A case for seaweed aquaculture inclusion in U.S. nutrient pollution management

Racine, Phoebe; Marley, AnnaClaire; Froehlich, Halley E.; Gaines, Steven D.; Ladner, Ian; Macadam-Somer, Ilan; Bradley, Darcy

doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104506

Cited by 46 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…However, production of red algaes, such as Eucheuma and Kappaphycus spp., are not far behind and often trade for the top spot (Kim et al, 2019). Previous efforts to explore the climate change mitigation potential of macroalgae farming have included using raw materials for the production of biofuels (Michalak, 2018;Osman et al, 2020), nutrient management (Racine et al, 2021), and as a supplement within livestock feed to reduce methane emissions (Roque et al, 2021). Early-stage research is also being conducted to evaluate the potential of growing and then intentionally sinking large quantities of macroalgae in the deep ocean, locking the C incorporated within macroalgae biomass away from atmospheric exchange (DeAngelo et al, 2022;Froehlich et al, 2019;Gaines et al, 2019;NASEM, 2021;Peters, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying baseline costs and cataloging potential optimization strategies for kelp aquaculture carbon dioxide removal

Coleman

Dewhurst²,

Fredriksson

et al. 2022

Front. Mar. Sci.

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To keep global surface warming below 1.5°C by 2100, the portfolio of cost-effective CDR technologies must expand. To evaluate the potential of macroalgae CDR, we developed a kelp aquaculture bio-techno-economic model in which large quantities of kelp would be farmed at an offshore site, transported to a deep water “sink site”, and then deposited below the sequestration horizon (1,000 m). We estimated the costs and associated emissions of nursery production, permitting, farm construction, ocean cultivation, biomass transport, and Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) for a 1,000 acre (405 ha) “baseline” project located in the Gulf of Maine, USA. The baseline kelp CDR model applies current systems of kelp cultivation to deep water (100 m) exposed sites using best available modeling methods. We calculated the levelized unit costs of CO2eq sequestration (LCOC; $ tCO2eq-1). Under baseline assumptions, LCOC was $17,048 tCO2eq-1. Despite annually sequestering 628 tCO2eq within kelp biomass at the sink site, the project was only able to net 244 C credits (tCO2eq) each year, a true sequestration “additionality” rate (AR) of 39% (i.e., the ratio of net C credits produced to gross C sequestered within kelp biomass). As a result of optimizing 18 key parameters for which we identified a range within the literature, LCOC fell to $1,257 tCO2eq-1 and AR increased to 91%, demonstrating that substantial cost reductions could be achieved through process improvement and decarbonization of production supply chains. Kelp CDR may be limited by high production costs and energy intensive operations, as well as MRV uncertainty. To resolve these challenges, R&D must (1) de-risk farm designs that maximize lease space, (2) automate the seeding and harvest processes, (3) leverage selective breeding to increase yields, (4) assess the cost-benefit of gametophyte nursery culture as both a platform for selective breeding and driver of operating cost reductions, (5) decarbonize equipment supply chains, energy usage, and ocean cultivation by sourcing electricity from renewables and employing low GHG impact materials with long lifespans, and (6) develop low-cost and accurate MRV techniques for ocean-based CDR.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying baseline costs and cataloging potential optimization strategies for kelp aquaculture carbon dioxide removal

Coleman

Dewhurst²,

Fredriksson

et al. 2022

Front. Mar. Sci.

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“…This is particularly relevant for aquaculture located in protected bays and deltas that rely on flow conditions and/or coastal currents. One idea to capitalize on this problem is to install seaweed or mollusc aquaculture to assimilate nutrients causing dead zones (Racine et al, 2021). Identifying the relationship between freshwater-dependent ecosystems and groundwater-dependent ecosystems may help delineate saltwater intrusion for coastal cities and water resource management for land-based agriculture.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is particularly relevant for aquaculture located in protected bays and deltas that rely on flow conditions and/or coastal currents. One idea to capitalize on this problem is to install seaweed or mollusc aquaculture to assimilate nutrients causing dead zones (Racine et al, 2021). Analyzing either modern high-resolution imagery or historical imagery can provide a cost-effective means to quantifying changes in the landscape and its impact on adjacent freshwater-marine systems (Hackney et al, 2021;Nita et al, 2018).…”

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confidence: 99%

Resilient rivers and connected marine systems: a review of mutual sustainability opportunities

et al. 2022

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Word Count (not including table, references or figure captions): 8592Non-Technical Summary (100 words max): Rivers are crucial to the water cycle, linking the landscape to the sea. Human activities, including effluent discharge, water use, and fisheries, have transformed the resilience of many rivers around the globe. SDG 14 prioritizes addressing many of the same issues in marine ecosystems. This review illustrates how rivers contribute directly and indirectly to SDG 14 outcomes, but also provides ways to potentially address them through a river to sea view on policy, management, and research.

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“…By extracting nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from surrounding waters and absorbing carbon dioxide, the photosynthetic process of seaweeds and microalgae can mitigate eutrophication, treat wastewater, reduce ocean acidification and capture/sequester carbon (Muraoka, 2004;Racine et al 2021).…”

Section: Environmental Benefits and Ecosystem Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seaweeds and microalgae: an overview for unlocking their potential in global aquaculture development

2021

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The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO.

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A case for seaweed aquaculture inclusion in U.S. nutrient pollution management

Cited by 46 publications

References 28 publications

Quantifying baseline costs and cataloging potential optimization strategies for kelp aquaculture carbon dioxide removal

Quantifying baseline costs and cataloging potential optimization strategies for kelp aquaculture carbon dioxide removal

Resilient rivers and connected marine systems: a review of mutual sustainability opportunities

Seaweeds and microalgae: an overview for unlocking their potential in global aquaculture development

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