Advancing Aquatic Biotechnology in the Circular Bioeconomy Era: Innovations, Challenges, and Opportunities

As the global population growth pressures ecosystems and natural resources, transitioning towards sustainable systems is essential. The circular bioeconomy offers a forward-looking framework that redefines how we manage biological resources, reduce waste, and promote renewable solutions. Thus, aquatic biotechnology emerges as a powerful tool which supports the development of innovative products and services that may contribute to solving food insecurity, energy demands, pollution, and resource scarcity challenges. This paper explores the recent advancements in aquatic biotechnology, focusing on its applications in sustainable food production, biofuels, high-value bioproducts, and bioremediation. It assesses the challenges of scaling these innovations while highlighting the vast opportunities they present for environmental management and achieving global sustainability targets. With the right synergy between research, policy, and industry, aquatic biotechnology could drive the blue bioeconomy into a new era of resilience and regeneration.