Maine seaweed growers to break state records this spring

Maine’s seaweed farmers are in the midst of a spring harvest that is almost certain to break state records

FALMOUTH, Maine -- Maine's seaweed farmers are in the midst of a spring harvest that is almost certain to break state records. America's seaweed farming industry is based principally in Maine, where the business has grown swiftly over the past several years. Atlantic Sea Farms, a Saco company that works with two dozen seaweed farmers, said it's likely to harvest more than 800,000 pounds (360,000 kilograms) of the gooey substance this year. Atlantic Sea Farms accounts for most of the state's seaweed aquaculture, and it harvested about 450,000 pounds (204,000 kilograms) in 2020. That was a record at the time, as the entire state accounted for 275,000 pounds (125,000 kilograms) in 2019, Maine Department of Marine Resources statistics show. The seaweed harvest has grown during the coronavirus pandemic because of increased demand for healthy foods, members of the industry said. Seaweed is touted as a health food by foodies, in part because it's high in fiber.