OCC Finalist Spotlight – Meet Fremantle Seaweed!

We are excited to introduce one of the finalists of the 2025 Ocean Community Challenge: Fremantle Seaweed! 

Based in Australia, this innovative start-up is cultivating red seaweed (Asparagopsis) as a natural feed supplement for cattle and other ruminants. Their BlueBio Technology solution targets a major environmental challenge, reducing methane emissions from livestock farming.

Let’s dive into how this nature-based innovation works! 🌊🌱🐄 

As the global population grows, so does the demand for livestock, particularly cattle, which are among the largest methane emitters. In fact, the average Australian beef cow produces methane equivalent to 4.1 kg of CO₂ per day, about the same as a new car! Collectively, methane from ruminants like cows and sheep contributes up to 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, surpassing even those from the entire aviation industry.

This is where Fremantle Seaweed steps in. The red seaweed they cultivate, Asparagopsis, produces a natural compound called bromoform. This bioactive compound inhibits the enzyme methyl-coenzyme M reductase, which is essential for methane production in the rumens of livestock. Remarkably, feeding just 60 grams of dried Asparagopsis daily can cut methane emissions by at least 80%.

The start-up is currently the only Australian producer cultivating Asparagopsis exclusively in the ocean, operating on a 32-hectare marine lease in the waters of Derbal Nara, Western Australia. This offshore location allows for year-round production without the need for water tanks, while also requiring less energy and fewer nutrients compared to land-based systems.

Best of all, growing Asparagopsis in its native marine environment may actually enhance local marine biodiversity, making this not only a sustainable innovation, but a regenerative one.

We are proud to support Fremantle Seaweed and excited to join them on their mission to curb climate change by empowering cattle farmers to address one of the biggest sources of on-farm emissions. 🌍🐄🔥

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