- Theme
- EU4Algae
- Created on
- 20 August 2025
Published on 20 August 2025
With a rich background spanning natural resource management, biosystems and food engineering, and community-driven research, Mariana Cerca brings a unique ability to bridge science, society, and policy. From harvesting farmed kelp off the Irish coast to shaping EU-funded initiatives, she has dedicated her career to advancing regenerative ocean farming and building sustainable seaweed value chains. As interest in algae’s role within the blue bioeconomy grows, we spoke with Mariana to learn more about her journey, her work connecting research with real-world impact, and how she’s helping shape an inclusive and regenerative future for the sector.
1. Can you tell us a bit about your background — from natural resource management to your PhD work in biosystems and food engineering — and what led you to focus on seaweed and regenerative ocean farming?
Nature was always inside me. I grew up on a small farm, raised by parents who loved nature. My curiosity about exploring and protecting the environment around me led me to leave Brazil after graduation and cross the Atlantic to pursue a Master’s in Germany. I’m also Portuguese by heritage, and this felt like a journey of self-discovery and reinvention – exploring different cultures and contexts. This path somehow always led me to being in a position of “integrator” – ultimately bridging disciplines, teams, and cross-sectors, whether through the investigation of environmental technologies, renewable energy, or agriculture. After seven years living in German-speaking contexts, I moved from Switzerland to Ireland to pursue a PhD at University College Dublin within the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks project AgRefine. To bring social dimensions into the planning of biorefinery technologies, my PhD focused on the potential development of new value chains based on the sourcing of bioresources, including seaweed. It allowed me to explore both land- and marine-based farming systems and the planning of shorter biomass supply chains in the context of a Circular Bioeconomy. But it wasn’t until I found myself on a boat, helping in the seaweed farm, and asking the local fisherman during the harvest to call me “Mary” (as it was easier), that I fully felt the deep meaning of it all. It was then that seaweed and regenerative ocean farming became a central focus of my research and a big part of my life.
2. You have been working with algae since 2020 through EU-funded research. How do you balance scientific research with engaging local communities and contributing to policy discussions? What challenges do you typically encounter, and how do you navigate them?
Those spaces – whether in science, local communities, or policy and regulatory environments – do not always speak the same language, even if they think they do. Policy often feels very far from what people experience. Science is seen as abstract, “too academic,” or separated from the “real world.” At the same time, community action often does not gain visibility, including local and indigenous knowledge, which are so rich yet continuously undervalued in formal decision-making spaces. We shouldn’t assume that those spaces have homogeneous thinking – not all members of a community will share the same values or think alike. We see that in policymaking as well.
I believe it’s through inter- and transdisciplinary research that I navigate those challenges – therefore, the role of integrator or translator is so important to me. Interdisciplinary research means multiple disciplines collaborating simultaneously, whereas transdisciplinary research is about working together with non-academic actors to understand problems and jointly design solutions. That does not mean it is easy! It takes much more time and effort, but it’s when – and where – true transformation happens.
3. In the C-FAARER project, you have explored the role of local communities, restorative ocean farming, and macroalgae valorisation. Could you walk us through your specific role and what aspects of this work resonate most with your research interests?
I joined the C-FAARER project towards the end of its duration, and it turned out to be one of the most aligned experiences to continue the work I started during my PhD. What resonated the most was the project’s emphasis on community-driven business models, and on seeing seaweed beyond a raw material – as a regenerative force in marine ecosystems and an opportunity to diversify practices. I had spent four years deeply immersed in the experiences I gained from the Irish context, while the C-FAARER project had a strong collaboration with Norway. Norway is a frontrunner in the emerging seaweed farming industry in Europe, from which we can also learn many lessons. But every context is unique, and culture also has a significant influence on shaping future pathways.
So, my role was, to some extent, again, helping to integrate and translate all the findings from practice into policy recommendations, as well as contributing to knowledge-sharing events, including the launching of the Irish Seaweed Association as a spin-off initiative of C-FAARER. I’m deeply thankful to Professor Nessa O’Connor from Trinity’s School of Natural Sciences, Dr. Dharm Kapletia from Trinity Business School, and the whole C-FAARER team for welcoming me with such generosity. I hope these collaborations continue, resonating with the project's outcomes.
4. Your research touches on social-ecological-technological systems in the circular bioeconomy. How do Environmental and Social Life Cycle Assessments (LCA & S-LCA) support more sustainable and socially responsible seaweed value chains?
