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400. CANADA/NEWFOUNDLAND COOPERATION AGREEMENT FOR FISHING INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT (CAFID)

Seaweed Workshop: Current Situation and Prospects for the Newfoundland Industry

CAFID #16

resource. However, three companies are already in BACKGROUND commercial production and other organizations are actively involved in research and test marketing. In March of 1996, CAFID and the Newfoundland Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture sponsored a The main species currently being harvested is workshop on the seaweed resources of Newfoundland. Ascophyllum nodosum (rockweed), which grows in the It was attended by all current producers as well as inter-tidal zone, especially in bays that are relatively others interested in exploiting our seaweed resources. free from ice scour. In areas with heavy shore ice, There were three invited speakers from : species that are better colonizers, such as , will • Glyn Sharp; a marine biologist, DFO, Halifax be more abundant. Ascophyllum is harvested for use as a soil conditioner and animal feed supplement. In • Irene Novaczek: a marine biologist who has addition, two Development Associations (Greater worked on utilizing seaweed resources and Lamaline Area and Penguin Area (Burgeo—Ramea)) • Tony Bigelow: an engineer, Southwind have been harvesting small quantities of seaweed for Manufacturing of N.S., a manufacturer of industrial food (shipped fresh or dried) and for pharmaceutical dryers use.

THE NEWFOUNDLAND RESOURCE In the Lamaline area most of the work has been directed towards Laminaria species and esculenta; in 1996 they sold fresh salted in the In Newfoundland, most commercial species of Canadian market. are widespread, though relatively little effort has been put into mapping and quantifying the

rill GOVERNMENT OF 121 MA NEWFOUNDLAND Canada pf AND LABRADOR In Ramea several species have been investigated, with SPECIES AND PRODUCTS a particular eye on the pharmaceutical market. In Isle- aux-Morts, Roger Organ of I.M.P. produces 4 Ascophyllum meal for sale in Canada and the U.S. as a There are four major uses of seaweeds: in the soil conditioner and animal feed supplement. production of phycocolloids, as food or Newfoundland Sea Farms of St. John's harvests pharmaceuticals, as soil amendments and as animal Ascophyllum for use as a soil amendment, both whole feed supplements. and crushed. Star Enterprises, also based in St. John's, sells dried Alaria and Laminaria as health food Phycocolloids include alginates, agar and carrageenan. and is investigating other species and products. In the North Atlantic, the major species used for Gathering storm-tossed seaweed for use on gardens phycocolloid extraction are Ascophyllum (rockweed) continues throughout the province. for alginate production and Chondrus crispus (Irish moss) for carrageenan production. The food The Newfoundland rockweed resource is small and processing industry uses these products as stabilizers geographically dispersed compared to the Bay of and emulsifiers in foods such as ice cream and Fundy resource. Assessments of rockweed in local chocolate milk. Alginates are also used in a wide areas have been carried out to document applications variety of other industrial products, including specialty for harvesting licenses, but no large-scale assessment papers, printing dyes and welding rod coatings. work has been carried out in the province. Phycocolloids are produced on an industrial scale using either fresh or dried seaweed. , including Estimates of the quantity of kelp in the Lamaline area Laminaria longicruris (Photo 2) and Laminaria were determined through a combination of aerial digitata (Photo 3), could also be used for alginate photos and verification through diving. production, but are not currently widely harvested since Ascophyllum is easier to harvest and more abundant in most areas.

World-wide, huge amounts of seaweed are collected for food. is both the main producer of and market for seaweed. The Japanese and Koreans are big consumers of seaweed, including Laminaria species, which are mainly purchased dried, normally in sheets, but may also be used crushed as a condiment. There is a small ethnic market for seaweed as food in , and a small but growing health food market for seaweed powers and capsules as dietary supplements. In both markets dried seaweed is commonly used, but there is also a small market for fresh seaweed. Figure 1: Laminaria longicruris hanging to dry Seaweed meal (ground seaweed) has a market in North Other species with some commercial potential grow all America as a soil amendment (used in the same way as around the province. Alaria esculenta, which is one of peat moss) and liquid extracts are sold as fertilizers for the more common species sold as health food, house plants. Dried, harvested seaweed is usually co-exists with Laminaria beds around the province. used. Storm-tossed seaweed has limited commercial Irish moss is found in Port-au-Port bay, and Palmaria potential for sale outside the local area because it is palmata (dulse) can be found in small quantities in more difficult to dry and rocks and debris hamper the many areas, including Ramea. Harvesting has so far milling process, according to industry sources. been carried out under experimental harvesting licenses from DFO. There is also a market for seaweed meal as a feed Kelp which grows in shallow water can be harvested supplement for animals since it is an excellent source using drag rakes or long-handled rakes. In Lamaline, of trace elements, especially iodine. However, because hand harvesting was found to be the cheapest option. the digestibility of seaweeds is quite low, it is not used Kelp generally lives for only two years, is faster- as a major component of animal feeds. growing than rockweed and readily recolonizes bare areas. Removal of the holdfast is, therefore, not the Sea urchins naturally graze in kelp beds and there is major problem that it is with rockweed. However, kelp potential for collecting fresh kelp from nearby areas to beds are an important habitat for juvenile fish so feed to farmed urchins. harvesting regimes need to look at maintaining a viable Although in terms of quantity, soil conditioners and fish habitat, perhaps by harvesting only a portion of the animal feeds are the most important markets, in terms available biomass and through a harvesting rotation of value, the food and other specialty markets are more that maintains sources to reseed harvested areas. lucrative. In the past, Irish moss was harvested in Port-au-Port bay using both hand rakes and drag rakes. Seaweed harvesting has the potential to conflict with other activities, such as collection of sea urchins and the lumpfish and lobster fisheries. In areas where these other activities take place, seaweed harvesting schedules will have to address this potential for conflict.

