Grounded in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), Folla Alger blends the farming of salmon and seaweed into a circular system

Folla Alger Pioneers Sustainable Aquaculture with Seaweed

NORWAY
Thursday, September 11, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

Norwegian company in Nordland champions an integrated model, transforming salmon farming and developing new seaweed-based feeds for a greener future.

Located on the rugged coastline of Steigen, Nordland, Folla Alger is an aquaculture firm charting a new course for the way we see fish farming, and the feed it requires to function. With a vision grounded in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), Folla Alger blends the farming of salmon and seaweed into a circular system – where seaweed absorbs excess nutrients from salmon production, creating a mutually beneficial dynamic for both the environment and the industry.

Photo: Sintef Ocean

“For us, IMTA is the future,” explains general manager Torben Marstrand. “It’s an incredibly efficient use of space and an effective way to make salmon farming more sustainable. Norway alone has around 1,800 salmon farms – that’s a huge potential for developing new IMTA sites.” 

Not only would the IMTA model present advancements in efficiency, but an industry-wide step forward in sustainability. Folla Alger reports that 1km² of kelp farming can remove the CO2 emissions from 3,000 diesel cars every year.

Feeds designed to nourish and enhance fish health 

Yet, Folla Alger’s ambitions go beyond just its own footprint, with significant work being driven to develop new market-ready products that can enter the rapidly growing Norwegian kelp industry. ‘Functional fish feeds’ represent an exciting avenue for such innovation – feeds designed not only to nourish but also to enhance fish health by boosting immunity, improving disease resistance and supporting appetite.  

This work is supported by dedicated R&D channels, as Marstrand explains:  

“We have a very strong R&D focus, working closely with leading institutes on our farms including Sintef Ocean, Norwegian University of Science and Technology and Nord University. We hope that, through our R&D activities, we can develop a new green seaweed industry in Norway – based on the IMTA model.. We hope that, through our R&D activities, we can develop a new green seaweed industry in Norway – based on the IMTA model.

“We have already seen promising small-scale trials and we are continuing ongoing work for a large-scale trial in seawater in our IMTA farm next year. We hope this will bring us closer to a new seaweed-based ingredient for salmon feed, which could seriously drive the aquaculture space forward.” 

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