – Progress in replacing fish oil in aquafeeds
Kevin Fitzsimmons – U. Arizona – Perspective of the F3 initiative
Lars Thoresen – Nofima – Review of current research on digestibility
11:00 am PST Q&A and Discussion Panel – Opportunities, Barriers, and Challenges
Anne Kapuscinski — UC Santa Cruz – Moderator
Anne Kapuscinski – UC Santa Cruz – Sustainable Aquaculture Imperative – why algae?
Craig Browdy – Zeigler – Commercial aquafeed perspectives
Dave Hazlebeck – Global Algae Innovations – Goals and challenges for scale up
Karim Kumaly – Veramaris – Scale up: reality of costs and timelines
Rod Fujita – Environmental Defense Fund – What sustainability metrics are essential?
TBD – Corbion –
Webinar Closing comments
11:55 am PST – Greg Mitchell, Scripps Institution of Oceanography UC San Diego
12:00 – 1:00 pm PST – Lunch
1:00 pm PST Breakout groups
Reconvene – Discuss objectives of the breakout rooms
1:10 pm PST Breakout Discussion Room
- What is needed to demonstrate Sustainability
- RD&D funding needed to accelerate technology progress
- Financial concepts, blended finance, public, private, philanthropic
2:00 pm PST Reports from Breakout Discussions and Next Steps
2:30 pm PST Adjourn