Global investors boost New Zealand red seaweed farming venture

Scuba divers surveying Asparagopsis armata. Photo / Supplied

Aquaculture startup CH4 Global is increasing its New Zealand operations to turn sustainable red seaweed into methane-busting livestock feed.

The global company will spend $4.45 million to scale up commercial marine and tank-based seaweed cultivation pilots based at Rakiura/Stewart Island.

CH4 Global currently operates a sustainable wild harvest programme at Rakiura of a specific species of red seaweed – Asparagopsis armata to use as a livestock supplement solution to reduce ruminant methane emissions by up to 90 per cent.

The harvesting programme will provide the seed stock for the scale-up as well as finished product for dairy and sheep trials.

President, CEO and co-founder of CH4 Global, Dr Steve Melller said the company's focus was on "urgently impacting climate change within the next decade."

Asparagopsis armata marine seaweed. Photo / Supplied

"So this investment means New Zealand farmers, and farmers in the US and Australia, could be the first in the world to make a meaningful impact on emissions in this way."

There are 1.5 billion cows in the world. Each year over the next two decades, the greenhouse gas (GHG) output for those 1.5 billion cows is greater than the GHG output from China, the largest GHG emitter by country in the world, he said.

"The sad, undeniable truth is we are rapidly running out of time to delay an impending climate crisis," said Meller.

Asparagopsis armata is a New Zealand and Australian native, naturally abundant seaweed that can immediately have an impact on climate change, Meller said.

"This cold-water seaweed is perfectly suited to the New Zealand and Australian climate for sustainable, long-term, environmentally friendly cultivation."