SJOKOVIN

Their core work

SJOKOVIN is a Faroese organization focused on sustainable seafood, fisheries management, and marine-based food innovation in the North Atlantic. They contribute expertise in aquaculture systems — particularly low trophic species like sea urchins, mussels, and macroalgae — as well as alternative protein development from marine and microbial sources. Their work bridges traditional Faroese fishing knowledge with EU-level research on food security, circular economy approaches, and next-generation protein supply chains.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

SJOKOVIN's trajectory shows a clear shift from fisheries governance to aquaculture production and food innovation. Their earliest project (FarFish, 2017) dealt with fisheries policy tools — stock assessment, RFMOs, and results-based management under the Common Fisheries Policy. By 2019, both new projects moved downstream into aquaculture production (AquaVitae) and alternative protein value chains (NextGenProteins), signaling a pivot from managing wild fish stocks to actively producing marine and bio-based food.

SJOKOVIN is moving from fisheries governance toward food production innovation, positioning themselves at the intersection of marine aquaculture and sustainable protein supply chains.

How they like to work

SJOKOVIN operates exclusively as a consortium participant, never leading projects. With 73 unique partners across 24 countries from just 3 projects, they join large, diverse consortia — averaging over 24 partners per project. This suggests they are valued as a specialized contributor bringing Faroese/North Atlantic perspective to broad European initiatives rather than driving project design themselves.

Despite only 3 projects, SJOKOVIN has built an extensive network of 73 partners across 24 countries, reflecting participation in large pan-Atlantic consortia. Their geographic reach spans well beyond the Faroe Islands into a truly pan-European and transatlantic research community.

What sets them apart

SJOKOVIN offers a rare Faroese perspective in EU research — the Faroe Islands depend heavily on fisheries and aquaculture, giving this organization deep practical knowledge of North Atlantic marine food systems. For consortium builders, they provide access to subarctic marine conditions, small-island food security challenges, and a fishing-dependent economy that serves as a real-world testbed. Their cross-cutting experience from fisheries policy through aquaculture to alternative proteins makes them a versatile partner for any marine food value chain project.

Highlights from their portfolio

• AquaVitae
  Largest funding (EUR 228K) and broadest scope — covering integrated multi-trophic aquaculture across the entire Atlantic with multiple species from macroalgae to sea cucumbers.
• NextGenProteins
  Positions SJOKOVIN in the high-growth alternative proteins sector, bridging marine expertise with bioconversion of microalgae, insects, and single cell proteins for food and feed.