Advancing Algal and Invertebrate Aquaculture
Principal Investigator: Susan Brawley (Marine Science, UMaine)
Partners: Luz Kogson (UMaine), Sarah Redmond (UMaine Marine Extension Team/Maine Sea Grant), Shep Erhart (Maine Coast Sea Vegetables), Seth Barker (Maine Fresh Sea Farms), Phil Harrington Bait (Wholesale Marine Worms), J. West (Commercial Fisherman)
Abstract: Interest in sea vegetables as a healthy superfood was one of the top food trends of 2016, and demand for high quality seafood from Maine in increasing. This proposal will promote a seasonally diversified sea vegetable (Marine macroalgae) aquaculture industry based on multiple kelps, lavers, and dulse through further cultivar isolations and comparative growth tests at the University’s CCAR-based Sea Vegetable Research Nursery. This work will include grow-outs demonstrating commercially applicable methodologies on two sea farms located in Maine that hold experimental sea vegetable leases, Maine Coast Sea Vegetables and Maine Fresh Sear Farms.