As global seafood demand accelerates and aquaculture becomes central to feeding a growing population, the sector faces a pivotal challenge: how to scale production while safeguarding fish welfare, environmental integrity and economic viability. In this article, Iris Silva, Molecular Biology and Genomics Researcher at S2AquaCoLAB, explores how personalized nutrition is reshaping aquaculture through precision science. By aligning feeding strategies with the specific biological needs of fish, this emerging approach offers a pathway to improve performance, reduce environmental impact and strengthen the long-term sustainability of the blue economy.

This conversation with João Rito, Founding Partner of SEAentia, was carried out within the framework of the Blue Compass project, an initiative of the Hub Azul Portugal Network, drawing on insights from the Hub Azul Dealroom, your leading digital platform connecting blue innovation stakeholders.

Pedro Pousão’s perspective, S2Aqua CoLAB This interview was conducted with Pedro Pousão, IPMA Researcher and Chairman of the Board of S2AQUAcoLAB, as part of the Blue Compass project, promoted by the Hub Azul Portugal Network, based on insights from the Hub Azul Dealroom, the leading digital matchmaking platform for blue innovation.

As Europe’s coastal regions face mounting environmental, economic and social pressures, innovation in the blue economy is increasingly shifting from isolated initiatives to place-based, collaborative ecosystems. In this article, Sérgio Leandro, marine biologist and Scientific Coordinator of Hub Azul Peniche, explores how Living Labs are emerging as a powerful framework to connect maritime clusters, startups, academia and coastal communities in real-world innovation environments.

As ecological pressures intensify across Europe’s coastal and marine ecosystems, invasive seaweeds are emerging as both a challenge and an untapped opportunity for the blue economy. In this article, Teresa Mouga, marine biologist and researcher, explores how invasive seaweed biomass can be transformed from an environmental threat into a valuable resource stream. Drawing on scientific research and real-world innovation, the article examines the potential of seaweed-based fertilisers, bioplastics and biomaterials, while unpacking the technical, regulatory and market barriers that still hinder large-scale commercialisation. Can turning invasive biomass into circular, high-value products accelerate a more regenerative, resilient and competitive blue economy?

The ocean generates vast amounts of data — for example, satellite imagery, fishing catch records, sensor readings, and maritime traffic records — but this information is fragmented, and often siloed, making it difficult to interpret, and thus becoming a barrier to sustainable governance.