$1.2M to New Zealand Researchers for Seaweed Farming Trials

University of Waikato researchers Dr. Marie Magnusson and Dr. Rebecca Lawton will receive $1.2 million to investigate seaweed farming in New Zealand’s Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty as part of a $5 million commercial regenerative seaweed farming pilot. The pilot will include hatchery production, on-water farming, seaweed processing, product trials and training programs for seaweed farmers. It will provide the proof-of-concept for farming native seaweed at a commercial scale.

In partnership with the New Zealand government and local farmers, the pilot is focused on creating a viable community model from seed to sale. It intends to develop and support the establishment of seaweed farms throughout New Zealand, using a regenerative ocean farming model developed by GreenWave in the United States.

A key part of the project is the development of aquaculture protocols for the native kelp Ecklonia radiata. “Although there is much knowledge to draw from internationally regarding kelp aquaculture, none of the major global commercial seaweed crops are native to New Zealand. This means that both hatchery and seeding protocols and farm designs need to be developed and tested for our local kelp species and conditions,” says Dr. Magnusson.

The pilot will also quantify improvements in water quality from seaweed farming. “Seaweed are really effective at removing excess nutrients from the water, so in addition to producing biomass which can be turned into a range of valuable products, seaweed farming can also have significant positive impacts on marine ecosystems by improving water quality,” says Dr. Lawton.

The Government is contributing nearly $2 million through the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund to the three-year project, which is spearheaded by EnviroStrat. EnviroStrat and Healthy Waters, Auckland Council, are investing an additional $3 million. The University of Waikato will oversee the research and trial designs, with input from the University of Auckland’s marine science faculty.

The project will build on existing seaweed aquaculture research undertaken at the University of Waikato through the $13 million algal biotechnology research project, funded by the Tertiary Education Commission’s Entrepreneurial Universities program and the University of Waikato.