Blue future for the Sörmland coast – inspiration from Skåne to Södertälje
It smells of sea, fish, and faith in the future in a production hall in Eastern Skåne. Here swims Clarias, a sustainably farmed fish that will soon be served in schools, nursing homes, and on store shelves.
It is a concrete example of how local aquaculture can become both a new industry, a climate-smart food solution, and a driver for rural development.
When representatives from Leader Sörmland coast visited Leader Eastern Skåne in February 2026, doors opened to a blue world of opportunities – from seaweed to fish tourism and coastal innovation. The question is: what can we bring home to Salem, Botkyrka, Södertälje, Trosa, Nyköping, and Oxelösund?
🌱 Seaweed on the plate – from sea to kitchen
On a table lies seaweed in various forms: crispy, dried, fresh.
The project Seaweed on the plate aims to make seaweed an obvious part of Swedish food. The vision is to spread knowledge through recipes, workshops, and education – and show where consumers can buy marine raw materials.
Seaweed grows without fertilizer, without freshwater, and without land. It binds nutrients and carbon dioxide – and can at the same time become food, an ingredient in restaurants, or a raw material in the food of the future.
👉 A resource that literally grows in the sea off the coast of Sörmland.
🐟 From sea to experience – fish tourism and meal tourism
In the Netherlands, Leader Zeeland talked about how coastal cultivation is combined with fish tourism, restaurants, and experiences. Visitors meet fishermen, taste local food, and learn about the sea.
Imagine the same thing along the Sörmland coast:
• a fishing trip with professional fishermen in Oxelösund
• an archipelago dinner with local catch in Trosa
• a coastal festival in Södertälje where children can try fishing
Here lies the potential to connect tourism, food, and culture – and create new businesses and jobs.
🌍 Collaboration for healthier seas
But blue development is not just about new products.
In Skåne, it was shown how municipalities, county administrative boards, landowners, and associations collaborate to reduce nutrient leakage into the sea. When more actors work together, both water quality and biodiversity can be improved.
It is a clear example of the strength of the Leader method: local collaboration for complex challenges.
🧑🔬 Knowledge that meets industry
The marine center in Simrishamn serves as a meeting place where research, education, and industry meet. Universities, high schools, and companies collaborate in projects and innovations.
During the visit, Oxelösund was highlighted as a possible hub for direct sales of fish to consumers – a way to shorten the value chain and strengthen both fishermen and local markets.
🤝 Networks that create momentum
The rural network emphasized the importance of building on each other's ideas instead of starting over from scratch.
Through the Leader network, projects in fish conservation, aquaculture, and water management can be spread between regions and developed together.
There are also new funding opportunities through the Sea, Fishing, and Aquaculture Program (HFVP), where upcoming calls can support skills development and networking within blue industries.
🌟 Blue Leader Sörmlandskusten – what happens now?
The study trip to Östra Skåne showed that the sea is not just a natural resource – but a resource for the future.
For Sörmlandskusten, there are great opportunities to:
• develop food tourism and marine experiences
• increase the consumption of local fish and new marine foods
• create networks between businesses, associations, and the public sector
• initiate pilot projects in aquaculture and sea-based production
• strengthen the work with water management and ecosystem-based marine management
🌊 From inspiration to action
The blue shift begins locally.
With the Leader method, engaged actors, and collaboration between municipalities, industry, and civil society, the Sörmland coast can take the next step towards a sustainable blue economy.
The sea outside our coasts holds more than waves and views – it holds food, innovation, experiences, and future jobs.
Now it is time to seize the blue opportunities.