Project Report No.2
Canada [Dept. of] Fisheries. Industrial
Development Service PROJECT REPORT
A REPORT ON SOME ASPECTS OF THE SEAWEED INDUSTRY
IN THE MARITIME PROVINCES OF CANADA
by
Constance I. MacFarlane
Nova Scotia Research Foundation
..
for
Industrial Development Service
Department of Fisheries of Canada, Ottawa
November 1966
A REPORT ON SOME ASPECTS OF THE SEAWEED INDUSTRY
IN THE MARITIME PROVINCES OF CANADA
Opinions expressed and conclusions reached by
the author of this report are not necessarily
endorsed by the sponsors of this project
CONTENTS
Page
Seaweeds at Present in Demand in the Canadian
Atln.n tic Area ........................................
1
Companies Purchasing Seaweeds in the Area ••......•..•.
2
Handling of Seaweeds in the J.1aritimes •••••••••••••••••
4
Known Availe.bility of Commercial .3eaweeds in the
ittlantic Area ... -' ......••...........................•
6
Additional Information - Labrador and Northwest
Ne''ifoundland •...........•.............•..............
10
Insufficiently Known Areas ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
11
Ilanufacturing Activities in the Area - Present and
:b'utl1re •...•......•••.••••.••.•...•..•••••...•.•....•.
11
Some Ecological Considerations •••.••••••.•.•••••••••••
13
Published Pa.pers and Heports ••••••.••••.••••••••••••.•
19
1
SEAd~ ~EDS
AT P3ESJmT IN DBhAND IN
' ~Hl~
CAUADIli.N A'rh1NTIC A.:IEA
1. Chondrus crispus (L.)Stackhouse •••.•••••• "Irish Noss"
2. 1hlrcellaria fastigiata (Hudson)Lamouroux •
J.
Gigartina stellata (Stackhouse)Batters •.• "Irish Hoss"
4. Ascol)hyllum nodosum (L. )Le Jolis •••.•.••• a fucoid
5. Hhodymenia palmata (L.)Greville ••••.•.••• "Dulse"
6 • Laminaria .....•.........................• liKe Ip rt
Chondrus crispus
.. ... U.S.
is harvested almost
and P.B.I. It
entirely from
is exported to
the U.S.A. and to Europe •
.H'urcellaria fastip;iata is harvested in the eastern parts
of .P .l~. I. and occurs from Cable
Head to Point Prim. It also occurs
on the Northumberland 3trait shore
of Pictou and Antigonish Counties
of Nova Scotia. It i~ exnorted
from P.B.I. to Europe.
~
Gigartina stellata ••• is harvested from the Fundy shores
of Digby and Annapolis Counties, N.S.
It is exported to U.S.A.
Ascophyllum nodosum •• is harvested from Fundy Approaches,
and is also available from shores
of the Bay of li\tnd'y, N. S. and New
Brunswick and in certain Atlantic
coast areas of Nova Scotia.
It is used in N.S. by Scotia r~rine
Products Ltd., \vood Harbour, N.S.
as source of algin8tc which is
marketed in Can~da and Burope.
It is also dried and ground ' by Bonda
Ltd., Yarmouth, as a meal for supplemental feeding-stuffs for animals
(livestock, mink, etc.) and poultry.
2
J.lliodymenia nalmata ••• is harvested from rocks in the Bay of
Fundy areas of Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick, espGcially in the Grand
Hanan, Digby and Annapolis Counties,
Isle Haute, and in certain areas in
Yarmouth County. It also occurs as
an e~iphyte on stipes of Laminaria in
the Bay of fundy and along the Atlantic
coast. In 1966 it was observed as a
dense epiphyte on Gigartina on the
shores of Digby Neck, N.S.
Laminaria .••••••••••• Of the five species of L8minaria
identified to date in Nova 3cotia
two were hal~ested comnercially.
Laminaria digitata (L.)Lamouroux and
L. longicruris de Is Pylaie were
harvested for several years for an
American firm for the production of
alginate. During th2.t time there
were two collecting stations with
storage tanks. The Laminari~ was
stored in a preservative solution
which acted also as a preliminary
treatment in the extraction process.
These stations were at Clarke Harbour,
Cape Sable Island, and on Dog Island
in the Tusket Islands.
1. Scotia Jllarine Products Ltd. , \food Harbour, !i.S.
Production of alginate for Canadian and European markets
(Asconhyllum) •
2. Bonda Industries Ltd., Yarmouth, N.S.
Production of Ascophyllum meal for:
a) supplementary feedin~ of livestock, poultry, mink
etc. and
b) for fertilizer.
J
company also sells Chondrus crispus
a) dried and baled
b) bleached, dried Dnd baled
c) bleached and pulverized.
~his
Other pulverized seav/eeds available from Bonda in
1965 v/ere:
a) Laminaria
b) Bhodymenia
This is also dried and packaged for
sale by this company in supermarkets,
drug stores, candy stores, etc.
J. Cunningham and Sons Ltd., Pubnico, N.S.
Purchase for resale as raw material Chondrus unbleached,
bleached and bleached pulverized.
This company deals occasionally in other seaweeds.
4. Kraft Foods Ltd., East Portland, Maine.
Chondrus.
5. l1arine Colloids Inc. Plant at aockland. Naine.
Chondrus, Gigartina.
