SEAWEED FARMING
‘If every person in Australia decided to become vegetarian, there would not be enough crop-able land to feed everyone’
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‘If all the major carbon emitters were required to offset their emissions, there would currently only be enough credits for two days' worth of emissions’
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‘Seaweed can grow half a meter a day and feeding certain species to cattle can reduce methane emissions’
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The seaweed industry has received significant media attention over the past few years, often accompanied by sensational claims and statistics. Whether these statements are fact or fiction isn't important; what matters is that seaweed is one of the potential solutions for future world-wide food security and climate change mitigation. Utilising the vast untapped resource of the ocean to farm seaweed is gaining popularity as more of the population begins to accept its health and environmental benefits. Seaweed farming in many countries is very much in its infancy, and in many others is restricted to subsistence techniques. There are currently no commercial seaweed producers in Australia, and there is a vast gap between the amount of research required and the available expertise. It is an exciting challenge and now is the time to be on the ground floor of the future of blue innovation.
SERVICES
Drift operates at the interface where scientific research and industry innovation meet. With over a decade’s experience in phycology and seaweed aquaculture, and more than 20 year's experience in marine ecological research and monitoring, Drift are well placed to assist and advise in the set-up and optimization of your seaweed farm. We provide high-level scientific advice to those entering the seaweed industry and can:
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Help select appropriate species for your needs, market, or lease site
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Collect, maintain and grow-out clean/isolated strains from any required location
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Expand knowledge of marine farming techniques, including scaling up spore production and increasing success of seedling cultivation,
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Conduct independent research to determine lease suitability and optimise production
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Establish hatcheries and land-based tank facilities and guide their scale-up
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Conduct biological and ecological field research (location specific life-cycle, seasonality, conditions for sporulation)
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Draw on knowledge and experience to undertake designated research to develop farming techniques for novel species
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Provide specialist advice for Asparagopsis farm establishment, broodstock collection, reproduction, and seeding
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Assist with kelp broodstock establishment and spool seeding for farm deployment
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Design and undertake any statutory marine monitoring (e.g. seagrass and algae community monitoring) that may be a requirement of marine lease licences and government approvals
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Undertake economic modelling and assist with business planning
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Provide specialist statistical, research and experimental design advice
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Provide scientific survey and commercial diving services
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Drift is currently working closely with nine seaweed farming start-ups in Australia and overseas, offering advice and undertaking research and monitoring for a range of different seaweed species.
ABOUT US
Dr. Margie Rule - Principal Phycologist
Margie is a marine phycologist and aquaculturist/mariculturist, with specialist capabilities in the fields of seaweed biology, ecology and cultivation. She holds a PhD from the University of Western Australia (2013) where she examined the effects of climate on the reproductive ecology of the kelp Ecklonia radiata. Margie has over thirteen years’ experience working in a variety of roles focused on the diversity, biology, ecology and cultivation of seaweed and has worked for both Sea Forest in Tasmania and Harvest Road in Western Australia and was instrumental in the development of their Asparagopsis farming practices. In the past three years Margie has developed marine and land-based farming teachniques for Asparagopsis including broodstock collection and maintenance, hatchery establishment, contamination elimination and management, production optimization, successful ocean farming of both species and controlled laboratory sporogenesis and seeded substrates for deployment.
Dr. Michael Rule - Principal Marine Ecologist
Michael is a highly experienced marine ecologist with a PhD in invertebrate ecology from the University of New England (2006). Michael has worked across a broad range of marine habitats and communities, from the tropics to the sub-Antarctic and has worked in both the private and public sectors. He was a government research scientist for over a decade, where he established marine monitoring programs for a variety of assets (especially seagrass and macroalgae) across the entire coast of Western Australia, and undertook novel research for marine communities (blue forests). More recently, Michael has undertaken contract Asparagopsis work for both Sea Forest and Harvest Road. This work focused on developing techniques for monitoring seaweed to understand farming seasonality, ocean farming establishment, land-based production optimistation, farm stock assessment, on-farm monitoring, and data management and analysis.
