Sustainable seed production for North Atlantic kelp aquaculture

Demand for seaweed products has dramatically increased in the U.S.; however, domestic production from both wild harvests and aquaculture operations only supplies 1% of this demand. To meet demand, expansion of seaweed aquaculture is crucial to protect wild populations from extinction by overharvesting, which impacts entire marine ecosystems. Currently, U.S. kelp aquaculture methods rely on wild harvested reproductive tissue, which is not sustainable. In response to NOAA Topic 9.3, Healthy Oceans, Ocean’s Balance Inc.—working with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution—proposes to develop procedures to scale the growth of skinny kelp (Saccharina latissima forma angustissima) gametophytes in culture to produce a commercial-scale seedstring product that does not rely on repeated wild harvests. Skinny kelp is a fast-growing sister species of sugar kelp native to Maine with more desirable commercial characteristics. This SBIR project will develop the protocols necessary for scaling production of skinny kelp seedstring at a reasonable market cost, assess the potential to extend the season by outplanting juveniles sporophytes with greater temperature tolerance, and improve the reliability of supply using advanced methods of culturing gametophytes for commercialization. The methods developed in this project will be applicable to other kelp species