Let’s talk Seaweed and Ocean Protection :
Problem Statement 🧐
What’s the problem?
The preservation of biodiversity and environment quality of the Iroise Marine Park are the key points to preserve.
Some algae fields have been destroyed with fishing tools and have to be regenerate for blue carbon sequestration.
Some invasive algae species are developing as a result of global warming, melting ice and acidification of sea water.
The acidification of seawater due to plastic the accumulation of plastics in the ocean or the release of substances linked to intensive agriculture on certain coasts has to be absolutely controlled and regularized.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Île-Molène/@48.3983194,-5.1018341,11z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x481689dc3887a763:0xc63352520bb637f8!8m2!3d48.3945438!4d-4.9594276
Nature-Based Proposal 📑
Our approach:
The unique location within the marine biosphere reserve labeled “Man & Biosphere” by UNESCO, one of the largest seaweeds field in Europe, which is now the Iroise Marine Park, was the fundament of the creation in 2002 of the company BIOMOLENEZ by Fabienne Bresdin, a marine biologist and dedicated to the enhancement of the marine resources in the fields of health, cosmetics and dermatology.
For more 20 years, scientific and ecological research works has been undertaken to, among other things, enhance the seaweed and marine plants harvested in Molène, in full respect of their growth cycle and their bioavailability in the environment.
BIOMOLENEZ was also one of the first to set up organic certification for seaweed and marine plants with ECOCERT charter. All algae and extracts are still Organic certified today.
The idea of Algalys Reserve project creation will support BIOMOLENEZ and its scientific and institutional partners in order to enhance their ecological action perspectives and scientific knowledge about marine resources into the Iroise marine Park.
Algalys Reserve will build a large development plan project for this unique R&D marine resources center, taking in consideration the positive ecological actions to protect the marine biosphere, the job creation for people residing on the island of Molène and their involvement, the economic support of the scientific institutions dedicated to the preservation of the biodiversity and environment quality.
Project Overview 🌍
Our strategy:
The development strategy of the unifying and ambitious support of the Algalys Reserve project is based on the following 3 axes:
1- Harvesting, protection and valorization of seaweed:
- Technological analyzes on algal cover in partnership with IFREMER
- Make an inventory of the algae used today and those present in abundance in the environment that could be the subject of new developments
- Harvest and enhance the species of algae or invasive marine plants that disturb the existing ecosystem by suffocating the place of other species
- Consider seaweed cultures (aquaculture) for the repopulation of areas damaged by fishing or the harvesting of seaweed by boat, and for the different ecological applications of the seaweeds
- Develop 100% natural and organic seaweed extracts for cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries with innovative process like enzymatic or probiotic extractions.
- Offer freshly harvested and organic seaweed for the food market in collaboration with local actors
- Establish a research program to analyze and enhance the bioactive components of seaweed and halophytes plants
- Help and support the seaweed hand harvesters to control and monitor their harvesting areas and report their information
2 – Quality and Exploitation of Seawater
- Contribution to follow the quality of seawater into the Iroise marine park for the guarantee the maintenance of ORGANIC certification with ECOCERT : heavy metals, pollutants regular analysis for example
- Participate in the cleaning of the beaches and the collection of plastics in the Iroise marine Park by the contribution of all the local actors, and in cooperation with the Preventing Plastic Pollution project
- Study the investment of equipment for seawater, weighing, microfiltration, storage to be carried out as soon as possible on site for pharmaceutical and cosmetic development projects
3-Human and pedagogic actions
- Associate with the Marine Park to protect environment and biodiversity
- Organize tourist and press visits to the algae workshop, walks on the algae fields to discover the resources during the season
- Develop press communication even more extensively, such as those already carried out for TV shows, such as “l'Echappée Belle”, social networks with “Tout commence en Finistère” or the various press newspapers
- The redesign of our website: all communication on the website highlights our marine heritage, the biosphere reserve, the Marine Park, our link to the sea and the ethics of our society in line with the UNESCO Man & Biosphere label with following parts :
- Calendar of International Events in Seaweeds, Marine Biology, Marine Ecology, and Blue Economy
- Catalogue of natural algae extraction, destined to the professional business, with documentation on Bio Molenez, and the Marine Park’s values.
- Scientific Newsletter, about the last progress and articles in phycologia research, also a Twitter Feed with every organism committed to marine biology, and ecology. - Tutorial part for the algaculture (seaweed aquaculture)
- Educational part with the following topics: wiki about the Iroise Sea biology, the Celtic Sea biology, Algaes, Micro-Algaes, Algarium. Explanation of the economics and scientific ecosystem with projects in the marine biology, ecology and seaweed sphere.
- Knowledge netlinking to different resources websites linked to the topic, link to conference platform in marine biology algaes, and podcasts.
- Awareness about Environment, Biodiversity, Biomimetism, marine Bioremediation, with some interviews with scientist and personalities working in protection of environment.
- Ecology, environment protection associations, organisms, and how to get involved with them. Talk about their projects.
Benefits 🌞
- Biodiversity
- Primary Production
- Food