6. Copenhagen Pectin Factory Ltd., Lille Skensved, Denmark.
Chondrus.
7. Litex Industri, CODenhagen.
]~rcellaria,
Glostrup, Denmark.
Chondrus.
8. Several other companies in New York, Chicago, etc., purchase
Chond rus throu;"";h brokers or from the companie s listed above.
9. A Hontreal i'irm (Hr. Carten) purchases Rhodyrnenia palmata
from Grand Hanan and other areas. Nuch of his purchase is
incorporated in a mixture of ~ubstances and sold in capsules
under the name of nSeadyne".
10.. Other buyers of Rhodymenia sell it locally.
4
11. Guildford's Ltd., Halifax, for a number of years
purchased the flowering plant, Zostera marina (eel grass).
It wC':.s made into batts for insulating wooden houses and
other buildings. This manufacture has been discontinued.
Shortly before the disappearance of Zostera from the
coasts of both sides of the North Atlantic, a business
was established in New England using Zostera as upholstery
material. A wE:. :cehouse was built in New Glasgow but the
enterprise soon collapsed because of the r'Zostera wasting
disease". Since the recovery of this plant, now successfully
re-cstablished in many beys and estuaries, no attempt has
been made to revive the use of Zostera in upholstery.
(The writer has eXClr.1ined Zostera from a chair made by
Adams over 100 years ago and found it still to be in
excellent cond i tion. Unlike fine excelsior, or "wood ':!ool" ,
it "ras not broken but was still "springy". It is said
that it does not "pack" like wood wool, nor break up like
sponge rubber.)
HANDLE~G
0 iii SBAvlEEDS IN rrHE IIArUTIl'-lES
Chondrus
1. Host of the Chondrus is dried and baled for shippini-j.
2. Small amounts are bleached and baled dry.
J. KrClft Ltd., at Yarmouth, N.S., now gr.inds the dried
Chondrus before packaging. The company likes this
procedure as it allows for addition&l culling and
cleaning of the Chondrus during the process.
4. Small quantities of bleached Chondrus are sometimes
. uul verized to a fine nowder -,vhich can be substituted
for the extract for s;me pu.rposes as well as allowing
for shipments in smaller volume per unit weight.
5 •.e...n artificial drier in Shag Harbour, N.S., has been
found satisfactory. Two more driers are scheduled
to be installed in Nova Scotia this season.
6. The experimental seaweed station at I'liminegash will
be in operation this year.
5
7. There is a possibility of a drier being installed
by a commercial company in 1) •.G. I. Such driers would
extend the season significantly as fall weather is
usually unsatisfactory for drying. Furcellaria,
especially, would benefit from driers as large
quanti ties are vlBshed ashore in large clumps by
autumn winds. ~llrcellaria requires a longer time to
dry than Chondrus.
8. Considerable quantities of Chondrus could be harvested
in western Halifax County, but in spite of urging
by several companies, efforts to interest residents
in harvesting have not met with any success.
LaTJinaria
Small quantities of Laminaria are washed and dried
for shipping.
Polyides rotundus (not a commercial seaweed)
In eastern Halifax County, Polyides rotundus 1r1ashes
ashore during easterly gales in vvinter. It is
collected in trucks and used as fertilizer by the
local "residents. The chemistry of Polyides seems
to be of great interest to several investigators.
The quantity is limited.
Gip;a.rtina
It is dried and baled.
Furcellaria
It is dried and baled. A Danish com~any purchases
mixed Chondrus and Furcellaria in F.B.I.
Asco;Jhyllum
1. Processed wet for alGinates.
2. Dried and ground for meal.
6
Hhodymenia (dulse)
It is sun dried and sold without ,rocessing. This
seaweed is eaten ,d thout processing and should be
dried under sanitRry conditions. Certain drying
and compressing practices in use at ?resent in
certain areas should be abandoned in favour of
more sanitary procedures.
KNO',/N
0 ]' Cor'jlS ..WIAL
IN THi ATL;"N'l'IC A.i.U:A
.A\fil.ILABILI~Y
Sj~A.IEEDS
Commercial development of seaweeds has occurred
chiefly in Nova Scotia and P rince ~dvlard Island , although
Kraft ioods and other companies have tried to arrange
purchases (of Chondrus) in Ue", Brunswick.
l'ivVl~
SCOTIA
Detailed surveys and ecological studies of commercial
seaweeds have been undertaken in Nova Scotia. Haps have
been pre}ared for various parts of the Nova Scotian coast
to show locations of Chondrus, Gigartina, l!urcellaria,
Lamin2ria, and fucoids (Ascophyllum and -r ocus). A sublittoral survey of the Northumberland Strait coast of Nova
Scotia is in progress. Some maps have been completed.
NDiv B:aUlfS :IICK AND GASPE"
P~~NINJULA
Less detailed surveys have been made of the Gaspe
and eastern NeVI Brunswick coasts. In 1960 the writer spent
a fev' days in New Brunswick accom~lanied by a diver who
examined the conditions of the substratum in a few areas.
Some of the places investigated supported a reasonably dense
growth of Chondrus but often this was on loose stones or
rugged submerged rocks, neither of ' ~ich is ideal for
harvesting by raking. Harvesting of Chondrus in such areas
is usually best by collection of cast weed from the beaches.
A more extensive survey of New Brunswick and Gas~e was made
by boat during the summer of 1965. A copy of the survey
is in the library of the Department of Fisheries, Ottawa.
