With climate change seemingly threatening Maine’s $388 billion a year lobster industry, the state’s lobster catchers are reportedly shifting their focus toward growing seaweed.
While approximately 90% of the global seaweed supply is grown abroad, the U.S. seaweed market is expected to reach $5 billion in the next six years.
This rising market could make Maine lobster catchers’ pivot from crustaceans to macroalgae a very lucrative move.
Maine reportedly grew one million pounds of seaweed last year alone, a number that’s only expected to grow in the years to come.