Bumper Harvest of Seaweed.

When May and June come around, offshore culture stations along the east and west coasts of Korea greet a harvest season of kelp. Coastal areas of the country with clear water and free from pollution are suitable for offshore fish farming and shallow-sea culture. However, sustained abnormal weather conditions throughout the world have also affected offshore fish farming.

Despite the conditions, offshore culture stations in South Hwanghae Province and other parts of the country have exerted steady efforts into the cultivation of marine animals and plants, including kelp, oarweed, laver, oyster, mussel and scallop.

They are paying special attention to increasing the production of kelp. As a treasure trove of nutritive elements, kelp is enjoying a growing demand in foodstuff and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors.

Last year many stations introduced a new variety, which grows fast and is highly productive, while expanding the breeding grounds and finishing a massive task of seed distribution by the end of the year.

And from the beginning of this year they introduced rational methods of culture as suited to the water temperatures and sunshine conditions, and scrupulously tended them at every stage of growth.

Amid a brisk campaign among the stations to exchange and learn good experiences and timely introduce advanced technologies, many of them drastically increased the kelp production without spending much effort to provide additional seedlings.

Thanks to their endeavours, offshore culture stations across the country reaped a bumper seaweed harvest.