Satellite projects: Three new research projects and two travel grants approved
Blå mat's management team decided on funding for three new research projects and two travel grants at its meeting on November 7.
Research project
“Swedish fish farming – value chains, added value, and future potential”
Academic partner: University of Gothenburg
Co-applicants: Matfiskodlarna
The aim of the project is to analyze how Swedish-farmed fish contributes to value creation and the Swedish economy by identifying farmers, analyzing value chains, and calculating the added value per kilogram of fish. The project compares these values with those for wild-caught fish. The project ties in with Blå Mat's vision of increasing the production, value creation, and consumption of sustainable seafood.
The project ties in with Blue Food's research areas 1: Sustainability and resilience, 4: Primary production – aquaculture, and 7: Consumers and the market.
Blå mat is funding the project with SEK 150,000.
“Optical optimization and AI for underwater sales research”
Academic partner: KTH
Co-applicants: Nordic Seafarm, Kristineberg Center, Voice of the Ocean
The project will test a modular optical system consisting of RGB cameras (wide angle, macro), hyperspectral camera, and lighting system (halogen and LED test bed). The system can be mounted on a Blue Robotics ROV, on a surface ROV, or simply towed behind a slow-moving boat. The aim is to optimize optics and lighting for imaging algae, both in cultivated and natural environments, at Kristineberg and in its surrounding areas.
The project ties in with Blue Food's research areas 1: Sustainability and resilience, 3: AI and digitalization, and 4: Primary production – aquaculture.
Blå mat is funding the project with SEK 150,000.
"Influence of seaweed cultivation on fish diversity"
Academic partners: Uppsala University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Co-applicant: Nordic Seafarm
The aim of the project is to quantify the contribution of cultivated sugar kelp to fish diversity, which may be important for recruitment and population dynamics in commercial species.
The project ties in with Blue Food's research areas 1: Sustainability and resilience, and 5: Wild resources and ecosystem improvement.
Blå mat is funding the project with SEK 150,000.
Travel grants
Rufa Mendez, postdoctoral researcher in blue food at Chalmers, will receive SEK 25,000 to participate in the course Stable Isotope Methods in Nutrition Research at VLAG Graduate School, Wageningen, Netherlands, October 27–31, 2025.
Marica Andersson, Blue Food PhD student at the University of Gothenburg, receives SEK 25,000 to participate in the 2026 ACCESS Forum at the Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile, January 12–16, 2026.