"Overcoming Boiling Seas"...Wando Launches Kelp Farming Without Offshore Acclimatization

Pilot Project Launched to Overcome High Sea Temperatures
Seed Frames Distributed to Six Fishing Villages
Direct Supply to Fisheries After Onshore Cultivation, Skipping Offshore Acclimatization
Fundamental Prevention of Seedling Die-Offs

Wando County in South Jeolla Province has officially launched a pilot project for direct kelp seedling cultivation, boldly omitting the traditional offshore acclimatization process in response to rising sea temperatures caused by the climate crisis.

According to Wando County on March 17, the local government held a pilot project event the previous day at the Agricultural and Fisheries Culture and Sports Center, attended by fishermen and relevant organizations. During the event, more than 1,000 seaweed seed frames were distributed to six fishing villages, including Geumil-eup, Nohwa-eup, Cheongsan-myeon, Bogil-myeon, and Saengil-myeon.

Wando County held a pilot project event and distributed seedling frames to six fishing villages including Geumil-eup, Nohwa-eup, Cheongsan-myeon, Bogil-myeon, and Saengil-myeon. Provided by Wando County

This pilot project was initiated as a solution to disruptions in conventional kelp seed production and cultivation caused by long-term increases in sea temperatures and changes in the marine environment. The traditional method required an essential offshore acclimatization process, in which seeds produced on land had to adapt for a certain period in the sea.

In contrast, the new method introduced this time involves cultivating the seeds on land and supplying them directly to fisheries without the acclimatization stage. These seeds can be used not only as feed for abalone but are also suitable for human consumption.

This innovative production technology was developed by Namyong Lee, former president of the Wando County Federation of Fisheries Management, who began his research and development in 2015 and succeeded in cultivation experiments in 2017. At that time, the marine environment was relatively stable, so the technology was not immediately applied in the field.

However, since 2023, high sea temperatures have resulted in the melting of kelp and sea mustard seedlings, as well as mass die-offs during the seeding and acclimatization process. As the limitations of the traditional method became increasingly evident, Wando County proactively decided to introduce the new method in the field.

Fishermen who received the seeds will conduct offshore trial cultivation and will regularly monitor the growth status. The county also plans to purchase the produced seeds for distribution to fishing villages, while thoroughly assessing the field applicability and stability of the technology.

County Mayor Woo Cheol Shin stated, "We will establish a stable seed supply system and thoroughly verify the effectiveness of this pilot project before considering ways to expand its distribution in the future."

Moving forward, Wando County intends to expand the application of this technology to other seaweed varieties, such as sea mustard and gompi, in order to build a resilient seaweed aquaculture foundation that can withstand climate change.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.