Image of the Day 6/24/19: South Korean Seaweed Aquaculture

This image was taken on January 31, 2014 and displays seaweed fields along the southern coast of South Korea. Seaweed is grown along this coast through aquaculture farming techniques and contributes to 90% of South Korea’s total seaweed crop. The seaweed in this farm is grown on ropes held close to the surface by buoys, allowing for sufficient sunlight during changing tides. This rope technique also accounts for the straight sections of seaweed crop displayed as dark squares in the image. Additionally, the seaweed’s ability to grow in these coastal waters means these aquaculture farms do not require fresh water or fertilizer; making them more sustainable than land-based farms. Most aquaculture in the United States consists of fish production, so this satellite image presents a unique view of vegetative aquaculture methods uncommon to our agricultural practices.

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/85747/seaweed-farms-in-south-korea