Florida researchers are exploring whether seaweed could become the state’s next sustainable crop, potentially boosting aquaculture while helping to clean coastal cities.
Scientists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and Florida Sea Grant launched the effort last year with a $250,000 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant Aquaculture Program. The project aims to determine if seaweed farming is viable in Florida’s warm waters, where it could serve as a high-value commodity similar to operations in Europe and parts of the Americas.
Led by Ashley Smyth, an associate professor of soil, water, and ecosystem sciences at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center, the team includes industry partners, Extension agents, and other experts. Recent updates from the group have drawn interest from researchers, aquaculture professionals and entrepreneurs eager to tap into the economic potential.
“Seaweed aquaculture has tripled over the past two decades — with Asia producing nearly all the supply — and it’s one of the fastest-growing commodity sectors globally,” said Angela Collins, a Florida Sea Grant assistant Extension scientist specializing in marine fisheries and shellfish aquaculture at the UF/IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Lab and a co-principal investigator on the project.
Smyth said the research focuses on seaweed’s ability to absorb excess nitrogen from water, acting like a sponge. If harvested, it removes that nitrogen entirely, offering dual benefits as a product for growers and a tool for improving water quality.
Florida’s unique environment poses both opportunities and challenges. Seaweed is valued worldwide not just for food but also for pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, thickeners, bio-packaging, fertilizer and animal feed, Collins noted.
On a global scale, seaweed farming has been praised for ecosystem services, including water quality improvements in various regions.
Currently, seaweed cultivation in Florida is limited to small-scale enclosed tank systems. Before expanding to coastal waters, the team must identify native species, assess their nutrient absorption, test growing methods and evaluate economic feasibility.
In this photo, Gabrielle Foursa uses an underwater seaweed rake to collect biomass.
(Courtesy Angela Collins, UF/IFAS)
Doctoral student Gabrielle Foursa is leading hands-on work, cataloging species and conducting growth trials.
“Step one is really understanding what we have here in Florida waters,” Foursa said. “From there, we can start to figure out which species might be useful, and for what purposes.”
Dail Laughinghouse, an associate professor of applied phycology at the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center and another co-principal investigator, highlighted seaweed’s role in everyday products like ice cream, salad dressings, and toothpaste. Different species may offer compounds with health benefits, such as omega oils or natural pigments with anti-inflammatory or anti-cancer properties.
“We don’t yet know what they’re capable of, but the potential is enormous,” Laughinghouse said.
The project also involves UF/IFAS economist Andrew Ropicki, who is analyzing markets and financial viability, and shellfish grower Aaron Welch of Two Docks Shellfish Co., who has run small-scale trials on the Gulf Coast.
“Florida’s vibrant shellfish aquaculture and commercial wild-caught seafood industries make it an opportune place to explore seaweed farming, since existing fisheries operations provide a capable workforce and functional working waterfront infrastructure,” Collins said.
Ropicki emphasized finding niches where local seaweed adds unique value, despite higher costs compared to overseas producers.
“The key is finding opportunities where local seaweed offers unique value, whether through niche markets or environmental benefits,” he said. “Our goal is to understand not just if seaweed can grow here, but if it can make financial sense for growers.”
The team stressed that the project is in its early stages.
“This is about managing expectations,” Smyth said. “The answer might be ‘yes,’ that seaweed aquaculture could thrive here. But if the answer is ‘not right now,’ that’s still a win because it saves growers time, money, and effort, and helps us target where future investments should go.”
