Salsa from the Wild Alaska Kelp Co. based in Juneau. (Wild Alaska Kelp Co.)
Between the sunlight, soil and water sources, it can be difficult to find land for growing vegetables. Now one Haines resident is looking to the ocean for his next harvest.
Alain D’Epremesnil has applied for a state lease to develop a commercial seaweed farm near Battery Point.
“I’ve been interested in local food production,” D’Espremesnil says. “You don’t have to water seaweed so that makes it pretty easy to grow. Seaweed farming is a growing field, and hopefully I can start that in the next couple years.”
D’Epremesnil has never farmed seaweed before. He has harvested wild varieties of kelp in the past but says that he doesn’t think it would work on a commercial scale.
“I think for any sort of commercial harvest, wild harvesting is not appropriate given that you are taking so much out of the environment. The animals need that,” D’Epremesnil says.
Seaweed farming begins on the shore. First, the seaweed’s reproductive tissue is dried and immersed in a tub of water. Spores are released into the water and collect on a set of PVC pipes wrapped in twine.
After a couple of months, the plants become established and are ready for the ocean, where they’ll grow over the winter until they can be harvested in April or May.
D’Epremesnil wants to set up eight growing lines, each about 400 feet in length, on the Southwest side of Battery Point.
“It’s protected from the north wind, which is the main winds we would have during the growing season,” D’Epremesnil says. “It’s also an easy commute from Haines.”
D’Epremesnil says he’ll probably process the seaweed and make his own products with it, but he could also sell to other businesses.
“There are a couple companies in Juneau—you know seaweed salsa, seaweed products—if they grew enough it would be a great outlet for the harvest.”
D’Epremesnil’s plans are under review by Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources. The Haines Borough Assembly will discuss whether or not to comment on the plan at its meeting Tuesday evening.
