This project has been designed to monitor the expansion dynamics of A. armata on the Azorean coasts and to evaluate the potential of Asparagopsis standing stocks as a profitable marine resource for large‐scale commercial use.

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This project will therefore fill the knowledge gap related to the realistic impact of A. armata invasions along the Azorean coastal communities under current and future environmental scenarios. In addition, this project will provide the basis for developing conservation and mitigation plans aimed at protecting native communities, and further understanding if the removal of A. armata can be effective in mitigating its impacts. The latter deliverable will provide knowledge to test the utility of invasive seaweeds as innovative marine resources and promote the sustainable use of Asparagopsis as a source of economic and societal benefits for the Region. Considering the multiple uses of the extracts of this NIS macroalga and its high abundance on Azorean coasts, the current project will investigate ways to utilize and monetize the use of A. armata with high economic value in the area of the marine biotechnology. Implementing this new fishery will enable local economic agents to operate in the traditional fisheries sector but also will provide innovative activities and new investments in sectors with economic potential. This will provide additional economic and societal benefits to the Azorean population.