Seaweed industry stays afloat, seeks growth during pandemic
by Patrick Whittle, The Associated Press
Posted Dec 19, 2020 7:57 am EDT
Last Updated Dec 19, 2020 at 7:58 am EDT
SACO, Maine The coronavirus pandemic has been a struggle for much of American seafood, but at least one sector of the industry has found a way to grow during the crisis the seaweed business.
Seaweed harvesting and farming, based largely along the rocky and chilly coast of Maine, has grown for several years as interest in foods and nutritional products made with the gooey marine algae have risen in popularity. Like many pieces of the seafood industry, seaweed is highly dependent on the restaurant sector, which made the pandemic a potentially major setback.