Algae, a growing industry: from food innovation to ecosystem restoration – It is no longer just a raw material for supplements or cosmetics: today, algae are rightly considered a strategic resource for the European fishing industry. The potential of algae in the European fishing industry is not just a green promise, but a concrete trajectory, already supported by over half a billion euros in EU funds between 2014 and 2023.
Constant growth, driven by innovation and experimentation, has now brought algae to the forefront of food processing, environmental recovery and circular bioeconomy projects. From Germany to Sicily, 1,470 organisations are involved in 219 initiatives, many of which also have a direct impact on fishing, aquaculture and fish processing.
A new ecosystem of opportunities for the supply chain
The fishing industry can reap tangible benefits from the algae supply chain, both in terms of production and the environment. The applications are multiplying: algae-based alternatives to fish, compostable packaging, more sustainable feed for farms, but also restoration solutions for seagrass beds threatened by the climate crisis.
Projects such as Seafood Algternative — which creates plant-based fish substitutes using spirulina and other microalgae — or REEForest LIFE, dedicated to the recovery of macroalgae forests in the Mediterranean, show how this segment is integrating with industrial and environmental logic that is now essential.
This means being able to diversify the offer with high added-value products, ready to meet the growing demand for alternative proteins and real sustainability, not just declared sustainability.
The European push: funds, but also vision
The recent factsheet published by CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency) does not just report on how much has been funded, but clearly indicates where to invest in the coming years.
The priorities are to develop biotech technologies applied to cultivation, reduce R&D costs, increase synergy between sectors and, above all, build greater awareness among consumers.
For companies in the fish supply chain, this means that it will be increasingly strategic to view algae as a complementary asset, not a marginal one. Those who produce, process or distribute fish today have the opportunity to actively participate in the algae transition, not only as suppliers or buyers, but also as partners in innovation projects.
Algae therefore represent a real frontier for the fish sector: sustainable, technological and cross-cutting. Their integration into the supply chain is not a future option, but a strategic lever that is already active and can generate value throughout the chain: environmental, economic and food.
Those who know how to position themselves now — by investing in R&D, diversifying their product range and creating synergies — will be at the forefront of a transformation that affects the entire European marine system.
Algae, a growing industry: from food innovation to ecosystem restoration
