Harvesting Controversy
There is controversy over impacts of commercial harvesting of Ascophyllum nodosum for use in garden or crop fertilizers and livestock feed supplements in North America and Europe. Some research has been focused on by-catch and impact on Intertidal zone communities. Opponents of wild Ascophyllum harvests point to the algae's high habitat value for over 100 marine species, including benthic invertebrates, commercially important fish, wild ducks, shorebirds, and seabirds. Shoreland owners in Maine, as well as federal, state, and local agencies in the United States have placed their conservation lands off limits to Ascophyllum removal. Rockweed harvesters point to the value of the seasonal jobs created by the harvest operation.
Read more about this topic: Ascophyllum Nodosum
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