Alaska Commercial Seaweed

IncSmart Alaska (Small Business and Startups) - Alaska commercial seaweed industry has a bumper crop.  Five years ago, there were no seaweed farmers in Alaska.  Today are 16 producing operations in the state.  Seaweed is a $6 billion business worldwide, with Korea, Japan and China taking the lead.  Seaweed is used for food, fertilizer, animal feed, and many other products including pharmaceuticals.  Alaska grown seaweed harvest will be over 200,000 pounds this year.   Alaska will have a $100 million dollar industry within the next decade.  

The Commercial Fishing Division in the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, have licensed 10 companies for seaweed and oysters and 6 companies for seaweed only.  The growing kelp farming is also a boon for small family owned fishing companies.  Seaweed harvest occurs after the fishing season.  Seaweed  harvest in in April and May.  Planting season begins in then fall.  It is a new generation of ocean farming.