{"id":9602,"date":"2024-12-18T15:38:46","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T15:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/uscseagrant\/?page_id=9602"},"modified":"2025-07-02T00:26:04","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T00:26:04","slug":"safer-seaweed-farming","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/uscseagrant\/safer-seaweed-farming\/","title":{"rendered":"Safer Seaweed Farming"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--accordions \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--accordions\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      <div class=\"header-container\">\n\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Developing sporeless (non-reproductive) breeds of domesticated kelp species to reduce regulatory barriers for expanded kelp farming\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Commercial and societal interest in seaweed farming is at an all-time high in the United States and globally. One major concern about the expansion of seaweed farms is the potential impact of genetically improved seaweed on the diversity and abundance of wild kelp forests. Thus, the development of sterile, selectively bred (\u201csporeless\u201d) seaweed aims to support the economic viability of future large offshore seaweed operations while minimizing the environmental risks of these operations to wild seaweed. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The University of Southern California (USC), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), USC Sea Grant, and WHOI Sea Grant Programs were awarded a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration award in 2022 to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">establish a selective breeding program that improves the quality and yields of farmed kelp. The project team is creating such a process by identifying wild kelp with naturally occurring mutations and breeding them so sterility is induced, circumventing any need for genetic modification (non-GMO).<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Further, USC Sea Grant is leading engagement with regulatory agencies and marine stakeholders to develop a public education program regarding research results and to explore policy opportunities relevant to sporeless seaweed technologies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n      \n    <\/div>\n  \n  \n  \n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h3><b>Key Results<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A number of strains of sugar kelp and giant kelp were genomically predicted<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to be sterile.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several of these strains also hold promise for maintaining sterility in the laboratory and the field; monitoring is ongoing.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A rapid PCR test is under development as another technique to confirm that selected kelp are sterile.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Project Impacts &amp; Application:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The researchers submitted a patent application for genetics-based selection of sporeless kelp to the U.S. Patent Office in June 2024.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A private company, Macrobreed LLC, was launched by the research team based on the sporeless technique.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <a href=\"https:\/\/scholarship.law.wm.edu\/wmelpr\/vol49\/iss1\/3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">legal research article<\/a> regarding a potential regulatory framework for sporeless kelp \u00a0 implications <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">was published<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, informed by informational interviews with relevant aquaculture regulators, extension agents, and industry professionals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=i2nF3oQGCYo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">public video<\/a> on the sporeless technology\u2019s methodology and rationale was produced.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">USC Sea Grant mentored two undergraduate environmental communications interns and a law student to develop these public outreach products.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/uscseagrant\/2025\/02\/25\/fog-filmmaking-and-the-future-of-kelp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn about intern Arian Tomar&#8217;s experience<\/a> creating the &#8220;innovation in Selective Breeding Unlocks Kelp Farming Potential&#8221; video.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/wrigley\/2023\/11\/08\/communicating-about-sustainable-seaweed-farming-and-seafood\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn about intern Charlie Doering-Powell&#8217;s experience<\/a> communicating about sustainable seaweed farming and seafood.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Principal Investigators:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Sergey Nuzhdin, Ph.D., University of Southern California<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">Co-PI Scott Lindell, Ph.D., Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">Co-I Amalia Almada, Ph.D., USC Sea Grant, University of Southern California<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">Co-I Joshua Reitsma, Ph.D., WHOI Sea Grant, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Funding: <\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"s1\">2022-2025; NOAA National Sea Grant Program, through the Early Propagation Strategies for Aquaculture Species Call<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Additional Info<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vissers, Carina, et al. \u201cUsing Sporeless Sporophytes as a Next Step Towards Upscaling Offshore Kelp Cultivation.\u201d <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Journal of Applied Phycology <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 22 Nov. 2023, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/journal\/10811\/volumes-and-issues\/36-1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/link.springer.com\/journal\/10811\/volumes-and-issues\/36-1<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cEmerging Approaches to Seed Production.\u201d <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GreenWave<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 21 Mar. 2024, <a href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/926240360\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/vimeo.com\/926240360<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cScott Lindell from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute &#8230;\u201d <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">World Wildlife Fund<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 13 Dec. 2023, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.worldwildlife.org\/videos\/scott-lindell-from-woods-hole-oceanographic-institute-discusses-seaweed\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">www.worldwildlife.org\/videos\/scott-lindell-from-woods-hole-oceanographic-institute-discusses-seaweed<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSelectively Breeding Seaweed.\u201d<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> World Wildlife Fund, <\/span><\/i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.worldwildlife.org\/pages\/selectively-breeding-seaweed\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">www.worldwildlife.org\/pages\/selectively-breeding-seaweed<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Solovieva, Daria. \u201cWhy This USC Scientist Sees a Big Future in America\u2019s Kelp Farming.\u201d <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Icebreaker<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2 Mar. 2022, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.icebreaker.media\/why-this-usc-scientist-sees-a-big-future-in-americas-kelp-farming\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">www.icebreaker.media\/why-this-usc-scientist-sees-a-big-future-in-americas-kelp-farming\/<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h3>Project Video: Innovation in Selective Breeding Unlocks Kelp Farming Potential<\/h3>\n<div class=\"video-embed\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Innovation in Selective Breeding Unlocks Kelp Farming Potential\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i2nF3oQGCYo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n    \n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--image-gallery \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--image-gallery\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n\n      <div class=\"text-container\">\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Project Images\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n          <\/div>\n    \n      <div id=\"gallery-1299428724\" class=\"gallery-container\">\n\n      <div class=\"swiper images\">\n        <div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n                                    <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/uscseagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2024\/12\/SporelessKelp1-768x432.jpg\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/uscseagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2024\/12\/SporelessKelp1-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/uscseagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2024\/12\/SporelessKelp1-768x432.jpg 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  role=\"none\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n                              <\/div>\n                              <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"swiper captions\">\n        <div class=\"controls-container\">\n          <button class=\"button-prev\" aria-label=\"Previous Image\">\n            <svg version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"\n            x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n            <polygon fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000\" points=\"15.7,27.5 5.7,17.5 \n            15.7,7.5 18.7,10.4 13.6,15.4 28.3,15.4 28.3,19.6 13.6,19.6 18.7,24.6 \"\/>\n            <\/svg>\n          <\/button>\n          <button class=\"button-next\" aria-label=\"Next Image\">\n            <svg version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"\n\t x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><polygon fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000\" points=\"19.3,27.5 29.3,17.5 \n\t19.3,7.5 16.3,10.4 21.4,15.4 6.7,15.4 6.7,19.6 21.4,19.6 16.3,24.6 \"\/>\n<\/svg>\n          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n                                    <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n                                  <div class=\"slide-caption\">\n                        \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wrigley Institute interns (Charles Doering-Powell (USC) and Gabriela Martinez (Pace University Law)) observing non-reproductive kelp at Sergey Nuzhdin\u2019s (project Co-PI) lab.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                  <\/div>\n                              <\/div>\n                              <\/div>\n\n      <\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n  \n  <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--spacer \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--spacer\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-9602","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin 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