MIIP006 Paving the way for Atlantic Nori production

Project summary: Paving the way for Atlantic Nori production – Verifying and optimising seeding technology for Porphyra umbilicalis (Rhodophyta)

Within this project, a team – consisting of members of The Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Hortimare and Seawiser – aims to develop and advance cultivation techniques for mariculture of Atlantic Nori (Porphyra umbilicalis), a high-value seaweed with proven market applications. Seaweed farming in Europe, currently dominated by kelps, is constrained by seasonal production and limited species diversity. Nori, widely consumed as Nori sheets in sushi, presents an opportunity to diversify seaweed farming with a high-value species, while addressing market reliance on imports from Southeast Asia.

A crucial step allowing for cultivation of Atlantic Nori in Europe is to develop efficient seeding protocols – attaching young germlings to cultivation ropes on which they can be grown out. Therefore, the team aims to develop a specific and efficient seeding protocol as a first step towards cultivation of Nori in Europe. A key focus of the project is the adaptation of the direct seeding method—previously developed for kelps—to Atlantic Nori cultivation. This method eliminates the need for a costly nursery phase by attaching seaweed germlings directly to cultivation ropes using biodegradable adhesives. However, this approach has not yet been tested for Nori. The study will explore whether direct seeding can be effectively applied to Atlantic Nori, assess the impact of adhesives on germination and growth, and determine the optimal life cycle stage for efficient seeding.

Overall, this project will set the stage for the further development of European Nori cultivation and expertise that could contribute to automatisation of Nori cultivation in Asia.