For thousands of years, the Tlingit people have fostered systems of science and education indigenous to their home, allowing each clan to maintain stewardship of their lands. For generations, this traditional way of life brought prosperity to the Southeast Alaska communities. Many rely on the continued availability of wild seaweed harvesting, particularly of intertidal species. […]
Discover the versatility of seaweed and the contributions of seaweed farming—or seaweed aquaculture—to working waterfronts and environmental sustainability. Seaweed is a nutritious, versatile, and pervasive organism. It is a type of macroalgae that can be used to make products we use every day—including fertilizers, animal feed, and cosmetics. It has even been described as a “superfood.” In […]
University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers have discovered a thriving ecosystem among the decomposing seaweed debris that covers many Alaska beaches, including nearly 100 different types of invertebrates found in surveys at a handful of sites on the Kenai Peninsula. It’s the first Alaska-based survey of the marine algae that washes up on beaches, known as […]
Seaweed farming is a major industry worldwide, with the United States importing more than 95%—19 million tons—of its edible seaweed. Alaska’s coast is ideal for producing home-grown seaweed to meet a greater share of the domestic market and to export and meet international demand. While interest in seaweed farming is growing in Alaska, a lack […]