KELPPRO

A Research Project funded through RCN (NFR/HAVBRUK2)

Project leader: Dr. Kasper Hancke, NIVA Oslo

Partners: NIVA, SINTEF, NTNU, ApN, IMR, University of Southern Denmark (SDU)

End users: Directorate of Fisheries and Norwegian Environment Agency

Time frame: 2017- 2020 (4 years)

Contact:

Kasper Hancke (kasper.hancke@niva.no)

PhD, Research Scientist

Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA)

Research Centre for Coast and Ocean

Section for Marine Biology

http://www.niva.no

The overall aim of KELPPRO is to provide an integrated assessment of positive and negative impacts of industrial-scaled kelp farming on coastal environments. Kelp are large seaweeds growing several meters tall in growth season. The project will assess the complex ecological impacts and system feedbacks through the use of dedicated field studies, microcosms experiments, and numerical modelling. A matrix of production scenarios combined with relevant environment information will be analyzed, evaluating consequences of kelp farming on local and regional scales for present and near future times. Guidelines for decision makers and managing agencies will be provided based on project results.

The KELPPRO project will run from 2017 to 2020 and is led by Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) with partners at SINTEF, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Akvaplan-NIVA, Institute of Marine Research, University of Southern Denmark (SDU), and leading actors within the Norwegian kelp farming industry.

#kelp farming, #macroalgae, #marine ecosystem, #Carbon budgets, #ecological sustainability