I bring a social-ecological systems thinking perspective to my research (integrating the role of technology) and am not restricted to what modelling and optimisation methods usually allow. LCA & S-LCA can be extremely helpful to inform decision-making, unveiling environmental and social burdens, potential blind spots along value chains, as well as trade-offs. However, there are methodological complexities, and comprehensive LCAs also depend on good data availability, which is challenging when we are dealing with emerging systems. For instance, there are multiple processing pathways, and infrastructure is still a huge bottleneck for developing seaweed value chains, including economically viable processing options and market development within the EU. Beyond that, we also need ways to increase evidence based on the monitoring of ecological aspects, including biodiversity and nutrient cycling, which also means potential positive ones in regenerative systems! There are also power imbalances at play, which are not addressed by Life Cycle Assessments.
While measurements for carbon sequestration and circularity are part of the whole picture, socioeconomic and cultural aspects, as well as governance, are important and not often addressed. Considerations of fairness in the inclusion of small farmers, microenterprises, community engagement, market accessibility, and non-market values – including cultural heritage, a sense of belonging, or even identity – are all part of the co-creation of benefits in restorative ocean farming and the development of responsible seaweed-based value chains in this evolving and dynamic landscape.
5. In your view, what makes regenerative ocean farming a particularly promising model for coastal communities?
I’ve seen how deeply social licensing remains a challenge in Europe, often because communities are left out until the very end of processes. And while regenerative ocean farming is largely about giving more to nature than taking from it, it’s also about thriving communities – ensuring they are not separated from ecosystems and are part of these initiatives from the start: shaping, benefiting, and evolving with them. It’s about the future, although the lack of generational renewal is also a reality in ocean farming as well as in small fisheries. It’s an opportunity to engage with young generations, reimagine futures, and our relationship with the sea, offering meaningful, purpose-driven alternatives that contribute to the well-being of future generations and the resilience of communities as they adapt to change.
6. You have presented your work at high-level events such as European Maritime Day. Based on those experiences, how would you describe the current momentum around algae in Europe’s blue bioeconomy?
There is real momentum, and overall, a genuine interest in the topic. Of course, the reality on the ground is a bit different, and we need to make sure that this momentum reaches the places where it’s most needed. At least for kelps, there is a higher level of maturity in farming, but it’s still disconnected from consumers and valorisation pathways that make it viable for producers. In one of my studies, we explored how post-harvesting processing, logistics, and infrastructure are critical, alongside collective organisation for small producers.
So, it’s not only about technological innovation, but also about social innovation – finding new ways to work together equitably. There also seems to be real momentum for emerging partnerships, networks, and associations to facilitate that. I also work with regulations regarding extended producer responsibility, and it’s fascinating to see how much seaweed-based coatings for packaging have gained traction in response to a growing interest in alternatives to plastics. The algae sector is key to climate action, moving away from fossil-based materials and towards circularity, including the transformation of our food systems. It won’t solve everything on its own, but it’s a great opportunity to keep the momentum while making sure it’s also fair, and that no one is left behind.
7. How can community-led seaweed farming support food security, strengthen local supply chains, and play a role in Europe’s transition to a circular and bio-based economy?
Community-led seaweed farming offers a valuable opportunity to focus on the marine sector in the transition to a circular and bio-based economy, while reconnecting people with the ocean through care and purpose. It can help diversify local resources, shorten supply chains, and support a low-carbon, nutritious diet rooted in regenerative practices. These practices can also be connected to tourism, enhancing awareness of seaweed’s culinary uses, health benefits, and synergies with land-based food systems. Ultimately, this contributes to shifting how we may think – or feel – about seafood in different forms. It also encourages new ways of thinking about business models, promoting participatory processes and prioritising economic viability for the benefit of people and the planet. Both the C-FAARER project and CoolBlueFuture indicate promising future pathways towards regenerative ocean farming and community-led initiatives, and I hope this momentum does not end with the completion of those projects.
8. Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the algae industry and your broader contributions to the algae sector? Are there specific directions or shifts you would like to see within the seaweed space in the coming years?
I wish people would stay curious about algae, the multiple species, farming settings, and applications, so we can imagine futures where it becomes a visible and fundamental part of our lives. My contributions are also often in the form of an integrator: bridging academic silos, listening to local voices, and translating them into planning and policy recommendations. Nevertheless, some questions should be kept alive while the sector develops: Is it being responsibly sourced, if from the wild, or farmed following regenerative principles? Are these socio-ecosystems being cared for, or slowly being degraded? Are we only seeking high-volume, low-price models that risk marginalising small producers and not contributing to local livelihoods? Beyond individual communities, a shared ocean also connects us across regions and around the globe, reminding us of a collective responsibility while shaping the future of the seaweed space in ways that are economically feasible, environmentally responsible and socially just.
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