Seaweed cultivation in Norway- ecology and strategy

Silje ForbordSIG Seaweed Trondheim 27.11.19

Important aspects of seaweed cultivation

• High yield

Important aspects of seaweed cultivation

• High yield

• Good quality

Important aspects of seaweed cultivation

• High yield

• Good quality• Right biochemical composition

Important aspects of seaweed cultivation

Broch et al., 2019

• High yield

• Good quality• Right biochemical composition

• Site selection

Important aspects of seaweed cultivation

• High yield

• Good quality• Right biochemical composition

• Site selection• Deployment and harvest time

Important aspects of seaweed cultivation

• High yield

• Good quality• Right biochemical composition

• Site selection• Deployment and harvest time

• Cultivation depth

Important aspects of seaweed cultivation

• High yield

• Good quality• Right biochemical composition

• Site selection• Deployment and harvest time

• Cultivation depth

• Seedling size and density

Case 1: Latitude, season

and depth

• A selection of commercial farms over 10 degrees in latitude

• 3 fjord locations

• One hatchery producing seed lines• Deployment in February 2017

• 1-2 m and 8-9 m depths

• Sampling from April-Sept • Growth• Chemical content• Biofouling

Forbord, Matsson et al., under revision

Cultivation and monitoring program

1-58°N

Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

Fron

d le

ngth

(cm

)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Biom

ass

yiel

d (k

g m

-1)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18Length 1-2 m Length 8-9 m Biomass 1-2 m Biomass 8-9 m

6-63°N

Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

Fron

d le

ngth

(cm

)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Biom

ass

yiel

d (k

g m

-1)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18Length 1-2 m Length 8-9 m Biomass 1-2 m Biomass 8-9 m

Forbord, Matsson et al., under revision

9-69°N

Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

Fron

d le

ngth

(cm

)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Biom

ass

yiel

d (k

g m

-1)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18Length 1-2 m Length 8-9 m Biomass 1-2 m Biomass 8-9 m

Variation in protein content along a latitudinal gradient

BiofoulingLow salinity

South North

1-2 m8-9 m

Forbord, Matsson et al., under revision

Cover of biofouling

South North

Forbord, Matsson et al., under revision

• Low biofouling at 1-2 m cultivation depth

• High protein content at deeper depths• Poor growth in frond length and biomass

yield

Forbord, Matsson et al., under revision

Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

Fron

d le

ngth

(cm

)

0

10

20

30

40

50

601-2 m8-9 m

Low salinity strongly influence the biomass

Low salinity strongly influence the biomass1-2 m cultivation depth, before biofouling settlement

Case 2: Seeding methods and hatchery period

S: Incubation for 21, 28 and 42 days

GF: Incubation for 14 and 0 days

D: Culture for 28, 35 and 42 days

Forbord et al. 2019

G: Incubation for 14, 21 and 28 days

• Deployment in February 2018• Registrations in May and June

• Length• Width• Protein• Biomass (June)• Density (June)

Forbord et al. 2019

Can manipulate size and biomass… But probably not protein content

Seeded with glue0-42 days in culture

Spores and gam 14-28 days in hatchery

Spores and gam 14-28 days in hatchery

Spores 42 days

Spores 42 days

Seeded with glue0-42 days in culture

Forbord et al. 2019

• Several measures to influence the yield, quality and biochemical composition• Choose sites with high salinity or cultivate deeper than the freshwater layer• Know your site!

Thanks to:

• Sanna Matsson (Akvaplan-niva)

• Aleksander Handå (SINTEF)

• Ole Jacob Broch (SINTEF)

• Kristine B. Steinhovden (SINTEF)

• Torfinn Solvang (SINTEF)

• Guri E. Brodahl (NTNU)

• Bodil Bluhm (UiT)

• Anna Metaxas (Dalhousie Uni)

• Malin Kleppe (IMR)

• Arne Duinker (IMR)

• Jorunn Skjermo (SINTEF)

• Yngvar Olsen (NTNU)