One of three Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program Projects Announced Mar. 24
On March 24, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announced three new projects with a total value of almost $10 million from its Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program (AOSP) including the Fishless Marine Microbial Fish Oil Project. This Nova Scotia-led project will work to develop an algal nutritional oil that fully mimics and complements the health benefits of fish oil consumption. The project will create four new full-time jobs, will the potential for 20 indirect jobs in total.
Fish oil has numerous health benefits including the support of heart health. Fish, however, are a finite resource. In this project, Mara Renewables Corporation is collaborating with Acadia University, Nature’s Way Canada, and Algarithm Ingredients to discover novel marine sources of EPA as well as develop existing strains from Mara’s algal marine microbial library. The outcome will be a sustainable, alga-based nutritional oil, rich in EPA, which would complement Mara’s existing omega-3 DHA offering for human use and health benefits.
With a total project value of nearly $3.5 million dollars, the Ocean Supercluster will provide $2 million dollars in funding for the project, with the balance of funding coming from industry.
The partnerships fostered through the Fishless Marine Microbial Fish Oil Project presents an opportunity for Atlantic Canada to become a marine biotechnology hub. Following development of the technology created in this project, Mara will be one of few in the world to offer a microbial source of both EPA and DHA and a true, sustainable fish oil replacement.
OSC Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is an industry-led transformative cluster focused on tackling the shared challenges across ocean sectors through a collaborative program designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of globally relevant solutions, while also building a highly-capable, inclusive workforce. To encourage innovation and trigger new industry investment during these challenging times, the Ocean Supercluster supplemented its core programs with an additional project stream called Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program (AOSP). This enables the development of smaller projects on a shorter timeline that deliver tangible outcomes, while continuing to build resiliency in our ocean sectors.
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Quotes:
“The superclusters are fostering innovation ecosystems across the country in areas where Canada has a significant competitive advantage, including the ocean economy. I am pleased to see that such an innovative project is being led by a Canadian SME. Through projects like this one, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is creating new opportunities for SMEs by connecting them to new customers and supply chains, helping them build strong networks, and providing timely funding to help them turn bold ideas into tangible solutions.” – The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
“The Fishless Marine Microbial Fish Oil Project is an exciting new project from our Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program that will not only deliver new economic activity in ocean, but also help achieve environmental benefits by decreasing dependency on finite ocean resources like fish.” – Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
“Support from the Ocean Supercluster is crucial to achieve the making of this Fishless Marine Microbial Fish Oil, where the outcome will be an alga-based nutritional oil that would complement Mara’s offering of microalgae oil products.” – Roberto Armenta, Chief Scientist & Director of Research and Development