Development of the European Seaweed Sector

The European seaweed sector is foreseen to transition from wild harvesting to sustainable, scalable farming. Seaweed’s environmental benefits—carbon sequestration, nutrient removal, and biodiversity support—align with EU goals in the blue bioeconomy. Despite policy momentum, support for scientific research, and initiatives like EU4Algae, the sector faces hurdles: high production costs, fragmented value chains, and limited investment. To overcome these hurdles, it is pivotal to support innovation, codification, and business development. Effective value chain governance, standardization, and cross-sector cooperation are seen as key to scaling the industry. Strategic recommendations include fostering collaboration, creating enabling regulations, and investing in infrastructure and certification systems. With proper support, Europe could unlock seaweed’s full potential for food, materials, and ecosystem services.