WILD SEAWEED HARVESTING AS A DIVERSIFICATION OPPORTUNITY FOR FISHERMEN

08/05/2018

The seaweed industry in Scotland is still in its infancy, but has the potential to thrive and develop to support a range of business that have identified uses for seaweed products. Wild seaweed harvesting can potentially present a unique opportunity for fishermen to diversity their work activities, relieving pressure from fish stocks and providing alternative seasonal income. Although small scale wild harvesting of seaweed occurs around the Scottish coast, the economics and feasibility of large scale wild seaweed harvesting has yet to be examined, with knowledge gaps for sustainability of harvests, environmental impacts and the costs of Marine Licensing.

HIE contracted SRSL to investigate the potential of wild seaweed harvesting as a diversification opportunity for fishermen. The aim of the project is
to deliver a report that covers three areas:

1. Guidance on the mapping and location of seaweed for harvesting
2. Guidance on the harvesting of seaweed
3. Marine Licence scoping and economic feasibility of seaweed harvesting
   This report is concerned with the potential for medium to large-scale harvesting of kelps in
   Scotland using mechanical harvesting techniques.

You can read the report below, as well as the accompanying kelp atlas shows the locations and type of seaweed located around our coastline.