ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN SEAWEED AQUACULTURE; THE CASE STUDY OF HAWAIIAN GROWN Asparagopsis taxiformis AT NELHA

Emerging research has shown that Asparagopsis taxiformis, a tropical red  macroalgae, has the potential to reduce livestock GHG emissions by ~80% with just a small inclusion rate of 0.5% in feed. However, wild harvesting of large quantities of  A. taxiformis is economically unsustainable an d can damage coastal marine ecosystems. While  A. taxiformis has been shown to significantly decrease methane production in cattle, critical gaps in cultivation knowledge, and its complex life-cycle, have kept this seaweed from becoming a commercially viabl e product.

Symbrosia has spent the past year stabilizing biomass cultures and obtaining baseline parameters and specific physiological tolerance limits for temperature, light, seawater flow rate, photoperiod, and nutrient additions. Both lab and out-door tank trials are currently underway at NELHA (Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority) for optimizing conditions as part of its efforts to develop and optimize large-scale, land-based tank production of local Hawaiian strains of  A. taxiformis. Our un ique site at NELHA allows access to the nutrient-dense deep sea water needed to cultivate seaweed and plenty of year-round sunshine for  A. taxiformis that thrives in this sub-tropical coastal climate.

Biomass produced will be utilized for both animal he alth trials with the USDA (e.g., productivity increases and disease prevention) and as the initial source of Symbrosia's revenue. Our market research has elucidated interest from consumer-facing beef and dairy brands, farmers in regions where regulation is on the horizon (California, the EU and New Zealand), as well as small-scale farmers in the North East and Hawaii that are interested in reducing their livestock emissions.

Overall, our proprietary solutions will help demonstrate the technical feasibili ty of scaling up the aquaculture system to a commercial level with the fewest energy, resource, and labor inputs. Worldwide, as seaweed aquaculture continues to grow (estimated at $11.7 billion annually), Symbrosia is committed to contributing its expertis e to this increasingly important domestic and global industry. With the support of the world's first sustainable aquaculture accelerator (HATCH), VC investors, early adopters, and a number of champions throughout the supply chain, Symbrosia aims to provide a commercial source of  A. taxiformis as an increasingly important climate mitigation strategy.