Kelp Aquaculture Feasibility Study

Funded by Suffolk County Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program
and Land Stewardship Initiative

Seaweed aquaculture is an emerging “green industry” that has the potential to benefit our region, both environmentally and economically. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County has recently become involved in a project called “The Peconic Estuary Seaweed Aquaculture Feasibility Study.” Two main goals of this study are to determine the viability of commercial seaweed farming in our local waters, and to analyze the interest and demand for kelp products in local markets.

Currently, as part of this pilot study conducted in collaboration with The University of Connecticut, kelp is being grown throughout five locations within the Peconic Estuary to examine how well the species grows in our waters. Kelp improves water quality by extracting excess nutrients and it is a sustainable, renewable product. There are a variety of practical uses for kelp products, ranging from health and beauty to supplements and food. Our study aims to specifically focus on the potential for kelp utilization in three distinct local industries, culinary, cosmetics, and agricultural.

Download Kelp Fact Sheet

Learn more about this project on our blog here: https://cceonthewater.org/

Last updated May 26, 2022