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Lookup NU author(s): Maxine CanvinORCiD, Professor Pip MooreORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2025 The Author(s). Reviews in Aquaculture published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. Blue carbon habitats, which exhibit high rates of natural carbon sequestration, typically refer to salt marshes, seagrass meadows, and mangrove forests. Recent studies, however, have argued for the inclusion of seaweed-dominated habitats, like kelp forests, into blue carbon frameworks. Farmed seaweed may also function as a blue carbon habitat, with large-scale seaweed aquaculture suggested as a climate change mitigation strategy, but the evidence base remains limited. Here, existing knowledge on the mechanisms influencing carbon uptake, release, transport, and storage from kelp farms was synthesised, and a literature review was conducted to quantify associated rates of carbon sequestration. We identified strong geographical and methodological biases in the literature, with the majority of studies conducted in Asia and focusing on primary production rates as a proxy for carbon sequestration potential. Estimates of carbon release and storage rates were highly variable across locations, species, and approaches, and a scarcity of research on dissolved organic carbon, sedimentary carbon, and net ecosystem productivity was identified. Although the European kelp farming industry is in its infancy, it is predicted to expand to meet increasing demand for seaweed biomass. This is incentivised by perceived associated ecosystem service benefits such as enhanced carbon sequestration. However, multiple factors including environmental concerns, a lack of quantitative evidence, operational challenges, and regulatory complexities hinder industry expansion. Based on both the synthesised empirical evidence and an examination of key barriers and knowledge gaps, we identify future challenges and research priorities needed to assess the role of seaweed farming for climate change mitigation.
Author(s): Canvin MC, Borrero-Santiago AR, Brook T, Gupta M, Knoop J, Menage G, Moore PJ, O'Connor NE, Ricart AM, Smale DA
Publication type: Review
Publication status: Published
Journal: Reviews in Aquaculture
Year: 2025
Volume: 17
Issue: 2
Print publication date: 10/03/2025
Online publication date: 10/03/2025
Acceptance date: 09/02/2025
ISSN (print): 1753-5123
ISSN (electronic): 1753-5131
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc
URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/raq.70004
DOI: 10.1111/raq.70004
Data Access Statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
