The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
CT Sea Grant leads project designed to spur seaweed industry
As researchers work to better understand the economics of seaweed farming in the United States, the Connecticut Sea Grant is taking the next step toward unlocking the financial potential of the seaweed industry.
The CT Sea Grant, based at the University of Connecticut’s Avery Point campus, will lead a three-year initiative to create the business framework needed to revolutionize the fledgling kelp industry into an economic powerhouse.
A federal grant of $766,650 will support the initiative, which will involve nine states where seaweed aquaculture businesses lack the resources needed to grow.
“There has been a real need for the information to be produced by this project to support the development of the kelp industry in Connecticut and the United States,” Robert Pomeroy, project leader, said in a statement.
Kelp, the most common type of cultivated seaweed in the country, is seen as an important new agriculture product for food, medicinal products, additives and bio-remediation of marine pollutants.
A professor emeritus at the University of Connecticut and a marine resource economist at the Connecticut Sea Grant, Pomeroy will work with experts and colleagues across the country to develop education and outreach programs for seaweed farmers, investors and lenders.
The grant will fund research on existing farms and markets as well as varying regulatory and environmental conditions in different states.
“The anticipated outcomes of this project include more access to capital, more informed business decisions by farmers, investors and lenders, increased employment, greater success of business and environmental improvements,” Pomeroy said.
Internationally, the seaweed market has expanded rapidly and more than 95 percent of the seaweed now consumed
in the United States is grown overseas. About 1 million pounds of seaweed is harvested from U.S. waters, which could be expanded to 4 million pounds annually if barriers could be overcome.
In Connecticut, there are currently 15 permitted kelp growing sites, with four of those growing product.
“This effort represents yet another opportunity to listen to aquaculture industry members, understand their needs, and apply local expertise for national scale benefits,” said Sylvain Dee Guise, director for Connecticut Sea Grant. “This is very exciting, and squarely aligned with the mission of Sea Grant.”
The project also builds on another Connecticut Sea Grant-led initiative, the establishment of the National Seaweed Hub in 2019 and first-ever National Seaweed Symposium last year, Pomeroy said. This brought together 100 farmers, researchers, regulators and others to work together to move the industry forward.
“This project is fully complementary
to the National Seaweed Hub,” he said.
The project will address two priorities identified through a national needs assessment of various seaweed stakeholders. The first is to examine the economics of seaweed farming in the United States and the second is the need to help develop business plans for prospective seaweed farmers.
The $766,650 grant is the second largest of 12 awarded by the NOAA Sea Grant program to address the economic and market needs of the U.S. aquaculture industry.
“The projects represent Sea Grant’s commitment to not only understand the science behind aquaculture in the U.S. but also the economics and market possibilities for sustainable aquaculture,” said Jonathan Pennock, National Sea Grant Director. “We think these projects will provide valuable knowledge and new resources to help strengthen and expand the U.S. aquaculture industry.”