7
PlUI-Ji..m
l~j)Vi.A :ID
IJLAND
Harvesting of Chondrus hHS been carried on since
1941. Purcella:::-ia \Vas harvested from the benches in 1964
and 1965 and is being harvested again this year, 1966.
Underwater surveys have not yet been made, but much is
known about the location and quantity of seaweeds available •
. .~king of Chondrus by heavy ral{es is carried on near
r:iminegash. Else\'I'here cast weed 0 f both s .: 1ecies (Chond rus
and Furcellaria) is gathered from the beaches after strong
winds.
]~aminaria and
E.~.I.
Ascophyllum are of only occasional
occurrence in
Attempts to survey the coast of Ca.T)e Breton for
seaweeds met with little success. Some ChondrUs was
harvested near Glace Bay some years ago but the following
year the amount available in that area was extremely limited.
Patches were sca.ttered and even in the tlwash" the quantity
was small. It is possible that the coast had suffered ice
erosion or that the method of ha.rvesting which involved
removal of hold fasts was responsible for the change. (It
was discovered that the Chondrus was gathered by hand tearing
away whole clumps complete with holdfasts.) Probably both
these factors were responsible for the decrease in Chondrus.
An attempt to survey the west coast of Cape Breton
(1962) was not satisfactory. Boats \'lere not readily available
and local interest was extremely limited. Some underwater
photogra'phs were made showing t~ood Chond rus growth but it
seemed d oubtfu.l if there were many exploitable areas. In
1961 the Kraft Foods Co. attempted an aerial survey of the
western coast of Cape Breton but the results of the flight
were not conclusive.
Some Chondrus was ,urchased from th~ east coast of
CaDe Breton in the early 1950's, but since then no purchases
have been made. l!urther surveying might disclose some
suitable areas.
E.1\.G DA]:'~~N ISLANDS
The writer s~ent two days in the Magdalen Islands in
1960. Unfortunately it was during neap tides and a boat was
not available. A small quantity of Chondrus of excellent
8
quality was found cast up in two coves. It is unlikely
that [J.ny sizable commercial activity could be undertalcen
from cast weed in the Nagdalen Islands. If suitable storage
is available dried material could be stored and shipped to
Prince Edward Island \'Ihen a sufficient supply is amassed.
A sublittoral investigation by divers might disclose ledges
of Chondrus in harvestable quantities.
N~ \vFOUNDL.fI.ND
The available quantitative information is contained
in a report prepared by Dr. H. J. Humm and read by IIr. I,. J.
Harnwn at a Conference on the Utilization of Seaweeds held
at Dalhousie University, Halifax, in Se:LJtember 1948.
Small harvests of Chondrus were made in Ne\'lfoundland
in 1941, 1942, 1943, the largest, 28,795 lbs. being taken
in 1941.
Dr. Humm made observations in Avalon Peninsula, Burin
Peninsula and Notre Dame Bay, and swnmarized his investigation
as follows:Summary of localities ''Ihere Chondrus crispus
was found in possible commercia.l abundance.
Saint JYIary's Bay
Colinet Harbour (especially along be8ch between
John's Pond and North Harbour.)
Dog Cove
'Jig l3arachois
st. lIary's Harbour
l'lacentia Bay
Placentia Sound
(Argentia Bay
probably here also, although this
was not checked.)
Ship Harbour
Irishtown
Iiagotty Cove
rIarystown
Bastern Shore of Avalon Peninsula
Portugal Cove South
Trepassey
9
Western Shore of Conception Bay
Harbour Grace and Spaniard's Bay (?)
Notre l)ame Bay
Big Cove in Little Burnt Bay (?)
The paper refers to a preliminary survey of kelp (Laminaria)
made by the Newfoundland H.a.ngers in the fall of 1939, and
recommends the usefulness of aeri[il surveys for kelp beds.
Reference is also made to a paper by Nancy ~rost
entitled "Observations on the occurrence and composition
of kelp in Newfoundland", dated December 18, 1939. Humm
disagrees with Frost on the quantity of seaweeds occurring
in Newfoundland, finding her reports to contain "remarkable
pessimism •..• difficult to explain". The disagreement
refers especially to Laminaria (kelp), Ascophyllum and
Fucus (rockweed).
It is possible that the re was an actual difference
in density and extent in the seaweed cover in these Newfoundland areas in the two years.* (Ice erosion in the spring of
,1961 drastically reduced seaweed populations of the Atlantic
coast of Nova Scotia east of Halifax. Chondrus areas under
observation recovered in four years, but some excellent
stands of Ascophyllum, a slow growing plant, have only begun
to make a g ood recovery. Chondrus beds below the Northwest
Arm near Halifax and on Devil's Island at the mouth of Halifax
Harbour showed an increase in extent and density in 1952 over
beds in the same general area in 1932.)
*1939 and 1948.
10
~'~D~JlTI01il ~,\L
.i...A3_lA1X.h {
Il'::"I.. ·;LA'l'ION -
~'uJJ) NU,{TIl\,r~(j '~
i"~.i~Wlt'0UN DLAND
A re ~ ort by F.J. ~lilce on the marine algae in this
area ',./as ')ublished by the National IIuseum of Canada (Bulletin No. 158, 1~59).
