UF/IFAS and Florida Sea Grant received a NOAA grant to study the viability of seaweed aquaculture in Florida waters. “We have an aquaculture industry with the skills and knowledge to cultivate seaweed. The goal is to see if tropical seaweeds in Atlantic waters can serve to boost a new industry,” says researcher Ashley Smyth.
Cold-water seaweeds such as kelp and nori would not thrive in Florida’s warm waters. So, the team will focus on subtropical species that do well here. Objectives include developing scalable seaweed farming methods, identifying the best local species for cultivation, exploring commercial uses for these seaweeds, estimating costs and profits of farming seaweed, and assessing how seaweed can help clean waterways.
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