The North Island could become a hub for seaweed aquaculture, and the Mount Waddington Regional District is working to help make it a reality.
Pat English, the district’s acting economic development manager, is putting together a task force to work through the financial realities of setting up a seaweed farming business.
“We’re now moving ahead to have some further talks with the First Nations, and to potentially set up a pilot project somewhere on the North Island, to actually look at the financial viability and the environmental sustainability of this type of operation,” he says.
Last month the regional district reviewed a Seaweed Industry Development Plan put together by Canadian Kelp Research. It confirmed the North Island is well-suited to farm multiple types of seaweed at commercial scale. Seaweed is a growing market worldwide, although North America currently makes up less than two per cent.
English says the next step is workshops with local First Nations in the new year to discuss North Island seaweed farming opportunities.
