Cultivation of the oceans is required to meet demands for food, feed, materials and energy for a growing global population. Norway, with one of the world's longest tempered and productive coastlines, can take a leading role. With MACROSEA (2016-2019), Norway has created an interdisciplinary knowledge platform on macroalgae production biology and technology, to make significant steps towards industrial cultivation.

MACROSEA has contributed to systematic research and delivered generic knowledge on seedling quality, sea cultivation, and genetics of selected brown and red macroalgae species. Models of brown and red species have been developed and coupled to 3D hydrodynamic-ecosystem models to estimate site-dependent biomass production. Methods for efficient seedling, deployment and harvest have been assessed and drag forces and deformation of different farm systems determined at different sea states by using numerical tools.The results will contribute to predictable production of biomass and development of enabling technologies for industrial macroalgae cultivation in Norway.

The results from MACROSEA have created additional value through outreach to society about the possibility of using macroalgae as renewable marine resources when moving from today's fossil-based to a low-carbon society, created meeting places and established new networks which have resulted in a range of spin-off projects along the macroalgae value chain.

MACROSEA was funded by the Research council of Norway.