Stakeholder participation in sustainability assessment of non-wicked problems: The case of a future seaweed industry in Sweden

Acceptance by, and cooperation with relevant stakeholders in developing new sustainability initiatives when they are generally perceived as positive, is one of the keys for successful implementation of such new sustainability initiatives later on. It is remarkable, however, that ample literature exists about involving stakeholders in research projects focusing on problems with diverging views (controversy) around facts and values (wicked problems), but there is very little literature addressing whether and how to involve relevant stakeholders in case of initiatives where diverging norms and values do not play a (substantial) role, like in sustainability assessment for a future seaweed industry. This perspectives paper addresses that gap, and explores how to design such sustainability assessment, illustrated by how stakeholder interaction influenced the assessment and its results for a future seaweed industry in Sweden, followed by a discussion whether and how a similar approach may benefit sustainability assessment of other non-wicked sustainability initiatives.

Optimization of Local Commodity Distribution System: Case Study Seaweed Distribution from Kalimantan to Makassar

The existence of Presidential Regulation Number 33/2019 concerning the Roadmap for the Development of the National Seaweed Industry indicates that it is time for Indonesia to be more serious in developing the seaweed resource industry to meet domestic and international demands. In line with the volume of seaweed traffic in Indonesia of 36.942 tons per year, as well as the production capacity of Indonesian seaweed which controls more than 70% of the global seaweed market, this situation will have a very good impact on seaweed farmers to continue production of seaweed. However, behind the enormous amount of demands for seaweed, there are serious problems experienced by seaweed farmers, especially for seaweed farmers in Borneo. Majority of seaweed produced in Kalimantan cannot be distributed properly to importing areas due to the lack of seaweed transportation. This paper evaluates the current distribution system to find suitable payload for planning a new distribution system by operating either a non-propelled or a self-propelled barge. The non propelled barge will be operated by chartering a tugboat (time charter). Therefore, the manning cost and capital cost for tugboat construction will be the owner’s responsibility. Every options are calculated to find feasible dimension. Unit cost that may be charged to consumers also calculated to provide the comparison with the current unit cost paid by seaweed farmers at Rp 550.000/ton. Unit cost calculation result for the 1st option (Non-propelled barge) is at Rp 367.200/ton and for the 2nd option (Self-propelled barge) is at Rp 870.100/ton. Therefore, the most optimum solution is a non-propelled barge, around 27% cheaper than the current unit cost charged.

Strategic considerations for establishing a large-scale seaweed industry based on fish feed application: a Norwegian case study

Soy protein concentrate (SPC) is a key ingredient in fish feed and most of it originates from Brazil. However, the Brazilian soy industry has reportedly resulted in significant environmental problems including deforestation. Consequently, new sources for protein are investigated and protein extracted from farmed seaweed is considered an alternative. Therefore, we investigate how seaweed protein product (SPP) can compete against SPC as a protein ingredient for fish feed. The study uses the positioning matrix, cost analyses involving the power law, and uncertainty analysis using Monte Carlo simulations, and key research challenges are identified. The initial finding is that, with the emerging seaweed industry, the cost of producing SPP is too high to be competitive for fish feed applications. To overcome this challenge, two solutions are investigated. First, substantial investments in cultivation and processing infrastructure are needed to accomplish scale, and a break-even scale of 65,000 tonnes is suggested. The second but more promising avenue, preferably in combination with the former, is the extraction of seaweed protein and high-value seaweed components. With mannitol and laminaran as co-products to the SPP, there is a 25–30% probability of a positive bottom line. Researches on extraction processes are therefore a necessity to maximize the extraction of value-added ingredients. Over time, it is expected that the competitive position of SPP will improve due to the upscaling of the volume of production as well as better biorefinery processes.

Challenges for marine macroalgal biomass production in Indian coastal waters

Due to its large, exclusive economic zone, India has considerable potential for implementing large-scale cultivation of macroalgae. However, such cultivation requires the availability of, and access to, sites where technical, legal, governmental, and environmental factors are favorable. This review discusses the challenges that have held back the development of seaweed cultivation in India. The review is based on a literature survey and informal discussions with industry-related personnel. It cites the strong need for clear and definitive policies related to access to and use of coastal waters to enable the Indian seaweed industry to reach its full potential. The main challenges that the expansion of macroalgal cultivation in India face are related to legal and regulatory aspects that can be resolved by focusing the policy issues on providing planning tools toward success. In addition, there is a strong need for an adequate bioeconomy that clearly defines the need for marine macroalgal biomass for food, chemicals, and biofuels. Furthermore, the Indian government needs to allocate sufficient funds for accelerating seaweed R&D in areas of seaweed cultivation, harvesting, processing technologies, and their implementation in the local industry.