SOUTHOLD, New York – Seaweed cultivation in the U.S. is growing quickly, cresting on its promise as a sustainable, low-impact form of aquaculture that could help feed millions. But tough state rules surrounding commercial use of coastal resources are preventing many would-be entrepreneurs from diving into the market.
Fifteen farms currently have permits to commercially grow kelp in the Northeast, up from zero prior to 2008, according to Dr. Charles Yarish, an internationally recognized seaweed expert and professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut in Stamford. Some of the new farms are using a technique known as vertical or 3-D farming – using the water column to grow a mix of seaweed and shellfish – to get the most out of their relatively small operations.
Most would-be kelp farmers on the West Coast, however, are in limbo as states work to establish regulations. Thus far only Washington has regulations in place, and just one research project under way. One farmer who has leased a former kelp research plot in Southern California hopes to begin farming there as soon as the state approves the transfer…
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