Sunlight and seawater: Rethinking algae cultivation For decades, hatcheries around the world had relied on these microscopic plants. They were the first food for fish larvae, supplying proteins, lipids, and vitamins that no artificial substitute could re |16 October 2026

Experimental setup at the hatchery facility in Providence

Sunlight and seawater:Rethinking algae cultivation

Compiled by Gilliana Anacoura

For decades, hatcheries around the world had relied on these microscopic plants. They were the first food for fish larvae, supplying proteins, lipids, and vitamins that no artificial substitute could replicate. Yet their cultivation had always been resource-intensive. Indoors, under carefully controlled conditions, algae thrived beneath LED lights, in air-conditioned rooms, and with sterile seawater pumped in at precise intervals. This predictability came at a cost: high energy bills, expensive infrastructure, and the need for skilled technicians.

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