\Hlce's investi.'; u.tion \'1as made to deternine s ~)ecies
of al gae present and their ecolo ~ ical conditions. The
re .:.) ort makes no mention of cOIJmercial -p oss!:)ili ties or
comr:1ercial quantities of seaweeds. The author remarks,
however, on the paucity of the littoral ve ~ etation in
northern regions and observes that the bulk of the mncroscopic marine algae is unevenly distributed in the lower
subli ttora.l zone, l'lhere "frequently one finds immense
quantities of plants includinG Fuca.ceae and especially
Laminariaceae". On moderately exposed coasts \·filce found
"immense kelp in large ••• beds ••• the bull{ of \1hich was
Laminaria longicruris". In areas of heavy wave action, he
found the ve.:setation to be "restri cte o to considerable
de:9ths, beginning at approximately 9 metres".
The report states that II'l'he veg et:'l tion for the entire
area is concentrated in the sublittoral regions and contains
relatively few species but large numbers of individuals,
sone of which may reach an immense size". The report lists
34 species of green algae, 57 species of brown algae and 41
species of red algae.
Of 0resent commercial importance in this area are:
Chondrus - crispus (Northern Newfoundland)
Hhodyruenita: palma ta (dulse) ••• common thcou7,hout the
region.
*Laminaria longicruris ••• comJ:1on throughout the entire
re,:;ion.
It'ive other speci es of LnminBria are liste~ but L.
di.:;i teta, a highly valued source of algim:.tes is not
included.
Ascophyllum nod osum ••• mea,.?; l"'e popula tions in Ii tto ral
habitats associ ~ ted with mud
fl a ts, an ~ larger po pula tions
in protected shallows.
Other s :,Jecies \"Ihich might become of C0J:1111e rcial importance include:
Por:)h, ra mini8ta., Dilsea inte~£..§:, IIalosaccion ramentaceum
CO!tll~lOn throughout the region , several species of Fucus,
and several species of Honostroma (a green alga, used in
Ja~)an) •
*See section on EcolOGical Considerations.
11
Other s[>8cies listed as comJllOn throughout the region
incluc1e:
Chordaria flap;ellifor!f1is, Aga.rurn cri broswn, Alaria
grandifolia, rhyllophora membranifolia (Southern
Labrador and northwestern Newfoundland).
Wilce's report greatly advances the knowledge of the
algae of the northern area. It does not, however, indicate
whether or not []l,:;ae desirnble for commercial pur]oses are
present in commercial quantities or whether they occur in
· locations where :larvesting could readily be done.
Information is ~enerally lacking or at best very slight
for the following areas:
The northern coast of the Gulf of st. Lawrence,
the st. Lawrence Estuary,
Anticosti, and
the Magdalen Islands.
Satisfactory quantitative information is lacking also
for much of the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.
ACTI'rI'rr~S IN
I'HJ".;S}~WI.' AlJD FUTURE
rviANU1!'ACflH.ING
TIlE
AR!.~A
-
Colloidal Extracts
At present there is only one company in the area
processing seaweeds for colloidal materials. Scotia Harine
Products at Wood Harbour, Shelburne County, is a wholly
owned subsidiary of the Kelco Company of California, where
alginutes are extracted from Nacrocystis (the giant kelp).
llliodymenia (dulse)
.:.\l10dymenia, \vhich is not extracted but merely sun
dried, has a ready market and is usually in short supply.
Seaweed for Agriculture
Bonda Industries prepares small quantities of seav/Ged
meal from Ascouhyllum for agricultural use. Sales are
hampered by ship ~)ihg costs. Inland customers in New York
State can purchase seaweed meal from Nor,,/sy for less than
the freight charges from Yar:rlOuth to that sa.me New York Sta.te
location.
12
In the United Kin.:sdom and Europe seawr>ed meal
(chiefly Ascophyllum) is used extensively for agriculture,
both as fertilizer and as a supplementary feeding stuff.
In the Channel Islands seaweeds are much sou~ht after as a
fertilizer and soil conditioner. The laws governing collection of the seaweeds are strict.
Liguified deaweed - for Foliar Sprays and Auplication to Soil
Liquified seaweed, prepared by hydrolysis of
Asconhyllum is manufactured in Great Britain. It has become
very popular with greenhouse growers, orchardists, hops
growers, small gardeners and florists, and is sold in many
areas including California, British Columbia, Australia and
New Zealand.
The cost of preparation is much less than that of
alginates.
Experimental work on the liquified seaweeds is now
being conducted by the nova Scotia ,:tesearch "!!'oundation.
InvestiGations are being made on the effect of liquified
Ascophyllum on germination, r8te of growth, flowering,
fruit form"tion, resistance to insect damage and frost
resistance of treated plants. The results of this work
should be of value to the future of the industry.
Chondrus and
l~rcellaria
Our most important commercial sem'leed at present is
Chondrus crispus.
The total crop of Chondrus and Furcellaria is processed in the U.S.A. and in Europe.
Many persons believe that processing should be carried
on here. The crude extract is easy to pre~8re but much
chemical research has been and continues to be done in order
to prepare various refinements adapted to ench of its many
specific uses. The seaweed business is highly competitive.
A seaweed company requires highly trained research chemists
as well as a good sales organization.
Apart from one attempt, unsuccessful because of lack
of sufficient capital, no Canadian company has seriously
at -~ empted to set up a business of this kind.