PROCESSING

Seaweed contains about 75% moisture; therefore it must be processed soon after harvest to preserve it. Processing can range from minimal cleaning and Figure 2: packaging for products that are sold fresh to the end user, salting for products that are held for longer periods prior to shipping or further processing, drying for soil enhancers and some food products and more HARVESTING technical methods for extracted products, such as phycocolloids. Rockweed is an inter-tidal species and is harvested either from the shore at low tide or from the sea at high tide. It is a perennial and will regrow from the holdfast after it has been cut. Therefore, when harvesting, it is necessary to make sure that the holdfast is not pulled away from the rock. Areas can probably be cut on a three to four year rotation system depending on local conditions such as nutrients and currents that determine regrowth after harvest. However, there are a lot of unknowns with respect to growth. Sickles are used for harvesting from the shore, while rakes with blades in between the tines are used when harvesting from vessels. Specialized harvesting machines have also been employed in the Maritimes, but in most situations, hand-harvesting is more cost-effective. Figure 3: Fucus (left & right) and Ascophyllum (centre) Drying is the most common form of processing as it SEAWEED WORKSHOP preserves the product and allows cost-effective transport. Seaweed is usually dried to about 12-14% RECOMMENDATIONS moisture; it can be stored for up to several months in this form. • Establish a licensing structure with exclusive, multi- year rights to harvest the resource that provides Seaweed can be dried naturally (in the open air), by sufficient security to encourage companies to invest mechanical means (in a drying shed with fans to in the industry circulate outside or heated air) or by a combination of Establish guidelines for harvesting and management the two. Drying usually takes a number of days; • practices (including allowable exploitation rates, drying times vary depending on the type and quality of the raw material, environmental conditions, such gear and harvesting schemes) as humidity and the drying method. It is important to • Establish a central source for information related to minimize drying costs. seaweed utilization • Make available guidelines and training for low cost, Some seaweeds are ground after drying. Coarsely reliable assessments of seaweed resources ground, dried seaweed is used in some products as a raw material in the production of extracts and soil • Provide assistance for exploration and development texture enhancers. However, other products require a of seaweed markets in agriculture and more finely,ground, dried seaweed. With CAFID pharmaceuticals funding, the Marine Institute purchased a 7.5 h.p. • Training is necessary for harvesting practices, "Sentury 2000" hammer mill, capable of grinding all products and production methods types of seaweed to a particle size as small as .02 A committee was formed to put forth the position of the inches. Subject to availability, companies may current seaweed processors to government. A summary borrow this equipment from DFA to carry out pilot report from this workshop is available from DFA. production runs. THE CAFID PROGRAM COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL The Cooperation Agreement for Fishing Industry The production of rockweed meal has been the most Development (CAFID) is a multi-year development important commercial exploitation of the seaweed agreement jointly administered and delivered through resource to date. However, both the existing the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) producers and potential entrants to the industry are and the Provincial Department of Fisheries and also looking at higher value products for the Aquaculture (DFA). The objective of the Agreement is pharmaceutical and health food markets. This is an to assist the Nfld. Fishing industry to be self sustainable area that has been actively supported by government, and viable in the present resource short environment. with a market research trip funded under the CAFID Agreement. The two Development Associations that FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS PROJECT CONTACT participated in this trip (Penguin Area and Greater Canada/Newfoundland Cooperation Agreement for Lamaline Area), have been following up with contacts Fishing Industry Development made during this trip. The results of the experimental P.O.Box 2460, Station "C" work carried out by the Penguin Area Development St. John's, Newfoundland, A1C 6E8 Association are documented in CAFID project Provincial (DFA) Federal (DFO): summary #14. Tel. (709) 729-6999 Tel. (709) 772-2923 Fax (709) 772-2110 Fax (709) 729-6082

Project Officer: Pat McDonald. DFA