OUR PROJECts
the potential for aquaculture in the south is well suited to the culture of sea weeds and molluscan shellfish. By combining the two we hope to see positive synergies develop which optimise the space available and which are compatible with other coastal interests in the area.
In order to investigate this further, we have rented a 2 hectare plot in Portland Port and have been conducting growth trials since autuMN WITH POSITIVE RESULTS.
OUR SEAWEED TRIAL AUG 19
WE'RE ON FILM!
We were lucky enough to .....
SEAWEED
seaweed has long been known as a super food with many medicinal benefits, A MUCH SORT AFTER PRODUCT IN THE BEAUTY INDUsTRY DUE TO ITS ANTI AGEING PROPERTIES and also a NATURAL source of fertiliser.
Seaweed has been cultured IN ASIA FOR SEVERAL DECADES AND IS WIDELY USED IN LOCAL CUISINE. UNTIL RECENTLY EUROPE HAS NOT BEEN A MAJOR PRODUCER OF SEAWEEDS, WITH MOST OF THE PRODUCTION COMING FROM MANUAL AND MECHANICAL HARVESTING OF NATURAL POPULATIONS WHICH IS ULTIMATELY UNSUSTAINABLE, DAMAGING TO THE SHORE AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND LABOUR INTENSIVE.
SINCE 2015, INCREASING QUANTITIES OF SEAWEEDS SUCH AS SUGAR KELP (Saccharina Latissima) Dabberlocks(alaria Esculenta) and oarweed (Laminaria digitata) have been cultured from spores, not only saving the natural environment from damage but producing a cleaner and purer product. The spores are allowed to grow on lengths of twine which are wound around submerged longlines of several hundred metres in length. 'seeded' lines laid in the late autumn/early winter will be ready for harvesting in late spring after which the seaweed is either sold fresh/frozen or dried.
shellfish
in addition to seaweed we are also looking at growing shellfish species particulary king scallops (pecten maximus) and pacific oysters (crassostrea gigas) alongside the seaweed.
There is a lot of interest in growing this highly prized shellfish in the area and several companies have invested in open sea sites along the coast. We are conducting trials with collected scallops of different sizes using several novel systems. We are looking at the possibility of growing undersized scallops, collected by bottom dredgers, that would otherwise be discarded or damaged.
We have bought in some disease free triploid oyster seed from guernsey sea farms and have seen good initial growth and low mortality over the first 3 months of the trial. we are looking at various holding systems for the oysters including traditional trays and more novel systems such as zapco floating bags, which produce oysters with well rounded shells, good meat ratios and are easy to manage. We are currently looking at other local sites for increasing oyster production.