Gulf of Alaska | Lower Trophic Levels MASTER’S POSTER PRESENTATION Developing cultivation protocols for two Alaskan seaweeds with cultural relevance Presenter: Muriel Dittrich , mcdittrich@alaska.edu, University of Alaska Fairbanks Schery Umanzor , sumanzor@alaska.edu, University of Alaska Fairbanks Michael Stekoll , msstekoll@alaska.edu Wild seaweed harvest supports Indigenous cultures and food security. In Southeast Alaska, seaweeds feature prominently in Indigenous life through cultural practice and the social activity of gathering, preparing, preserving, and sharing. New concerns about the loss of wild biomass have prompted interest in developing cultivation methods for red ribbon ( Devaleraea mollis ) and stiff red ribbon ( Palmaria hecatensis ) seaweeds as an approach to supplement wild harvesting. Red ribbon (known as Pacific dulse outside of Alaska) is already grown at commercial scales in other Pacific Northwest states. However, the cultivation protocols described are not suitable for Alaska’s ecotypes and environmental conditions. There are no cultivation protocols for stiff red ribbon, P. hecatensis. Our goal is to develop indoor land- based cultivation protocols for year-round vegetative growth for both species, such that that high-quality biomass can be harvested at regular intervals. Here, I will describe two potential cultivation approaches to grow both species in a land-based tumble culture system and present progress on determining suitable ambient conditions and ways to reduce contamination. I will also describe future steps to bring cultures to open water as tumble cultures are financially prohibitive in most coastal Alaska. Mastering cultivation on land will open new possibilities to use Alaska’s expansive, accessible coastline for future open water mariculture of these two species.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 139
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