From Loch to Larder: Growing Scotland's Seaweed Revolution

The bright sun glints on the surface of Loch Linnhe as the boat races towards the submerged lines that represent years of patient cultivation. Below the water, native Scottish kelp - wakame - sways in the tidal currents, growing slowly in some of the cleanest waters on Scotland's west coast. For Lawrie Stove, founder of Seaweed Farming Scotland and the mind behind the Selkie Seaweed brand, this isn't just about harvesting seaweed. It's about reconnecting with the sea and proving that food can be produced in harmony with nature.

Seeds of an Idea

Lawrie's journey into seaweed farming began not with grand ambitions, but with practical expertise and a love for the sea. Having worked in the aquaculture industry for years - first in salmon farming, then running an engineering business serving the shellfish sector - he found himself increasingly drawn to requests from customers wanting seaweed farm designs in 2016 and 2017.

"What drew me to farming seaweed was I've worked at sea all my life," Stove explains. "I decided in 2018, actually, that this was something I wanted to do myself as a family farming business. Something that I could build and then introduce my children into, and that they could carry on in the future."

The decision turned out to be a good one. Scotland's west coast waters provide ideal conditions for growing seaweed - clean, nutrient-rich, and naturally abundant with kelp varieties that have grown here for millennia. But rather than simply foraging from wild stocks, Stove chose a different path: regenerative farming that adds to the marine ecosystem rather than depleting it.

Growing Gold in Scottish Waters

What makes Seaweed Farming Scotland unique isn't just location - it's philosophy. The farm operates on a natural annual cycle, seeding in both October and January, then harvesting in May when the seaweed is still young and at its most nutritious. This timing is crucial, as Stove explains: "We get the optimum nutrient profile. It's loaded with vitamins and minerals, packed with iodine, but not too much because we harvest it while it's still young."

The process is surprisingly simple and hands-on. Each May, the small team lifts the growing lines by hand, carefully checking for quality and minimising any bycatch before cutting the kelp onto boards and into barrels filled with a secret salt brine solution developed over years which acts as a natural preservative that maintains the seaweed's integrity without additives.

"With farming, it's regenerative and restorative," Stove says. "We're choosing to farm in preference to foraging. We're adding to the environment and the ecosystem there. We're putting far more back than we're taking out." The farm lines become nursery grounds for prawns, scallops, and various fish species - a living example of how sustainable aquaculture can enhance marine biodiversity.

The Selkie Brand Takes Shape

After six years of perfecting their farming methods and four years learning about processing, Stove launched the Selkie Seaweed brand in 2024. The name, drawn from Scottish mythology's shapeshifting sea creatures, reflects the transformative potential he sees in Scottish seaweed.

"We took a view that we actually wanted to bring this product direct to consumers," Stove explains. "There's been a big movement since Covid of people wanting real food and they want to know where it comes from. They want to hear the story of it, and they want to know the provenance."

The Selkie range includes pure dried kelp varieties - wakame, kombu, and dulse - as well as innovative seasoning blends. Their garlic and lemon kelp mix and paprika and lime blend make seaweed accessible to home cooks who might be intimidated by unfamiliar ingredients. They've also created a traditional Japanese furikake seasoning using wakame, sesame seeds, and chili flakes.

Beyond the Plate

What sets Selkie Seaweed apart isn't just provenance - it's the dedication to quality at every stage. The seaweed is freeze-dried to maintain 100% of its nutrients and achieve a two-year shelf life, though this is the most expensive preservation method available. For Lawrie, it's worth it.

"We don't have big farms. We don't want big farms. We're looking for quality rather than quantity," he says. "We want it to be sustainable, [to have a] small footprint, and keep it sort of low-intensity farming."

The product has found favour with everyone from Michelin-starred chefs in London to Scotland's National Chef Gary McLean, who has taken Selkie Seaweed to international food events, including New York's Tartan Week. The reception has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly from chefs who had no idea such high-quality seaweed was being produced in Scotland.

Challenges and Vision

Like many small-scale food producers, Seaweed Farming Scotland faces the ongoing challenge of energy costs, particularly for processing and drying. The regulatory landscape, while ensuring quality standards that enhance Scottish seafood's global reputation, requires careful navigation for marine cultivation licenses.

Yet Stove remains optimistic about seaweed's place in Scotland's food future. "I see seaweed farming fitting in very nicely into the Scottish seafood portfolio alongside finfish like salmon and sea trout and alongside mussels and oysters," he says. "Scotland has a worldwide reputation for that, and I think the quality of what we're producing here can be exported anywhere around the world."

What's Next?

The immediate focus is growing the Selkie brand organically across Scotland, working with farm shops, delis, and restaurants that value traceability and sustainability. But Stove's vision extends further - he's working on developing fresh wakame salads that could replace imported Asian seaweed products with locally grown alternatives.

"My vision is to continue to grow organically, but slow and steady has been our motto right from the outset," Stove reflects. "We want to build a sustainable business that's going to be there for future generations."

With his three daughters already involved in the business - from harvesting to packaging - that vision is becoming reality. It's a family farming enterprise rooted in Scotland's maritime heritage, yet pointing toward a more sustainable food future where the sea provides not just fish, but a new generation of superfood ingredients grown in harmony with nature.

For those curious about seaweed, Stove's advice is simple: "It's a really good, clean, healthy food. Make it part of a daily routine - a pinch a day or a teaspoon a day. If you get a mild one like wakame, you can add that to smoothies, yogurts, juices. You won't even taste it, but you'll be getting all that goodness."

As Scotland's food industry continues to evolve, pioneers like Lawrie Stove are proving that innovation doesn't always mean complexity. Sometimes, it means returning to what the sea has always provided - and doing so with respect, care, and an eye toward the generations who will tend these waters after us.

Discover Selkie Seaweed's range of Scottish-grown kelp and seasonings at www.seaweedfarmingscotland.com, or follow their journey on Facebook @scottishseaweed.