Seafish has in its new report confirmed the potential for aquaculture in the proposed Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon (TLSB), which could be used to farm a range of marine species.
The report found that the sheltered lagoon has strong potential for aquaculture, including farming mussels, oysters, scallops, clams, cockles and seaweed; all of which have local and international market potential.
It would be the first time that offshore marine renewable energy generation has been combined with aquaculture, says the report, which was led by Martin Syvret (Aquafish Solutions) and Dr Andrew Woolmer (Salacia-Marine) in collaboration with industry partners.
The report is accompanied by an Aquaculture Site Scoping Matrix, which can be used by industry to identify further potential locations for aquaculture operations.
Lee Cocker , aquaculture manager at Seafish, said: “The prospect of sitting aquaculture within an area such as the world’s first tidal lagoon renewable power development is undoubtedly exciting, however, the findings of the project are also pertinent to other offshore renewables sites such as wind farms. The project helps provides an overview of aquaculture species and techniques that could be considered in other marine enclosed water bodies, and the hatchery aspect has the potential to support a more general expansion of seed availability for UK aquaculture.”