Cultivating Palmaria palmata - Bord Iascaigh Mhara

products. Methods for the cultivation of Palmaria palmata had been investigated in previous years by Browne
(2001) and Edwards (2007) at the Queen‟s University Marine Laboratory in Portaferry and the economics of
cultivation were also assessed. This provided an important base for the research conducted in the context of the
current project (see below).
1.2 The Seaweed Hatchery Project – PBA/SW/07/001 (01)
1.2.1 Project Objectives
The main objectives of this project were to develop and trial industry-scale hatchery and ongrowing
methodologies for identified seaweed species and to provide a platform for transferring the technology to create
new business opportunities in seaweed aquaculture within Ireland. The three species that were identified as
having commercial potential were the edible red alga Palmaria palmata, the large brown kelp Laminaria digitata,
and a second edible red alga, Porphyra sp. During the course of this project a fourth species was added,
Saccharina latissima.
Objectives within the project were both scientific, and industry-focused. These included:
Scientific
Establishment of optimal hatchery culture conditions for each seaweed species
Development of techniques for the settlement of each seaweed onto suitable substrates for deployment
at sea
Monitoring and improving the yield of cultured seaweeds on culture equipment at various licensed sea
sites
Development of seaweed harvesting strategies at sea sites
Industry-focused
Seaweed marketing strategy report
Economic analyses for the three seaweed species
Training courses in algal cultivation techniques
Production of cultivation manuals under BIM‟s „Aquaculture Explained‟ series
Desk-based GIS study for assessing requirements for locating seaweed cultivation sites, using Bantry
Bay as the study area.
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