Speaker

Interview

1. When was the first time you got involved with seaweeds and why?

My interest in seaweeds came from my research into the emerging bioeconomy (where was all that biomass supposed to come from?) and especially my interest in the economics of ecosystem restoration. Seaweeds seemed to offer the promise of ocean restoration that could pay for itself. That piqued my interest. Covid left me unemployed, which gave me the time to dive into the topic.

2. What is your view on the European seaweed industry in 2030?

The debate tends to center around the many bottlenecks that prevent a viable seaweed industry in Europe. Certainly, the challenges are not to be underestimated. However, what I like about the current moment in European seaweed is that despite its nascent character, there is a lot of diversity in the markets targeted and the methods of seaweed production (if not yet in the species produced). This diversity will serve the industry well as it scales up in the face of future climate, economic and political shocks.

3. What will you be talking about at Seagriculture EU 2023?

I will talk about the current state of seaweed production and investment and discuss (the lack of) solutions for seaweed's "messy middle" - the persistent information gap between demand and supply.