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Thanks in your article highlighting the wonders of seaweed as a crop that may be sustainably grown and harvested at sea (Sea-farmed supercrop: how seaweed may rework the way in which we stay, 19 April).
The article used an instance from Sweden, however the seaweed trade is already rising at tempo round our personal shores. The Scottish Affiliation for Marine Science in Oban, an unbiased marine analysis laboratory and a part of the College of the Highlands and Islands, will assist the trade develop with the launch of our Seaweed Academy on 26 April.
The Seaweed Academy, the UK’s first devoted seaweed trade facility, will use our analysis data to supply recommendation to startups, prepare staff and assist companies develop.
Seaweed farming has a low-carbon footprint, utilizing no contemporary water and with minimal land-based infrastructure. Certainly, now we have been working trial seaweed farms for greater than 10 years.
Globally, the seaweed farming trade has been rising exponentially and is estimated to be value round $15bn (£12bn) per yr. As your article said, the overwhelming majority of this exercise is in Asia. Nevertheless, there may be large development potential in Europe, with rising demand for seaweed from connoisseur eating places to livestock feeds. The macroalgae is already used extensively in meals components, agriculture, cosmetics and prescription drugs.
We’re eager to share the data that now we have gained over a long time of analysis within the hope that seaweed can turn out to be a thriving trade for coastal communities across the UK.
Prof Nicholas JP Owens
Director, Scottish Affiliation for Marine Science
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