Three Pillars of Site Selection
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In this Fish Site article, David Aldridge identifies three key pillars for kelp farm site selection:
1) Survival factors – the physiological core requirements for the seaweed to survive.
2) Growth factors – the environmental conditions that determine whether the seaweed will grow well, influencing yield and quality.
3) Logistical factors – the practical, social and economic considerations that allow a farm to operate profitably and sustainably.
David identifies a simple strategy for evaluating these factors: gather data from a birds eye view, ground truth that data, and deploy some test lines.
Need more tips? Find step-by-step guidance in Getting Started: Map Your Resources and Site Evaluation. Peruse the drop down list in Leasing & Permitting 101 to see what mapping and site evaluation tools are available in U.S. coastal states. Use the Site Evaluation + Permitting forum on the Community to ask questions, gather feedback, and help avoid surprises.
Are there any methods or tools that you think are indispensable? What is in your site evaluation toolkit?