The Canadian
market is limited and a duty is imposed on extracts entering
the United ~states. The United States marl{et is already
su:?plied by their m'm American comp8n:i,.es, and by Buro!,ean
13
and Japanese companies. It us unlikely that American
companies purchasing Chondrus here would · care to build
extraction plants in Canada. Not only does the American
Customs Duty . make this undesirable from their point of
view, but their factories in r,1 aine (:rv1arine Colloids at
~~ockland, Kraft J?oods in East Portlond) are close to the
Canadian border, making for low shipping costs by truck.
Shi~ping costs for European companies are higher
and the shipping more troublesome. It is possi~le that a
European company might be interested in building an extraction plant in this country. To warrant the estoblishment of such a plant a company would re'luire assurs.nce of
a sufficient sU:.Jply of raw material. The competition for
the present sem-leed hEJrvest makes such assurance difficult.
It would be of great advantage to the industry, and
encourai~ing to pros:! J8cti ve e c tnblishment of extraction plants,
if areas not now harvested were able to be brought into
production.
The granite ledges of western Halifax County could
provide additional Chondrus (the amount de aending on the
season and eS;1ecially on the severity of the winter).
Artificial drying would prolon~ the season and would be of
great advantaGe in increasing the saleable harvest of
Furcellaria, much of which is driven ashore by autumn winds.
The experimental plant recently estnblished at
1"[iminegash by .the Department of Fisheries of Canada should
be of great assistance to th e raw material industry, and
perhaps may even encourage those interested in the extraction
industry.
SOlI:.; ECOLOGICAL
CONinD1~l\A:rIONS
Chondrus
Chondrus is harvested either by raking attached weed
from the substratum or by collecting from beaches after storms.
In southwestern Nova Scotia Ohondrus is generally
attached to rocks amone Laminaria and other seaweeds and the
harveut is taken with long-handled rakes operated by hand.
In JIf'lifax County mo'-;t () L Uw h~trv('::t:1l)le Chond ['US
occurs in :.~lJ;lost:JUre stands on L:l'<::nite (:w;uetiT;11-'f3 :.:late)
led'~e::) between L. "f. neaps elld L. :,1. s ~)l·ings.
In .'";' ood "reat"h er
it can eDsily be harvested by lwnr! rakes. Largely because
of the severi ty of i'Jave action on the stee::> unprotected
COE'.3t, Chondrus harvesting must be later here than in southwestern Nova Scotia.
In the southern Gulf of k)t. L81.'1rence, Chondrus occurs
at depths beyond the easy reach 0:' hand rakes (do"m to JO ft.).
Near hininegash, :' • .:.0;.1. and nour Pictou, I',r.3., it is
harvested \'1i th large l'c:kes 1.,t!ich [::.fter being allowed to dreg
ovel' th(~ bottom are hoisted into the boat by the hc..uling
gear. This method is sui to.ble on the smooth sandstone
led~es in these areas, but it is not suitable among bOlilders
or in loose stone:r ~'"reas, nor in soutbl:!e~'3tern NOVEl Scotia
1,'he re tll(~ ChonG rus generally occurs on boulc'lers in mixed
beds with LShlinuria and other a133.e.
In most parts of Prince l~d'"ard Island, Chondrus is
from beaches aft"r lwviw'; be0n driven ashore by
strong \·!inds.
In the southern Gulf of St. L2.1:lrenCe Chondrus
is c.ttach(~d to a substratum of very friable sand stone. Both
storms and rDkes olten remove \'J:~ole ~')lcnts, complete "lith
holc.~ i.-ust nncJ 8. thin L:~.yer of roel::.
13;:,,~':ed areas S l lOUld be
keI}t uncler observation by divers lest excessive removal of
hold fasts endc:.ngers the continued 7rodllcti vi ty of the bed s.
,~!,athered
In some areas, es.nGcially alone; the Atlantic CO['lst,
911iphytism of the Chondrus is comr.lOn in srring And eo.1'l.v
sur:rY1<-:r.
Delicate s])ecies of LonostrOTJa (a 81wTt-lived
:,;reen 8l ' ~a) dif.:~ '. ")pear aftC:T the r()lcase of s :)ores which
OCC!.l:cs \Ii th an increase in ':r2ter teld"')!\r:~ ture. The more
i. )c~rsistent C!hordaria llc,t;elliforI:lis (.m annual brown al~ia)
remuins nttach()d for a much lon~er neriod.
daking Chon~rus
is not -;:>rofi tc~hle if it is highly e9LlhJtized by Chordc=lria,
v,hidl is tro1J.blesor:12 to rer.lOve End to dry.
As the sea.son
adv~lJlces the Uho~.·daria hecomc~ oetncherl allowin:; for
~ro~it2ble raking.
Gignrtina stellnta
Gigartina stellata,.uhich largely replaces Chondrus
cris'H.1.s along th(~ Amdy coast, is not re;:., dy for harvesting
GO early as Choncl rUG in Yarmouth and -..Ih8l bnrne Counties.
15
/I.n additon;.'l [0\11' to six week::; nrc l'<;\~ILired ')l'i'orc thf~
upri:~ht Ghoots of Jii;artina nr c l:lrge enou";ll Co r eDsy
llarv2stin 0 _
COl1lmon eyL2.hytes on Gi;;cli'tina include r:on08trOi!] C
in Gorin.5 , frequently follov/ed in en rly snnmer by
r'or 1)hyra s pp. (especially P. leucosticta). A fevl plants
of lliodymenia ~almata also are oft;:;n .C'ound in this 8i tuation.
