In order to contribute to the development of seaweed farming in the province of Quebec, Merinov, in collaboration with the University of Quebec at Rimouski, is working within the framework of the interregional program OPTIMAL launched in 2014. Various brown seaweed cultivation trials have been carried out in recent years to identify sites with environmental characteristics corresponding to optimal parameters for the growth of sweet kelp (Saccharina latissima). In 2018, a mapping of potential sites was established on the basis of already existing biotic and abiotic data.
Thus, in the Magdalen Islands, production sea trials were carried out on three selected sites, namely New Hall, Étang du Nord and Bassin from 2018 to 2019. The kelp spawners were harvested at Rocher aux Oiseaux in September 2018. Sporulation and inoculation of the collectors were carried out in the laboratories of Merinov. At each site, seaweed seedling wetting devices were launched at different depths. The cords of seedling were rolled up at different positions on the wetting device. The seaweeds were collected during the period from May 2019 to July 2019. Environmental and biomass data were collected.
