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Maguire, Julie
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Maguire, Julie
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- PublicationSmall-scale low-tropic ocean farming and coastal rural landscapes: Why the logistics of seaweed matter? Insights from Ireland for collaborative planning(Elsevier, 2024-05-01)
; ; ; ; ; Kelps are part of large brown macroalgae species with a fundamental role in temperate to subpolar coastal marine ecosystems and their cultivation has been expanding as part of several efforts and countries' policies. This study explores the relevance of post-harvesting logistics planning involving marine operations of emerging seaweed-based supply chains including kelp species. In the Irish context, we explore the potential of collaboration among low-tropic ocean farming sectors regarding shared space and infrastructure in rural and remote landscapes. Based on empirical data and a novel methodological approach, a multi-method analysis was performed involving geographic information systems, mathematical modelling and qualitative content analysis. The results indicate large potential production and collaboration capacity if current licensed areas and existing infrastructure were integrated with kelp cultivation for further processing and distribution in 40 local supply hubs and 14 optimal locations for shared processing facilities. Moreover, the different transportation scenarios considered indicate that costs and greenhouse gas emissions could be minimised by reducing moisture content locally and with increased payload. Further linkages reveal uncertainties in the uses of alternative methods of preservation such as ensiling and a lack of attention to non-market values. For future valorisation in diverse commercial and non-commercial applications, seaweed farming and collaborative processing opportunities still need to be incorporated into societal discourses and futures envisioned by rural coastal communities, including the engagement of young generations in such transformation pathways.15 - PublicationSustainable scale-up of Irish seaweed production: Quantifying potential environmental, economic, and social impacts of wild harvesting and cultivation pathways(Elsevier BV, 2023-09)
; ; ; ; Seaweed is a versatile bioresource which can be used as a source of food, feed, fertilizer, and higher-value products. Countries with extensive sea areas such as Ireland have the potential to produce significant volumes domestically, but limitations and consequences to this potential should be considered. This study aims to capture the environmental, economic, and social consequences of different pathways for scaling up Irish seaweed production using a life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) framework. Six pathways are considered: manual wild harvesting by foot, manual wild harvesting by boat, mechanical wild harvesting by trawler, and three longline cultivation systems. Environmental, economic, and social impacts are considered through quantifying exergy extraction (MJex), global warming potential (kg CO2-eq), minimum selling price (MSP), and improvements in human wellbeing (HP). Finally, limitations to scale-up are assessed. The results demonstrate that manual wild harvesting has a relatively low climate impact (0.03–0.04 kg CO2-eq/kg fresh seaweed), resource intensity (1.75–2.00 MJex/kg fresh seaweed), and MSP (0.10–0.12 €/kg fresh seaweed), but a low increase in wellbeing (5.01–5.45 HP/kg fresh seaweed), while mechanical wild harvesting has a worse performance than manual harvesting in every dimension (0.14 kg CO2-eq/kg fresh seaweed, 3.50 MJex/kg fresh seaweed, 0.16 €/kg fresh seaweed, 0.60 HP/kg fresh seaweed). The impacts of cultivation pathways vary significantly, but generally perform better than wild harvesting for social impacts (18.53–20.59 HP/kg fresh seaweed) and worse for environmental and economic (MSP) impacts (0.12–0.35 kg CO2-eq/kg fresh seaweed; 2.30–5.95 MJex/kg fresh seaweed; 1.05–1.80 €/kg fresh seaweed). Nonetheless, limitations to upscaling manual wild harvesting (max 8.4 % of a future production target of 900,000 t fresh seaweed) determine that both mechanical wild harvesting and cultivation pathways will be needed to achieve future targets. It is therefore important that steps be taken to optimize each of these pathways based on the overall priorities of society.Scopus© Citations 3 27