Blue growth solutions for mitigating eutrophication – an environmental-economical win-win?

The aim of this project is to develop economically sustainable bio-based raw materials from eutrophic coastal areas into the food production chain and thereby improve the re-circulation of nutrients to reduce environmental impact and increase ecological sustainability. Shallow coastal areas are among the habitats most affected by humans.

They provide many benefits to both humans and biodiversity, but different users can be in direct conflict with each other.

In this project, SLU together with Östhammar Municipality, will conduct a pilot study on economically and ecologically sustainable harvesting of bio-resources that can improve the environment in the municipality´s degraded coastal areas;Commercial reed harvestingSelective fishing on cyprinids (carp fishes)In the Östhammar region, there are several coastal ares with poor environmental status due to eutrophication.

The purpose of the project is to evaluate whether, and if so how, harvesting of these bio-resources from eutrophic areas can be economically and ecologically sustainable. We will do initial pilot studies to calculate benefits and costs, and potential benefits to the marine environment.

Finally, thogh system analyses we will look at scalability and how the harvesting of bio-resources can be combined with other measures to improve the marine environment, while including more actors to combat eutrophication.