The Evolution Road of Seaweed Aquaculture: Cultivation Technologies and the Industry 4.0

Sara García-Poza, Adriana Leandro, Carla Cotas, João Cotas, João C. Marques, Leonel Pereira and Ana M. M. Gonçalves
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Sara García-Poza: Department of Life Sciences, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Adriana Leandro: Department of Life Sciences, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Carla Cotas: LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
João Cotas: Department of Life Sciences, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
João C. Marques: Department of Life Sciences, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Leonel Pereira: Department of Life Sciences, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Ana M. M. Gonçalves: Department of Life Sciences, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-42

Abstract: Seaweeds (marine macroalgae) are autotrophic organisms capable of producing many compounds of interest. For a long time, seaweeds have been seen as a great nutritional resource, primarily in Asian countries to later gain importance in Europe and South America, as well as in North America and Australia. It has been reported that edible seaweeds are rich in proteins, lipids and dietary fibers. Moreover, they have plenty of bioactive molecules that can be applied in nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic areas. There are historical registers of harvest and cultivation of seaweeds but with the increment of the studies of seaweeds and their valuable compounds, their aquaculture has increased. The methodology of cultivation varies from onshore to offshore. Seaweeds can also be part of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), which has great opportunities but is also very challenging to the farmers. This multidisciplinary field applied to the seaweed aquaculture is very promising to improve the methods and techniques; this area is developed under the denominated industry 4.0.

Keywords: seaweed; healthy benefits; aquaculture; offshore; onshore; IMTA; compounds; industry 4.0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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