Details:

Journal Title:
Estuaries and Coasts
Personal Author:
Ulaski, Brian P. ; Konar, Brenda ; Otis, Edward O.
Ulaski, Brian P. ; Konar, Brenda ; Otis, Edward O. Less -
NOAA Program & Office:
Sea Grant ; OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research)
Sea Grant ; OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) Less -
Sea Grant Program:
AKU (Alaska Sea Grant)
Description:
In Alaska, interest in harvesting seaweeds for personal use is growing and information on potential impacts of this activity on sustainability of wild populations is lacking. This study provides information on reproductive timing and size, standing crop, and harvest rebound of three commonly harvested seaweeds in Southcentral Alaska: the rockweed, Fucus distichus; the sugar kelp, Saccharina latissima; and the bull kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana. From March through October 2018, seaweeds were surveyed for reproductive status and harvested to determine how much biomass was available. From the harvests, individuals were measured to determine the size when they first become reproductive. Harvested plots were re-harvested to determine biomass regrowth after 2, 4, and 6 months. Fucus and Nereocystis were broadly reproductive over the summer, while Saccharina was not. The presence of reproductive Fucus and Nereocystis throughout the summer could buffer the impacts of late season harvesting. Depending on the species (e.g., Fucus), individuals that became reproductive at a larger size were associated with lower density and lower biomass areas with slower recovery. The amount of biomass available for harvest and the amount that regrew following a harvest were temporally variable but had spatial differences that were consistent throughout the summer. Regrowth following harvesting for all three species was generally low after only 2 months, but the amount of biomass after 6 months post-harvesting was sometimes comparable to non-harvested areas. This study demonstrated that to varying extents, seaweed harvesting may be sustainable if timing of reproduction, available biomass, and regrowth are all considered.
Keywords:
[+]
Mariculture Marine Algae Harvest Kelp Seaweed
Source:
Estuaries and Coasts 43, 2046–2062 (2020)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-020-00740-1
Sea Grant Document Number:
AKU-R-20-008
Document Type:
Journal Article
Funding:
Grant no. NA18OAR4170078
Place as Subject:
Alaska
Rights Information:
CC BY
Compliance:
Library
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:5531e9309731d042f770d5a039f76551e548212954fc8760cd11d4173c96a457
Download URL:
https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/37288/noaa_37288_DS1.pdf
File Type:

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