New member Under Ytan specializing in the seaweed species and conditions of the Baltic Sea
2023-08-15
Food, farming and marine restoration. These are the three pillars of Under Ytan, a young company specializing in the species and conditions of the Baltic Sea. With a background in sustainability, permaculture, marine restoration and food, Joel and Viktor are aiming to create a food industry with a minimal footprint.
Can you tell us about Under Ytan?
‘We started working with Under Ytan before we knew what it was going to be. Viktor and I have both been working with food and sustainability for a really long time, and we wanted to do some projects together. At first we thought about doing it on the land, using local plants and permaculture techniques. Then the discussion about seaweed came up and we started talking for hours. We decided to see what we could do in the Baltic Sea, using the same techniques, and with a lot of nutrients, already available in the Baltic Sea, that everybody wants to get rid of.
To find out if it was feasible, Viktor took the food part and found out what kind of seaweed lives in the Baltic Sea and whether it was poisonous or edible. And I found out if anyone was already growing seaweed in the Baltic Sea and if we could buy seaweed here. We didn't find anyone, just some start-ups and university projects, and we found some interesting seaweed species.
So in October last year we decided that we should start a company.’
Why seaweed?
‘Seaweed leaves the smallest footprint on the environment. We know it will be hard, but we hope to create a food industry that is almost carbon neutral. Especially if we work on marine restoration at the same time, we can also secure that carbon level in the sea, while creating ecosystem and biodiversity.’
What does Under Ytan focus on?
‘We have three pillars: food, farming and marine restoration. In the Baltic Sea it is very difficult to grow seaweed because of the salinity. But we still have a lot of nutrients here, more than anywhere else. Because of the special conditions in the Baltic Sea, we can't introduce sugar kelp or the other species that are used in seaweed farming at the moment. We can only use local species. We have some interesting species that we can use for different things.
We don't have a nursery and hatchery yet, we're mainly focusing on the farming techniques. At the same time, we can't get seaweed seeds from anyone at the moment, so we need to develop that. We are trying to see how we can use natural propagation. We want to create a hatchery and a nursery in the ocean.’
What are the main projects you are working on at the moment?
‘At the moment we are doing a pilot project where we are putting out 4 different artificial reefs for the conditions in the Baltic Sea, among the other pilots we have put out earlier this season under the Björkskär Project. We are looking at integrating mussel and algae farming into offshore wind farms.
And we will start building our first prototype seaweed farm in September, where we will grow Ulva.’
What is your ambition for Under Ytan?
‘We want to be one of the leading partners when it comes to combining seaweed farming, creating artificial ecosystems, marine restoration and nature-integrated design in offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea.’
Why do you want to become a North Sea Farmer?
‘North Sea Farmers is a big network, and when it comes to seaweed farming it is still so small. We have found that everyone in the seaweed industry is so open. It is one of the most interesting industries I have worked with in terms of sustainability, so passionate and willing to share knowledge.
It would be great if we could bring some knowledge to the group. We are working with low salinity conditions and different species, but also to get the knowledge from this group. And maybe we can do some trials or projects together, get to know all the people involved in this industry.
And we also want to know more about knowledge when it comes to creating nature-inclusive designs and solutions for offshore wind.’
What can other North Sea farmers contact you about?
‘Marine restoration, ecosystem creation, artificial reefs, algae as food and the conditions in the Baltic Sea and the different species here.
We also have some pilot areas in the Baltic Sea. We have this special situation inthe Åland Islandswhere some of the waters are privately owned. So for small scale pilots it can be easier and faster to go through the permit process as long as we follow the precautionary principle.’