On July 27, 19 6, large beds of Gigartina on !li (~by Neck
were o.lJ'Jost covered ~':i th RhodYl':l'3nia. 80 greClt \-18S the
unexpected lu..xuricmce of this e;1i qhyte th.? t it ~ lOuld lwve
been profitable to collect it. Moreover, re~ov~l of the
illlod 7m (-) nia_wo~11d hcwe freed the Gi::;artina for harvRsting at
a lc:ter date •
S)p.
. l'iytilusedulis
llytilus edulis, common in many AtlFmtic COE'st areas,
cOP1petes '."i tIl Chond :rus :·. ~ nd other seaweed s, sometimes d i8placing them, n nd in Chond rus bed s, renderin ,c~ th2 t seavleed
useless as a. cor:mercial crop. I linute mussels 3re shaken loose
in a rotcry drier, but remain attached to air-dried Chon ~ rus,
decayinc in the sun Hnd giving an unple8.sont odou.r and a
flavour difficult to er~). dicate from the extract.
Exp :; rim e nts involving harvestin;:; of Ohon(lrus by
cut ting often re8 :.11 ted in the developJ1lpnt of man:v ne'" 2.:Jico.l
cells, g ivin,r; rise to increased branching Dnd hence to
"bushy" plnnts, bV.t in f.l8.ny are8.S the cut surfaces, lacking
the cnstoma-r.'y lJrotectivG onter layer of cells, lent themselves to increasecl attachment of Hytilus ana to excessive
grazing b .'l gastropods. Cutting \'J<:'.. S therefore fonnd undesirable in many areas.
Chondrus beds in a New ~ngland location, very oroductive in 1965, were abandoned in 1966 because of exten s ive
develo:Jm e nt of Lytilus.
It may be signi f icant th::'t in 1965
these ~eds had been harvested hy cutting.
Jcr~vine
ChonCrus or Gigartina from the sUbstrotum
can be diGast -c ous. Not only [;re the shorter upri ,:;ht shoots
r emoved, 1;,'hich after further growth could hr-ve been hC'i.rvested
later, but the ~8 rennial hold ia st is a lso re~oved. At best
16
the holctfast is :-:;('vercly d[-l!.l;-; ;cd :-:no the 21'0<1 does 110t
. ['('cover for tllre(; 01' (;ven roue ,'!cars.
If other s(~~wee(ls,
slwh CLS Co..rallina, br.cor.le cst;:.hLLshed in the nenude(l areLl.S,
tlle leng th of time reqllircd Co,, rf:-(!stalll i811ment of
0llOnd..rus is unpre(: ictable.
B'urcellaria
fasti.'·~iata
~urcell & ria fastigiata occurs at de~ths to JO ft.
in mixed beds ,,,,i th Chondrus crispus and sonetiI!leS Fucus
serl~8tus off' the shores of eastern Prince j~dward Island
and the Northwnberland coast of Hova Scotia. Because of
the exti'eme delicacy of it s attachment, r8 ~ dn~ removes
'.'/1101e clumps in entirety from the substra tum.
If conservation of this vB.luable ~:)erennici1 ctl~-: 8. is to be '!1aint~:.i~ec!,
raking should not be undertaken in beds containing .i!urcell.-:;.ria.
It is easily gathei~ed from beaches after stron,~ ,:linds cnd
can be marketed either as a sin~lp. S :)ecies or in a ["urce11:11'i2. Chondrus mixture.
A lonzer drying time is required for Furce11aria
than fOl~ Chondrus, but it does not disinte :~rate so rapidly
after being washed UP.
lia ")ping of the suo1i tto ral seaweed "ueds in
Nortln:tmberlano St·(·ai t 118.S been completed for sone o.ree.s.
UnL~ervlO.ter surveys a:ce still in ·:)ro::;re8s tmd additional ma'Js
are to be prepared.
Hhodymenia palmata (dulse)
rlliodymenia is harvested from :;~oGl\.S in the ·[i1uncly area.
It is 8.1so regularly fonnd at tached to the stipes of IJ81:Jinaria,
eS ;Je cia11y L. longicruris in the Bay of ~!undy, st. l'-:Iary Bay ,
the Hundy Approaches and alon<!, the Atlantic coast. Al thowI,h
i t cO ;~lld be harvested from the Laminn ria stipes by divers,
it is not likely that such an operc..tion wou.ld be :)rofi table.
Hhodymenia cO~lld, however, be cnl ti\r,-~tc~d in a sui table
loc e. tion and on a sui t c.ble 8ubstrCltwn, as cO illd also other
s )c~ eies, especially annuc:: 1s, as l?orlJhyra spp. (eaten in \Ta1es
and in the Orient) and Donostrom~ SP). (eaten in the Orient).
The July 19.$6 harvest in .Anna)olis I'.nc] DiGby Counties
ViaS of 2. much paler colour tha n usual -- undou.btedly as a
re8\).l t of very strong sunshine and absence of fo .: ;s 6uring the
"dulse tides It. '.L'he lack of tlle usnctl dee ·) colour ;ilay re~1d or
17
tlw crop less at trc1ctive to the consumer.
