Previously, the harvesting of benthic marine organisms has been carried out using shell scraping, but this method caused significant damage to the benthic fauna. The seafood and marine technology company Ava Ocean AS has addressed this issue and has now developed a gentle method for selective harvesting of benthic marine organisms. It has been documented that there is little or no negative impact on the seabed sediment and fauna when using the new technological solution. Ava Ocean has been allocated a five-year research quota for fishing for Iceland scallops (Chlamys islandica). The company wants to create added value from the catch of Iceland scallops by utilizing the entire biomass.
Residual raw material for human consumption
In collaboration with SINTEF, Ava Ocean has carried out several projects to map the potential of by-products from Iceland scallops. So far, the results have shown that the soft tissue has a favorable nutritional content with potential for use in both human consumption and as an ingredient in feed. It has also been shown that there is a naturally high content of cadmium in the soft tissue, which exceeds the established limit values for both human consumption and feed. The high content of cadmium limits further use of the by-products. The goal of this project is therefore to develop a method for reducing cadmium in by-products from Iceland scallops. This will enable total utilization of the raw material for human consumption or as a feed ingredient.
In a preliminary project, SINTEF Ålesund has tested various methods for decontamination of cadmium in the soft tissue of Iceland scallops. Good results were achieved here, without optimization of the experimental parameters. In this project, the purpose is to further investigate the method and examine relevant changes to achieve the highest possible cadmium reduction and yield.
Why are we researching this?
The project will contribute to unique knowledge about the reduction of heavy metals in marine raw materials. This knowledge can also contribute to increased resource utilization from other marine species and therefore has potential for other fisheries and species as well. The occurrence of Iceland scallops is among the largest in Norway's seas that have not yet been commercially utilized. It will be an effective climate measure to harvest sustainably and consume as much as possible of the food that the nature produces, in comparison to other resource-intensive food production. By utilizing the entire catch, the value of the harvested tonnage of Iceland scallops will be considerably increased. This will lead to increased production and export without further increase in CO2 emissions.
Collaborator: Ava Ocean
Financing: RFF Møre og Romsdal