Information to Support Assessment of Stock Status of Commercially Harvested Species of Marine Plants in Nova Scotia: Irish Moss, Rockweed and Kelp

A literature review was performed which included examining over 200 publications relevant to

the harvest of marine plants in Nova Scotia. The seaweeds included Irish moss (Chondrus

crispus), rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) and kelps. The history of each harvest is presented

along with an analysis of the harvest methods, timing and intensity of the harvests, and standing

stocks. Environmental effects on the standing stocks were also examined. One of the guiding

principles of the assessment was the preservation of the habitat value of the seaweeds on bay-

wide scales in the face of harvest pressure.