(It night be
vrorthuhile to inves tL~Hte the ~)os8ibili ty of successful
tre:·~.t!.l8nt -:ri th ::1 sui tf'olr food colourin::; to com~,enGate for
:Juch b18[' chin,n;. )
Laui na.ri 8.
v'or al.~3inF.te :l.l.'o(!:lction JJar.linarin di "~i tr:ta has bAen
the most \Taluc'J)le s )I}cics harvefd;ed in our (~ rea. L. DP;[1rdhii
iG :-lso said to be useful. L. 8.'~21.~dhii if~ common [3lon-::; the
entire k!;li.·ntic coast of Nova ::.icotia c'n(l is listed rlso for
j\Jewfoundl:md. J~xcc · )t fo,-~ liTli t(~d Cl,ll[;D t,l til'C-: it 1ws not been
ll::u'vested. Oth 81' IJ2;~li~1~1ri[1 sph!i8S <.:!re also common in the
::~ame 8.rea, but the steep coast an{~ con tinuJlls ocean 8\'1ell
!.)resen t a diffic:ll t environment for exten::.;ive hn.rvesting.
rlhe lJ8.min:::ria belt is nf1 rrow, on a stee!) eoast, and the
vidth of the belt in our htlantic coast is often further
re(lnced by th(; : ~r8.zin :; of 18..C,3e ~)09uh: tions of Lhe sea urc!1in
:3tronrr,ylocentrotus. .sea urchins ere used AS food in some
countri8s.
.t; lncl.r'Ket fOl' ;.;tronn;ylocentrotus '!onl(l resI.l.lt in
an increase of the extent (J.nt~ po!)ulation 0 C t~lC~Ge La.;:1i:18ri3.
bed s. 'frentmen t by CaO "!ould .::;rc~;tl;r d iminir:;h the pO';Jul? tion
of S88. urchins c).nc'] ,-'crrJi t a nubGtr:ntiul incret:.se . in the
exten t C:ln(J density of many Gtands of our l~tl(:ntic const
LarlJin8.ria.
L. lon,o;icruris frorl some environments is another
v!.lluC'I)1c al:::in;-; te- ) roducing :::l':1ecies. fhe luxurir:mt )L n~s
'';l'm':ln~ in swi f t
tidal st':rc<JIJW bebleen J."')C ';)c;[)le cmd
Yarl :lc Tth are very lonz, end \·:i tIl tl':ick l:~.: 'lin n c containing
lilv.ch Cl.l!~inate.
In the c:,uiet ' 'L'te 1' 8 of inn,""r Lobster :Ja,'!,
11m/ever, thp. ~)lcHlt8 D.I'C smallr.r cnrl ~;he al:i'1~te consent
10'·,·l cr.
In Jt. nary Bay plants of tl:is s)c:cies are exe·...,tiol1rl.l1y
lonG and the laminae very broad but extremely thin ~ith bro~d
thin ruffles. ':lhe thin 1')12.0 e :.H'Orl1WCS very Ii ttle al ~ ina~e
and the plonts are llOt marketable for this manufacture.
H2.rvestin;; of Lar1inaria
Lamim-~ria, both L. di::;itgtc. and L. lonr;icruris Imve Deen
l1ElI'vest0c1 in t118 Caue 3t1.blR 8.11c1 Tl1s1cet IslAnds re~~ion8.
;rear
08 ;')e ,.)able the ()lr:mts Vlere cut \':ith 10TI.J,-11nnclled "Scotch
sicli:l~s".
Dra,~ '~inc; o]wrations 1:.l ere carried ')llt in th.e
TUf:Jkets. !)ra'~ :~ in~ is 8 (lrEistic en<'1 unsui";Hblf' '1ethod of
h2.rV0.stin:; in a drU!;llin region snch HS tl:is.
It is \'!G~steful
0 ...' Ul.P. plonts .:-m( destructive of the su~)stratum.
Hemy
eler.lc'nts of the mixture of rocl~ on ..: clay of the dr 1 unlin
.rel:lain ~::; (lTe Violently distu~~"bed.
Lany l)O,ll(~ers are turned
()IIer and -:~[m'y :ronn ."; 'l L·:nts noL J(;t lar;-~e l3nou:~h to be held by
th.(=! jr~~ ;; ,.'re b urie(~ Dr othf?T':Jise destroyed.
'£11e nf~xt
llC;i.rve:~ t is usu2.11y . ); reatly red uced.
18
Detailed investigation is required to determine the
pro:Jortion of Laminaria plsnts which may be safely harvested
in a bed. Such a harvesting expc:riment was initiated on a
leo,;e near Bon Portage Island in 1955 but unfortunately had
to be abandoned in 1957 before conclusive results were
obtained. An area from ·. ihich Larninaria was almost completely
removed in 1955 I.~rew up in Jaccorhiza dermatodea the follo\'ling
year. In 1957 the popul~ltion was largely' Alaria esculenta,
a species usually found in environments exposed to wave action.
By the autumn of 1957 a fe",,! Laminaria pltnts \"ere beginnint;
to appear.
Excessive harvesting of a Laminaria bed not only
drastically reduces the next harvestable crop but also
.reQoves the sheltering Laminaria forest. This forest is
important for the nrotection and calming effect it offers
to the water on its landward side.
Before commercial harvesting of LaninPlria is resumed,
careful ecological studies should be undertaken.
