Oarweed

At a glance

Oarweed (Laminaria digitata) is a marine alga with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.

Confirmed by 481 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Nova Scotia, Maine, and New Hampshire the top jurisdictions by observation count.

Notable details

• Oarweed fronds split into finger-like blades — its species name 'digitata' is Latin for 'fingered.'
• It can grow up to 2 meters long and is harvested commercially to produce alginates used in food and cosmetics.
• Oarweed grows from the low intertidal zone down to about 20 meters depth across the North Atlantic.
• Its flexible, rubbery stipe bends in strong surge without snapping, unlike rigid terrestrial plants.
• Individual plants can live 4 to 6 years, forming dense canopies that shelter sea urchins, snails, and small fish.

Where Oarweed are seen

• Nova Scotia265 iNat obs
• Maine131 iNat obs
• New Hampshire23 iNat obs
• Newfoundland and Labrador18 iNat obs
• Massachusetts18 iNat obs
• New Brunswick11 iNat obs

Background

Laminaria digitata is a large brown alga in the family Laminariaceae, also known by the common name Oarweed. It is found in the sublittoral zone of the northern Atlantic Ocean.

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Oarweed article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.

Other brown algae/kelps on CatchRules

• Narrowleaf SargassoSargassum natans