IMTA Lab - Scotland

The cultivation of low trophic species is an integral part of any Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) system. Open-water seaweed aquaculture relies solely on naturally occurring nutrients and those derived from other human activities (e.g. Fish farming). After seeding, seaweed cultivators must make difficult decisions regarding when best to harvest their crop. In northern latitudes increased light availability and surface nutrients promote the growth of cultivated biomass in spring around which time biomass doubles every 25-30 days.

Whilst seaweed can grow incredibly fast during this time, changes to the composition and importantly the quality of harvestable biomass are also observed driven by natural shifts in the environment in which they are grown (e.g. nutrient availability and light). The work undertaken this year at IMTA lab Scotland has focussed on understanding the environmental cues needed to predict the most optimum time to harvest biomass, maximising yield and quality whilst working within the natural seasonal changes typical of our coastal waters.  

Our continued operation and monitoring of the environment at our site has been combined with over 10 well-timed farm visits to collect over 90 seaweed samples from three commercially important species grown at our site (Alaria esculenta, Laminaria digitata and Saccharina latissima). These samples will require further processing to measure a wide range of performance characteristics. Our results will help cultivators to develop commercially viable businesses through improvements in yield and quality specific to a range of applications and industry supply chains. It is our belief that by maximising the value of seaweed production and avoiding costly mistakes cultivators will be better prepared to develop large-scale sustainable production methods, including integrating seaweed aquaculture within an IMTA approach.