Local Resources in Southern Hokkaido
Located in the northern part of Japan, Hokkaido is home to a variety of seaweeds that grow in the frigid zone and are not found in Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and other parts of Japan. The most common seaweed in the southern region of Hokkaido is kelp, but when kelp fishing is not in season, there are a variety of seaweeds on cultivated ropes. For example, during the cold winter months, red algae dulse grows in dense clusters on the ropes. In the 2000s, the city of Hakodate began to revitalize the local community by using gagaemekombu as a means of revitalizing the city. This effort was introduced in numerous newspapers and on television, and gagome has become a national brand.
The Faculty of Fisheries at Hokkaido University wondered if it would be possible to make effective use of unused resources in southern Hokkaido. We focused on red algae dulse as a new resource. We are engaged in daily research and education to clarify the ecology, nutritional components, health functionality, and utilization of dulse. Here we introduce some of those studies.
