Resource Management Service
How we harvest seaweed is as important to sustainability as how much seaweed we harvest. The tools and techniques our Harvesters use enable the robust regrowth of intertidal seaweed stock in only a year and limit the impact on marine plants and their related ecosystems. Plus, we coordinate with Harvesters, sharing our comprehensive knowledge of seaweed stocks in our harvesting zones to ensure that they never overharvest any site, keep our eco-footprint minimal and work safely.
The sickles, serrated knives, specialized cutter-rakes or mechanical equipment our Harvesters use are chosen for their ability to minimize the damage to holdfasts and the seaweed substrate. When pruning seaweed fronds, we take care to leave enough for future regrowth. For example, we train Harvesters to leave 5 cm to 20 cm of seaweed enabling the Ascophyllum nodosum to rapidly regenerate.
We record all cases of holdfast removal in Harvesters boats, at the dry dock and the production facility. We monitor the health of the resource, detect potential problems and identify if immediate changes to harvesting practices and procedures are needed. This allows us to adapt quickly to any situation and implement corrective actions to better preserve the seaweed.