Developing and testing innovative approaches to support seaweed cultivation in the UK

Seaweed cultivation is one of the fastest growing components of global agriculture, with seaweed production contributing to a range of industries including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, animal feed, fertilizer, biofuels and human food. Seaweed cultivation is generally low impact and has the potential to contribute to climate change mitigation and the sustainable provision of food and products. Seaweed production in the UK, as elsewhere, has increased dramatically in recent years, although still is in its infancy. There is a pressing need to support the nascent UK seaweed industry through targeted applied research, in order to overcome barriers to production, reduce risk, optimize strategies and maximize yield. This project will operate at the interface between fundamental biology and applied research within a commercial environment. The successful candidate will work closely with industry to design and execute a range of trials, experiments and surveys to support the development and diversification of seaweed cultivation in the UK. Research activities will evaluate various approaches to kelp farming, including (but not limited to) species selection, breeding and grow-out strategies, and techniques to minimize issues associated with biofouling and grazing. The research will lead to high quality scientific outputs as well as directly assisting with commercial seaweed cultivation, thereby having both academic and socioeconomic impact.