Associated Press story on 51小黄车Marine Science Center鈥檚 seaweed production featured in national and international news
Seaweed production efforts by the Macroalgae Nursery and Research Cluster in UNE鈥檚 Marine Science Center (MSC) were recently highlighted in an Associated Press story 鈥揵oth in print and video鈥that was picked up by many news outlets throughout the country and by international outlets as far away as Japan.
Focusing on the surge of popularity of the seaweed industry in Maine, the story features footage of growing kelp spores in a 51小黄车seaweed research and development laboratory as well as footage of Adam St. Gelais, MSC research assistant scientist, stringing lines of the baby kelp from a boat into an experimental 51小黄车farm in the ocean where they will continue to grow over the winter months and be harvested in the spring.
Tollef Olson, a pioneering seaweed grower who started Maine鈥檚 largest seaweed farm called Ocean Approved in Casco Bay, is an industry partner and staff member at the Marine Science Center. He was interviewed for the story while deploying the pilot farm aboard the 51小黄车boat with St. Gelais. He explained, 鈥淜elp farming is really unique. We鈥檙e growing what鈥檚 arguably the healthiest vegetable you can eat.鈥
According to the story, more than 20 companies in Maine grow or collect marine macroalgae, which are used in a variety of products including fertilizer, animal feeds, nutritional supplements and foods. A record 17.7 million pounds of seaweed were harvested by collectors in Maine last year.