Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

Atlantic Sea Cucumber (ASC) is a proud Canadian seafood supplier specializing in processing wild Canadian sea cucumber caught from the clean and cold Atlantic Ocean. This product has high commercial value coupled with increasing global production and trade and has value both in its perceived medicinal value and the scientifically proven nutritional benefits it can offer. In this context, Atlantic sea cucumber has become a valuable commodity in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cultures, representing a sector of high export potential for Nova Scotia. With an increasing market demand and a desire for state-of-the-art technology for implantation in rural context, this new partnership between ASC and the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) will explore options for innovative automation techniques that will improve the economics and quality of sea cucumber products. NSCC's Engineered Technologies Applied Research group specializes in product development and process optimization and are equipped with product design and manufacturing assets. These assets will enable the collaboration with ASC to enhance their process flow and increase their productivity. Opportunity will also be available for knowledge translation to benefit other companies in the sector, with the goal to elevate overall quality and productivity in the region, directed to export markets. A successful outcome in this project therefore has a tremendous potential to benefit Atlantic Canada's seafood industry, by contributing in maintaining the position of Nova Scotia as the world leader for high quality fish and seafood.