Naps of Laminaria beds -- Cape .3able to Pinkney Point
as they were in 1951 are appended, alon,:; \'li th other maps.
Asco:Olhyllum
Ascophyllum is a slow growing ?erennial. The fruiting
season is confined to a period of a few weeks in spring. or
early summer.
Ecological investi 6 ation showed amone other things
that denuded areas are colonized by a succession of plants,
and that Fucus successfully re-places the Ascophyllum,
dominating the experimental area for periods up to ten years.
It should not be harvested by pUllin:; \·,i th rakes, a
procedure which usually removes the holdfasts. Cutting is
sui table Jl"ovided sufficient length of upright shoot is left
for regeneration by production of new branches. A length of
five inches will insure botanical conservrition of the beds,
l)ut is insufficient for commercial recroppin~ ",i thin a
reasonable time. A length of ten to twelve inches allo'ws
satis:actory recroppin~ after a ~eriod of three years.
Harvesting regulations formulated by the Government of
Nova 3cotia were based on the results of ecolo;~ical studies
carried out in ~he Bay of J~ndy and near Halifax. A longer
19
length than the legal five ineh(~s is recof'1'!T1ended to all
harvesters t:.nd companies interested in using t 11is seaweed.
1-i:acFarlane, C.I.
Observation on the annual growth of
Ascophyllum nodosum. 1932
A survey of certain seaweeds of COP-lmercinl importance in southwest Nova
Scotia. 1952
Studies in seaweed po pulations of
commercial im}1ortance in Digby Neck
area. 1956
Irish moss in the Maritime Provinces.
1956
Studies in distribution and prev81ence
of some Gigartinales in Nova Scotia.
(Abstract )-1958
A comparison of the marine drumlin
regions in Nova clcotia. 1963
The seaweed industry of the Ilari time
Provinces. 1963
Ecolo.r;ical observntions on two nnrine
al~ae in Nova Scotia -- Furce11aria
fastigiata and Polyides rot"Lmdus. 1965
Young,
l~.G.
and Hac1!'arlane, C.l. ••• Seaweed SymposiuTll 1962.
20
t-____________~or~-'--------------------~6r'·~O~o~·------------------~~T~~·--------------
00'
,
Notthumbetland
______~~r~~·--------------------~·~~·----------------------~·O·
Stroll
..
SUBLITTORAL SEAWEED SURVEY
Northumberland
LOCATIONS
Sfroit
COP' John to Caribou Point
N
+
-------
SCALE
1-50,000
&000
4000 , •• ,.
-_.----_..---_._.. ---'- ... -._--_. ---------
~~~~~~~~O~~~
· ~~~~~~~------~.~,·~O~O~~~~~~~~~~~5~5~·--------~~--------~~~o~~--~~~~------~~~~----------~--~~.o
N
NORTHUMBERLAND
(_"rll' cr •• ,... ______
UNDERWATER SEAWEED BEDS
near
Toney River
Northumberland
Strait
July - Aug, 1964
....
80110 ....
DETAIL OF OBSERVATION STRIPS
in
t
STRAIT
','
".rUn'''lf.,li",,-._. , t
'«on .. ",t•• ___ . __ )' Y
L."'I"lril. ________
,
0 ..... " •• 11. ______ •• ,.
c••,..
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r
I,vllll, •• _____ •
....
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_ Trloll, .. ,
- P••,.,....... - - - - (·'1.'
/
{,>
0
,
,
,
250
'00
150
1000,,11,
, I
,
i
\,
CAPE SABLE TO PINKNEY POINT
NOv,"" "CUTI"
l[C,[ND
I:::!:.)
C- I
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r
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'lOt A.lr:;
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IT ANN $IoIOAL
-=-,
l
,
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,
-,
~OUTH""'UT
..
;"
ATLANTIC
'~-.'
llDG(
(lC(AN
"ORM ""CE ..
'UP
- -;,1,.------
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-~-- ---
-..
· - - - - -- - - · - -.......-.---·----.:::;:::J9
(.
\.-
I,,
./-
~v
<'
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,1/"
--
' ~~'-
'--- -,...f" -
.
/
.',
.
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,
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,
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I
'
CAPE SABLE ISLAND TO PUBNICO BEACH
"joOVA
SH() ',; IIIG "PE~.5
! : o" ...
co ;'.~'0? HY LllJM
AND
rue us
N
t-.J
':'"
• -, -~.1 •
23
IT
,~
,
I
"
I
II
I
\
\
.I .....
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l
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"......
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........ '
I
i
......
,
"-
",. -.,. f?
{
4(7..
I
I
I
I
i
l-
MUTTON IS, TO
SHOWING AREA.!t
or
LOWER WEDGE PORT
ASCOPHYllUH
AND
rucus
I
_
"seo!'tI"
_ I
llllM
... NO IIiCUS
~"""UII\An.S
I
1-
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_-01- _
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I.· .. ;
-,
.'
.
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!
i
I
N
1
BAY
OF
FUNDY
BRIER ISLAND TO DELAP COVE
NOVA
-
LONG
I
J
SCOTIA
SCALE : 0 _ _ _ Z MILES
LEGEND
RCCKwElO ( ....~(H'HVLLllf'l NUDU~lIM,
S,AND
f"UCU~ ~I' r )
BRIER
,. I
.i
•