“The research will examine changes in climate and other factors that affect water and environment along the coast,” says Ane Timenes Laugen, professor at the University of Agder.
She is currently leading UiA’s contribution to the BlueBioClimate project,
which is a collaboration between UiA, the Institute of Marine Research, and researchers from Sweden and Denmark.
In this round, the project received €2.7 million from the EU. The total budget is €5.2 million.
“The goal is to lay the foundation for climate-friendly management of biological diversity in the Kattegat-Skagerrak region,” says Laugen.
Protecting marine biodiversity
The professor says that the marine environment is under severe pressure. Changes in climate threaten ocean biodiversity, as does pollution and extensive fishing.
The researchers will identify measures to protect and restore marine life. These are some of the questions they will seek answers to:
How can we restore seagrass meadows? Can mussel banks become natural habitats again? Can we restore watercourses? And how is the marine ecosystem affected by the release of fish and shellfish?
Oysters and mussels along the coast
The UiA researchers will particularly focus on different species of shellfish such as flat oysters and blue mussels. They have also worked extensively on this previously.
They will also take a closer look at the introduced species, Pacific oysters. It appears to thrive in Scandinavian waters but may also pose a threat to native species.
“We want to explore how we can preserve local species and make use of Pacific oysters as a resource. We also want to see if we can utilise crabs and lobsters in a more sustainable way than what we’re doing today,” says Laugen.
Tools for authorities in all countries
The researchers at UiA will also contribute by developing databases and mapping tools.
Having shared tools across all of Scandinavia is key to achieving sustainable management of the ocean, according to Laugen.
“It is very meaningful that this is a Scandinavian collaboration. Invasive species and other environmental threats do not care about borders between countries. That is why many of the challenges we face today require international cooperation in research and management,” says Laugen.
Differences along the coast
She points out that the nature along the coast of Denmark differs from that of Sweden and Norway. And also, within each country, nature varies from one place to another.
“Therefore, we must find measures that are adapted to different areas. These measures should also be flexible, so we can adapt them to changes that may arise over time,” says Laugen.
Part of an EU programme
The BlueBioClimate project will last for three years, from October 2023 to September 2026.
The research is part of the EU Interreg programme. These programmes are the EU’s commitment to green transition. The programmes also support research that promotes cooperation and exchange between EU countries, and between EU countries and neighbouring countries.
The partners in the BlueBioClimate project are: Technical University of Denmark, Aarhus University, University of Gothenburg, the Institute of Marine Research, and the University of Agder.