Water samples are being collected in Haapsalu as the Ministry of Climate and the Estonian Marine Institute at the University of Tartu collaborate to identify suitable locations for a seaweed and mussel farm.

The plan is to cultivate fast-growing green algae and blue mussels in Tagalaht Bay, which will help slow the bay's overgrowth.

"We want to experiment with using seaweed and mussel cultivation to remove nutrients from the sea," said Georg Martin, director of the Marine Biology Department at the Marine Institute.

"In ideal conditions, this kind of seaweed farming should help us clean the sea," he added.

According to Martin, Haapsalu Bay is the stretch of Estonia's coastal waters in the worst shape, due to an excess of nutrients, and ways to restore the bay's health have been explored for decades.

Haapsalu environmental specialist Briti Klimberg agreed.

"Various solutions have been proposed, ranging from cutting seaweed meadows and pumping out mud to building canals to improve water circulation," Klimberg described.

"The problem with Tagalaht Bay is that it's partially enclosed; it's very shallow and muddy," she explained. "This causes excess phosphorus and nitrogen to accumulate there, which leads to eutrophication and overgrowth. The City of Haapsalu fully supports this project, and we hope it will be a success."

"Over the course of this summer season, we'll carry out those studies and get a clear picture," Martin said. "Then we'll have time over the winter to obtain the necessary permits and approvals. And we hope that by next spring or early summer, we'll already have the equipment in the water there."

The plan is to test seaweed and mussel cultivation in the Haapsalu bay over a four-year period. According to the Ministry of Climate, the project may have commercial potential in the future as well.

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