Oceanfarmersusearulertocheckhowmuchtheseaweedhas grown.
Smith’sNewFarm
ThescientistsuggestedthatSmithtrygrowingaseaweedcalledsugarkelp.Smithwassold.Hewouldbecomeanoceanfarmer.Hewouldworkontheoceanandfeedpeople too!
ButSmithwasn’tsatisfiedwithgrowingonlykelp.Hewantedtoproduceavarietyoffood.Howmuchcouldheproduceonthe40‑acres thatherentedinLongIsland Sound?
sugar kelp
Therewasalottoconsider.Howdoyougrowkelp?Whatotherkindsoffoodcropscanberaisedalongwithkelp?Howshouldeverythingbesetupinasmalloceanplot?And,howcanthefarmberuntohelptheoceanandnotharm it?
Smithcameupwithamethodcalled3Doceanfarming.Let’sseehowit works.
Explore3Docean farming.
3DOceanFarming
Takealookatthis3Doceanfarm.Youcanseethepurposeofthoseblackbuoys.Theyholdupropesthatformanunderwaterframework.Theropessupportkelpthatgrowsdowninlongribbons.Scallopsandmusselsgrowinnetsthathangbetweenthekelp.Belowitall,oystersgrowincagesonthe seafloor.
Ropesaresuspended2.4meters(8feet) underwater.
Kelpgrowsfast.It’snolongerthanthewidthofacoinwhenplantedinDecember.Byspringharvest,it’s5.4 meters(18 feet)long.
Anchorskeepthebuoysandropesin place.
Musselsgrowintube-likenetscalledmussel socks.
Scallopsgrowinhanging baskets.
Oystersandclamsgrowincagesonthe seafloor.
HowDoTheyStart?
Cropsonlandbegin asseedsplantedintheground.Howdokelp,mussels,andotheroceanfarm“crops”gettheirstart?It depends.
Forkelp,thefarmercollectssomekelpeachfallandbringsittoanursery.Therethekelpproducetinyroundspores.Thesporesareattachedtoastringthatisthenrolledaroundatube.Theseedscontinuegrowonthestringuntil harvest.
It’sdifferentwithmussels.Youngmusselscalledlarvaeswimintheocean.Theyattachthemselvestopartsofthekelp.Therethelarvaegrowsmall,hardshells.Thefarmerremovesthesebabymusselsandloadsthemintomusselsocks.Theypokethroughthemeshasthey grow.
Kelpsporesgrowaroundatubeina nursery.
Othershellfishusuallystartoutlifeinanurserybeforebeingmovedtothe3Dfarmtocontinue growing.
