Joining forces for ocean health

– With AQUAPHOENIX, we aim to address a nexus of complex issues, including how to produce food for a growing population, reduce the environmental impact of aquaculture, and ensure a sustainable supply of agricultural nutrients, says Hans Kleivdal, Deputy EVP and Head of Business Development in the Climate & Environment division of Norwegian research centre NORCE.

Fish farming, or aquaculture, is one of the world’s fastest-growing food sectors. As a highly efficient way of producing protein, fish farming is increasingly important to our ability to sustainably feed a growing population. However, there are potential downsides.

– The main challenge with fish farming is what goes into the fish and what comes out of them. Farmed fish require feed that often has a significant climate impact. And they leave behind large amounts of sludge made up of uneaten feed and fish waste, which can cause eutrophication and hurt marine health, says Anders Bjerga, Business Developer at Ragn-Sells.

The aim of the AQUAPHOENIX project is to reduce the impact at both ends of the fish farming process. Instead of allowing the fish sludge to sink to the seafloor and increase pressure on the local marine environment, it is collected at the base of the pens. This also lets us capture valuable and strategic resources, such as phosphorus, hidden in the muck. The recovered phosphorus can then be used in new fish feed, reducing the need for imported phosphorus from mines and, yes, closing the loop on fish poop.

– The AQUAPHOENIX project allows us to take a holistic approach to circular aquaculture. We can evaluate the technology over time, establish both upstream and downstream value chains, and measure the effects on the marine environment. Our goal is to establish a circular flow where all links are connected, says Hans.

To achieve this, AQUAPHOENIX brings together fish farmers, researchers, and industry experts from across Europe. NORCE provides project coordination and leads the environmental monitoring efforts, while Ragn-Sells’ main contributions are the Ash2Phos and Aqua2N technologies, developed by our innovation subsidiary and fellow AQUAPHOENIX partner EasyMining. The project is supported by nine million euros from the EU Horizon Europe programme.

THE OCEANS ARE A SHARED RESOURCE. THIS MEANS THAT WE ALL HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN TAKING CARE OF THEM AS WELL AS WE CAN.

Hans and Anders also hope that the project will help remove the policy obstacles to circular feed production, given that the EU currently bans the use of recycled phosphorus in feed.

– Today, Europe’s food security depends on imported phosphorus from mines in countries such as Russia, despite our rich domestic phosphorus reserves. With AQUAPHOENIX, we hope to provide decision-makers with the knowledge they need to confidently update the feed legislation, says Anders.

This article is based on content from the Ragn-Sells Group Sustainability Report 2025. Learn more about our sustainability work in the full report.