Alumni story Frej Gustafsson

Aquaculture with environmental and social benefits 

Like many marine students, I was very interested in ocean health and environmental issues. At first I thought that if you wanted to work for the environment you had two options: NGO work or government work. But then I wondered whether there was something else — some way to combine environmental work with business. That’s when I started looking into aquaculture. But how do you make a case that salmon farming is good for the environment? 

Traditional aquaculture, like salmon farming, is controversial environmentally. But then I started reading about companies farming seaweed and bivalves in Europe and North America. These businesses were creating environmental and social benefits for coastal communities. That really opened my eyes, and I decided I wanted to explore that further. Wageningen seemed like the best place to pursue that interest. 

The Wageningen Bubble 

The community in Wageningen was really nice. Many people share similar interests, especially around sustainability and the environment. Sometimes people refer to it as the “Wageningen bubble.” When coming to Wageningen after my bachelor’s in Southampton, I noticed that Southampton felt more academically focused on training scientists. Wageningen also trains scientists, but it has a stronger connection to how the world works outside academia. There was a more practical or realistic element — understanding how science connects with industry, policy, and society. 

After running my startup, I eventually worked at IVL, the Swedish Environmental Research Institute. I was working primarily with low-trophic aquaculture, focusing on oysters. I also investigated conflicts and synergies between primary production of seafood and other blue economy sectors. Some days were very hands-on, working with aquaculture systems or collecting data in the field. Other days were office-based, coordinating projects or communicating with industry partners and research institutes.  

Taking a break 

After working there for a few years, I decided to take a sabbatical year. For me it was high school, then my bachelor’s, then my master’s, then startup work, moving countries, and working again. At some point I thought I needed a break. It has been really nice to step back and reflect a little. 

After my sabbatical I started to work as Market Development Manager for the Nordics at Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). My role is about developing the market for ASC-certified seafood in the Nordics, with focus on Finland, Sweden and Denmark. I’m working across the board, from farms and wholesalers to retail and NGOs, to ultimately make it an easy choice for consumers to choose certified seafood.

I'm really very pleased to continue to work with aquaculture and seafood, continuing to push social and environmental sustainability to the forefront wherever possible.