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Photo Credit: Tamsen Peeples

Research Priorities

While any research on bull kelp is useful and advances our knowledge of this incredible species, there are a number of topics that are top of mind for mariculture industry members and researchers. Each year, we come together as a group to brainstorm and vote on our priority topics for the upcoming farm season (which typically begins in the fall). If you are planning work on any of these topics in Alaska, please reach out! We’d love to hear about your work and what you’re finding.

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2025-2026 Research Priorities

Priority Topics:

  1. Timing of Hatchery and Farm Operations

  2. Farm engineering (how farms are designed)

  3. Seed Security

 

Priority Questions:

  1. What is the effect of outplanting timing on yield? Can we stagger outplanting to allow for staggered harvests?

  2. Can we hold gametophytes for multiple outplants?

  3. What is the proper farm structure for growing kelp?

  4. What is the optimal environment for bull kelp to grow in?

  5. How do we optimize post-processing methods for different farms?

Photo Credit: Tamsen Peeples

What else are we thinking about?

While these questions weren't voted our top priority, the members of BKRS are actively thinking about the work and research needed in the following areas:

  • What are the water nutrient needs for bull kelp? How do different nutrient levels affect yield?

  • How does flow rate at different farms affect yield? What flow rate is needed to submerge kelp at different depths?

  • What is the effect of seeding density and line spacing on morphology and final yield?

  • How does the density of kelp on lines change from inoculation to final harvest? How many sporophylls/cm are planted and how many adults/m are harvested?

  • How does the biochemical composition of bull kelp change throughout the growing season? Does size of bull kelp affect biochemical composition?

  • What does the yield of bull kelp look like compared to other kelp? For the same amount of line, what's the difference in lbs/ft?

  • When growing kelp for biomass, is it more economically efficient to have more small plants or fewer large plants?

  • How do we improve methods for spacing spools in the hatchery to reduce hatchery space/costs?

  • For spray on seeding methods, how do we best make them work?

  • Are there any glues needed for direct seeding approaches?

  • What is the optimal timing for collecting sori to get good seed?

  • What is the potential for trimming blades or harvesting large individuals to allow for multiple harvests from the same line (ie; cut off the biggest plants in March/April, see if the remaining smaller plants can grow to size with the larger plants removed)?

  • What is the viability of multi-species seeding (seeding a growline with bull kelp and a negatively buoyant kelp, like split kelp, and compare yields to lines seeded with just bull kelp and just split kelp)?

  • What gear and materials work best for growing bull kelp?

  • How do we best harvest bull kelp?

  • How does bull kelp grow on recycled carbon fiber lines? How do we best design farm systems to utilize recycled carbon fiber?

  • What are the costs and benefits (monetary, time, and effort) of different farm array designs?

  • How do you track the time and effort needed to farm kelp?

  • Would it be easier to seed farms with "Green Gravel" and not harvest from lines?

  • Policy change: Gametophytes and hatchery efficiency are the biggest roadblocks for the entire kelp industry. We need a delegation to get law makers in Juneau to change the law and allow us to use gametophytes.

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