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, or Kyushu. The most common seaweed in the
southern region of Hokkaido is Japanese 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 Gagome kelp 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 Sciences, Hokkaido
University wondered if it would be possible to make effective use of unused
resources in south 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. In this
course, we will introduce some of those studies.
