Karelia ramps up seaweed harvest for fertilizer production

The collection of seaweed from the White Sea is at its peak, with fishing enterprises in the Republic of Karelia gathering 1.5 times more seaweed than the previous year. As of August 1st of this year, the total seaweed harvest reached 840 tons, including 123 tons of kelp (Laminaria) and 717 tons of bladderwrack (Fucus).

The leading enterprise in this seaweed harvest is the fishing collective “Zarya Severa” (North Dawn), which alone accounted for 302 tons. Most of the seaweed harvested in Karelia is used to produce organic fertilizers for agriculture.

Looking ahead to 2025, there are plans to start using seaweeds from the White Sea to produce baby food and dietary supplements.