15AGRITECHCAT4: Lobster Grower 2 - Assessing the technical, economic and environmental potential for a novel candidate aquaculture industry

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This proposal brings together a unique consortium of two micro SMEs, one charity, two HEIs and a government agency; lead by NLH Enterprises Ltd (NLHE), partnered by The National Lobster Hatchery (NLH), the University of Exeter (UoE), West Country Mussels of Fowey (WCMoF), the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), and Falmouth University (FU) with internationally leading research experience, capacity and facilities in the areas of marine science and engineering that are central to this proposal. The proposed project aims to tackle the challenges to address the global demand on seafood consumption by addressing primary livestock production and food security, through the development of innovative solutions and field demonstration required to establish a commercial solution making available a novel candidate aquaculture species, the European Lobster. This species has recently been identified as the top marine species for aquaculture development by the Norwegian government and Sweden is now focusing on lobster as one of its top priorities for aquaculture development. The successful lobster grower 1 (LG1) project has provided a solution to the technical barriers currently prohibiting commercial aquaculture of the species. Lobster grower 2 (LG2) aims to tackle the technical and ecological uncertainties through further innovative solutions related to the sea based deployments, whilst introducing the innovative Sea Based Container Culture (SBCC) systems generated in LG1. The further objectives of LG2 will be to roadmap the environmental, economic and social considerations in order to unlock commercial investment and exploit a valuable human protein source at minimal unit cost, creating wealth and jobs in vulnerable coastal communities. LG2 seeks to undertake a complete field evaluation of the SBCC systems developed in LG1, whilst de-risking the commercial realisation of the farming system through further development of innovative anchoring systems and monitoring techniques for sea based deployments. LG2 will bring together a multidisciplinary consortium of experts from technical, engineering, research, market and policy backgrounds to take an innovative approach to overcome the technical and economic challenges currently preventing a novel candidate aquaculture species from being commercially exploited. Lobster Grower 2 (LG2) specifically addresses the lack of technical advances in lobster aquaculture by further progressing developments made in LG1. LG2 aims to i) ensure technical robustness of European lobster farming system allowing survivability and secure stock production, ii) understand potential environmental impact that allows to put effective mitigation actions in place, and iii) provide a detailed economic assessment based on farm operations and leading to the development of an aqua-economical predictive tool. The only other developmental work taking place is being undertaken by members of the European Lobster Centre of Excellence, (ELCE). Projects in Iceland, Sweden, and Norway are currently examining Land based Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) combined with Robotics approaches to culture. The land based RAS approach employs a technology with considerable barriers to market entry (very high start-up and capital costs) and very high operational costs (electricity, feed and staffing). It is therefore anticipated that long term, SBCC will have a competitive edge over land based RAS approaches. This project's approach is therefore radically different to the approach being developed elsewhere in Europe and represents a significantly innovative approach.