Marine Biomass: New York State Species And Site Studies Annual Report, December 1, 1982 - November 30, 1983

This report was prepared by the New York Sea Grant Institute of the State University of New York and Cornell University in the course of performing work contracted for and sponsored by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the Gas Research Institute, and the New York Gas Group. The New York State Marine Biomass Program began in late 1979 in an effort to develop a feasible system for the production of marine biomass from indigenous macroalgae for economically competitive conversion to synthetic natural gas. During 1983 this goal was brought closer to realization when a 120 x 41 foot seaweed test farm was placed in 60 feet of water in Long Island Sound. The structure is basically a flexible wire cable and rope grid, buoyed at the surface and moored to the bottom of the Sound. It is suitable for cultivating seaweeds which attach themselves to surfaces such as the brown kelp, Laminaria saccharina. This test farm design was chosen from among four which were developed previously by the engineering team. An in situ test program for the structure and the plants on it was developed. The program includes measurements of strain on the lines, light and temperature at various times and locations on the farm using a spectroradiometer, and corrosion on the metal parts. Bio-engineering tests continued from 1982 and focused on seaweed strength, biofouling experiments, and rope strength and elongation tests. Laboratory work on seeding of L. saccharina elucidated optimum nutrient and light quantities for gametophytes and young sporophytes. An enormous number of plants can be seeded onto strings in a very small space. Harvesting experiments showed infrequent harvesting allowed for maximal growth until density limited light penetration. Simple strain selection techniques have increased the average daily length increase of L. saccharina from 1.1 cm to 1.66. Cultivation of large numbers of juvenile plants in the greenhouse was made possible by the creation of an inverted cone system (for plants smaller than 3 cm) and a tumble culture system (for plants 2-50 cm).