Press Herald cites UMaine rockweed data in article on harvesting dispute

Data from the Maine Sea Grant College Program at the University of Maine was cited in the Portland Press Herald article, “Judge rules that rockweed harvesters need landowners’ permission.” Jeff Nichols, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Marine Resources, said there were 134 licensed seaweed harvesters in Maine in 2016. They landed 13,977,313 pounds of seaweed, of which rockweed represented about 97 percent, according to the article. In a 2013 report — the most recent data available — the Department of Marine Resources and Maine Sea Grant estimated the overall value of rockweed, after it has been processed into retail products, is in the vicinity of $20 million per year, Nichols said.