Undaria marching on; late arrival in the Republic of Ireland

Abstract

The Asian invasive brown seaweed Undaria pinnatifida was found for the first time in the Republic of Ireland in Kilmore Quay in Co. Wexford in July 2016. As this brown kelp is of considerable economic importance and is cultivated in Asia as well as in Europe, it opens up the discussion if this invasive species is socially acceptable to be cultivated in the Republic of Ireland for food and other purposes. This paper briefly examines the global economic importance, cultivation aspects compared to the European native equivalents such as Alaria esculenta and Saccharina latissima, cultivation yield, economic considerations and the ecological impact of the spread of Undaria into non-native areas. Based on the information and facts presented, it is concluded that Undaria from a physical, social and economic point of view can be cultivated in Ireland.

The Environmental Risks Associated With the Development of Seaweed Farming in Europe - Prioritizing Key Knowledge Gaps

“…In 1983 the brown kelp U. pinnatifida native to Asia was introduced to the French Atlantic coast for commercial cultivation (Kraan, 2017). Although it was believed that it could not reproduce, it soon became established in the local environment and since then has spread widely, typically becoming the dominant biofouling species on artificial substrate (Fletcher and Farrell, 1999).…”

“…Although it was believed that it could not reproduce, it soon became established in the local environment and since then has spread widely, typically becoming the dominant biofouling species on artificial substrate (Fletcher and Farrell, 1999). To date this species has been farmed along the Brittany coast where it has been established for the last 33 years (Kraan, 2017). Allowing farming of this species in the North Atlantic undermines efforts to control the spread of this species within other parts of Europe adopting a more precautionary approach to controlling the spread on NNS in general.…”

“…Cultivation models used to grow seaweed depend on a large number of considerations (e.g., scale and siting) (Kraan, 2017;Marine Scotland, 2017), and an assessment of the environmental risks will change depending on these factors. However, similar environmental legislation and policies throughout Europe dictate a set of common farm management principles.…”

Genetic analysis of a recently establishedUndaria pinnatifida(Laminariales: Alariaceae) population in the northern Wadden Sea reveals close proximity between drifting thalli and the attached population

“…Likely promoted by maritime traffic, it spread to Italy, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands (Minchin et al 2017;Heiser et al 2014). The most northerly distribution of U. pinnatifida in Europe so far recorded was in July 2016 in Kilmore Quay, Republic of Ireland (Kraan 2016).…”

A review of subtidal kelp forests in Ireland: From first descriptions to new habitat monitoring techniques

“…), Tilopteridales ( Sacchoriza polyschides (Lightfoot) Batters), and Laminariales ( Laminaria digitata (Hudson) J.V.Lamouroux, Alaria esculenta (Linnaeus) Greville, Saccharina latissima (Linnaeus) C.E.Lane, C.Mayes, Druehl & G.W.Saunders, and L. hyperborea (Gunnerus) Foslie). Recently, non‐native species have arrived in these subtidal ecosystems via poleward distribution shifts (e.g., Laminariales— L. ochroleuca Bachelot de la Pylaie; Schoenrock, O'Callaghan, O'Callaghan, & Krueger‐Hadfield, 2019) or from aquaculture and/or shipping practices (Fucales— Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt 1955; Laminariales— Undaria pinnatifida (Harvey) Suringar; Kraan, 2017). Along semi‐exposed rocky coastlines, L. hyperborea forms dense forests, whereas in the calmer, shallow regions of tidal loughs and fjords, S. latissima can form small forests on hard substratum.…”