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AMC Announces Kelp Seed Quality Improvement Research & Development Projects

April 15, 2025

Lead Entities: Chugach Regional Resources Commission, GreenWave, Kelp Ark, Prince William Sound Science Center

Grant Component: Equipment & Technology

To scale the kelp industry in Alaska, farmers need reliable access to quality kelp seed. Seed consistency can lower cost structures and improve yield estimates, which can inform business planning and build trust with buyers. Research by McKinley Research Group and the Pacific Shellfish Institute, funded by AMC and summarized in a November 2024 report, found that poor seed quality and failures at the hatchery level contributed to decreased kelp yields in 2024 and are a significant issue currently impacting the Alaska seaweed industry.

To address this issue, Southeast Conference (SEC), on behalf of the AMC, issued a request for proposals (RFP) for Kelp Seed Quality Improvement in December 2024. Through a competitive review process, four projects have been selected for funding.

The AMC Kelp Seed Quality Improvement program is an important step towards addressing kelp seed quality and consistency in Alaska and represents AMC’s commitment to adapt our program to respond to emerging industry needs. These projects represent a significant investment in Alaska’s mariculture future. By improving kelp seed quality, standardizing nursery operations, kickstarting kelp gametophyte seeding research, and developing a greater understanding of the genetic implications of different seeding methods, the AMC is laying the groundwork for a robust and sustainable industry.

Use the toggles below to learn more about the funded Kelp Seed Quality Improvement projects.

Lead Organization: Greenwave
Funding: $214,930
Region: All Regions

Lindsay Olsen and Dave Bailey with Greenwave will lead this project, which includes hosting a hands-on workshop at the Prince William Sound Science Center with participants from all 7 active kelp nurseries in Alaska. During the workshop, Greenwave will work with nursery operators to develop standard operating procedures and implement methods to reduce contamination and increase seed quality. Additionally, they will assist nursery operators in selecting, purchasing, and installing basic infrastructure upgrades to enhance seed quality controls. Fostering a statewide community of practice will increase communication between nursery operators and collectively improve kelp seed production and workforce training. This project builds on Greenwave’s significant prior investments in hatchery technology research and years of demonstrated success operating kelp nurseries on the U.S. east coast.

Lead Organization: Chugach Regional Resource Commission
Funding: $176,748
Region: Kenai Peninsula

Cameron Jardell at CRRC will build on CRRC’s previous projects funded through the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation Joint Innovation Program and the AMC Equipment Round I RFP to expand their research program on kelp gametophyte culture techniques. They will be utilizing newly-acquired bioreactors to efficiently grow cultures under a variety of conditions, track results, and refine gametophyte husbandry methods. Their project will also involve outplanting in the ocean to compare how growth and yield varies among three seeding methods (traditional meiospore-based seed spools, gametophyte-based seed spools, and direct seeding with gametophytes). This project will also collect genetic samples at all stages of the process and provide them to ADF&G for potential use in their kelp genetics research efforts.  AMC is excited to continue to support CRRC as they lead the way in developing gametophyte-based seeding methods for Alaska.

Lead Organization: Prince William Sound Science Center
Funding: $198,978
Region: Prince William Sound

Dr. Angie Korabik, post-doctoral fellow at the Prince William Sound Science Center, will lead this comprehensive study on the genetic diversity of cultivated bull kelp. With field sites in Kodiak and Cordova, they will compare genetic diversity of kelp seeded from conventional spore inoculation and controlled and uncontrolled gametophyte culture. They will also compare how seeding method affects seed quality and spool coverage. This project will test the prediction that seeding with gametophyte cultures of controlled parental contribution will lead to greater genetic diversity when compared to seeding with gametophyte cultures of uncontrolled parental contribution and seeding with conventional spore inoculation. It will also test whether gametophyte seeding can improve seed quality and spool coverage when compared to conventional spore inoculation. Ultimately, this project will provide critical data to inform how the Alaska permitting process may adapt in the future to accommodate gametophyte-based seeding methods while preserving genetic diversity and protecting wild kelp beds.  Genetic analyses under this project will be led by Dr. Felipe Alberto’s well-established kelp genetics lab at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.

Lead Organization: Kelp Ark
Funding: $199,393
Region: All Regions

Michael Marty-Rivera and Dr. Sergey Nuzhdin of Kelp Arc will collaborate with Dr. Michael Stekoll at UAF’s Lena Point facility in Juneau, AK to develop a gametophyte bank for Alaska kelps. Kelp Ark will start single cell origin gametophyte cultures for sugar, ribbon, and bull kelp, which will be housed in a collection at the UAF Lena Point facility and replicated at Kelp Ark’s facility in San Pedro, CA. They will then sequence the gametophyte cultures to gain insight into Alaska kelp population structure. This molecular work has the potential to inform Alaska’s kelp farm permitting process. Additionally, the established seed banks will be in the public domain, and therefore will further future scientific research on mariculture, conservation, kelp life history, and kelp genetics. This work builds upon and is supported by Kelp Ark’s ongoing work building a kelp genetics seed bank and research sterile seed with funding from a variety of public and private sources.

Background

Southeast Conference (SEC) is the federally designated Economic Development District (EDD) for Southeast Alaska, as well as the state designated Alaska Regional Development Organization. SEC’s mission is to undertake and support activities that promote strong economies, sustainable communities, and a healthy environment in Southeast Alaska.

In September 2022, Southeast Conference was awarded a $49 million U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) grant to catalyze a viable and sustainable mariculture industry in Alaska, supporting the production of shellfish and seaweed, for the long-term benefit of the state’s economy, environment, and communities.

SEC leads the Alaska Mariculture Cluster (AMC) grant coalition, which includes members of Alaska’s mariculture industry, tribal organizations, regulatory agencies, university system, regional EDDs, trade organizations, and others. A Governance Body, composed of AMC coalition leaders and Tribal executives from each of the project regions, guides the grant’s work and equity metrics.

The AMC has complementary grant components designed to break down barriers and develop Alaska’s mariculture industry.  The Overarching Narrative explains how the grant components work together to grow the industry in an equitable and responsible manner. The full project period for the AMC BBBRC project is October 1, 2022 to September 30th, 2026.