A regenerative fishery and kelp restoration project launched by Norwegian ocean tech company Ava Ocean has received official endorsement from the United Nations,
The UN has specifically recognized the Ocean Green project under its Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) initiative under the Marine Life 2030 action stream, which marks projects that are effectively tackling critical ocean challenges.
The project is working to respond to the impact of sea urchins, which have devastated kelp forests in northern Norway, by creating a sustainable value chain for harvested urchins.
More specifically, Ocean Green aims to restore ecologically important kelp forests in Tromsø, Norway, by using patented, noninvasive seabed-harvesting technology to efficiently remove urchins, which are traditionally harvested by hand. The technology was designed for Arctic scallop fishing and is currently being adapted to harvest even the smallest sea urchins.
"Receiving this recognition from the UN means an incredible amount to us and confirms that what we are trying to accomplish is of great importance and interest beyond just what we are doing in Tromsø," Ava Ocean Chief Impact Officer Dagny-Elise Anastassiou said in a release. "There is an urgent need globally for scalable solutions to combat sea urchin deserts and restore these vital ecosystems. It will be a total gamechanger in the ocean restoration space if we manage to revitalize the kelp forest by developing a sustainable and regenerative fishery of these sea urchins, which will benefit both nature and local communities."
According to Ava Ocean, urchin overpopulation due to climate change and overfishing of urchin predators has destroyed more than 80 percent of Norwegian kelp forests in the last decade.
Hand harvesting of urchins could not happen on a scale large enough to restore Norway’s kelp forests, according to the firm, but Ava Ocean’s automated harvesting technology makes it possible to catch to a rate of more than 700 kilograms an hour.
Once caught, urchins are sorted into two categories: high-quality specimens suitable for consumption and low-quality for use in a range of other products.
The Ocean Green project estimates that a fishery which operates eight-hour days 240 days a year could produce a catch revenue of NOK 8 million (USD 708,000, EUR 680,000), potentially providing an important financial incentive to the growth of the global urchin fishery and a source of support for local communities.
The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) aims to support scientific collaboration on the sustainable management of the oceans. The Marine Life 2030 action stream, under which the Ocean Green project has been endorsed, identifies and supports projects which “establish a globally coordinated system to deliver actionable, transdisciplinary knowledge of ocean life to those who need it, promoting human well-being, sustainable development, and ocean conservation.”
