International fisheries and aquaculture conference – Ways to a Circular Economy

The Eurofish conference explored the potential within fisheries and aquaculture to adopt circular economy practices.
The topics: Decarbonisation of the fishing fleet; Side- and waste streams within aquaculture; and Side- and waste streams within fisheries.
Experts from several countries addressed new ideas, good practices, and solutions for the future.
Here is a short presentation of some of the very interesting and relevant presentations. I recommend that you follow the link above to gain access to all presentations.

Decarbonisation of the fishing fleet

One of the major development areas for further developing sustainable fishing is a fossil-free fishing fleet. Today, there are several development projects and good examples around Europe. An example is ZEROKYST in Norway.

Industrial symbiosis and optimization of resources,
Side- and residual streams within aquaculture

One of the great opportunities and a fantastic market potential is, of course, that we move away from treating and handling by-flows and side streams as waste. These are valuable resources that can be useful in other sectors and refined into input products in neighboring sectors or into very valuable new products themselves.

Circular bioeconomy has potential in all areas and is scalable. It does not matter if it is in urban settings or in rural development.
Land-based fish farming as a stand-alone activity or even better in combination with vegetable farming- Aquaponics has proven to be very attractive for handling and making use of what was previously classified as waste to now be a valuable resource.
– A former expense, now becomes a resource – generates income, cuts costs
– A previous release of residual products now becomes a new input in other production
– Residual heat and eg oxygen from adjacent industry are used in fish production
– Residual streams from fish farming and processing becomes valuable input in climate-smart processing industry in food, feed and fertiliser
Climate smart, sustainable, resource efficient

Biotechnology: extraction – separate fractions

Technology to extract and process biomass is available for large-scale production. It is successful and in demand to extract nitrogen and phosphorus from biomass and slaughter waste to then create a dry substance that can be used in the production of climate-neutral fertiliser. It is a quite Energy-intensive process, which is why cooperation with, for example, hydrogen production is suitable. Cuts costs in fish production for the cleaning process.

Small scale – Urban environment – principles

Adapt to existing construction or form the basis and foundations for the construction of new buildings. Use residual streams in urban environments. Use innovative composting technology in urban environments to take care of residual flows.

Small scale rural production

Aquaponic production of vegetables and fish for the restaurant and café Own production of biochar in the chip boiler, which simultaneously heats the hotel and restaurant All vegetable cultivation takes place directly in biochar, which is ”charged” with nutrient-rich water from the fish farm . The excess production of nutrient-enriched biochar is sold to farmers in the region. A brilliant example of how a small-scale business makes use of all its resources.

Large-scale production

Structural transformation in the industrial sector and restructuring in the energy sector create opportunities for land-based fish farming. Technology development in the biotechnology area and the demand for new sustainable input products create opportunities.

Significant financial production costs in fish farming

• Power supply • Heat • Oxygen gas • Feed

Ongoing industrial transition in the world for the climate

• Electrification • Hydrogen plants • Biogas production • The protein shift

Symbiosis with process industry

Pulp factory – The fish farm benefits from residual heat from the paper mill. The paper mill feeds the bacteria in its water purification process with nutrient-rich water from the fish farm.
Hydrogen/E-fuel factory – Fish farming benefits from residual heat and oxygen A number of interesting organic value added products to sell as fertilizer, Single Cell Protein, animal feed etc.

Key factors for successful symbiosis (in my oppinion)

• Transparency among partners

• Understanding of circular bioeconomy

• The profit is not in every detail but in the whole

• Private-public collaboration
Some emphasize that sustainable circular production is mandatory in the future. I choose to see the future conditions for industrial symbiosis as brilliant and obvious.