30 Marine Macro- and Microalgae: An Overview
per meter of rope. For example, in July 2009, E. cava had 92 fronds m
–1
versus 103 fronds m
–1
for
E. stolonifera. Those respective densities decreased to 54 and 58 in December 2009 before rising to 81
and 109 in May 2010. This increase in density may have been due to the growth of young fronds that
matured under suitable conditions as well as the outgrowth of fronds from new holdfast propagation.
Management activities could be visualized within the framework of an integrated system that
included a detailed location of the project boundaries via GPS and GIS, utilization of marine spatial
resources, the range of marine space, the duration of the project period leased from the owner, permanent
monitoring, afforestation, thinning, harvesting, etc. A task force team for marine affairs was responsible
for overseeing the entire process of preparation and implementation. This involved training personnel,
providing management assistance, and giving instruction in maintaining quality control. Such an
approach clearly delineated the project boundaries and activities that occurred. For example, by using the
GIS system, the floating buoys could be remotely monitored by satellite.
Over the specified credit period, the amount of GHG emissions to be reduced through implementation
of this new carbon sink was expected to be > 12.1 tCO 2 eq ha
–1
yr
–1
. As a factor in risk analysis, the sea
urchin is a major grazer but it does not affect plants at greater depths. However, because this current
project site was shallow and plants were prostrate during low tides, some sea urchins moved from
the rocky substrate to graze. This action accounted for approximately 50% of the damage and loss to
Saccharina japonica, 20% to Ecklonia cava, and just under 10% to E. stolonifera. Furthermore, the
larvae of the blue mussel appeared from April to June and matured in September and October. Therefore,
the space available for plant growth was diminished by the influx of mussel settlements. This affected
the attachment of Ecklonia cava and E. stolonifera when they regenerated in October and November as
the water temperature dropped, leading to a decrease in their biomass. Some blue mussels died due to
low salinity during seasons of heavy rain. When they became detached from the substrate after death,
seaweeds were also lost with them. During the first five years of the project, we noted that over 90% of
the seaweed became detached in this manner.
Section B. Application of a baseline methodology
B.1 Title of reference for the approved baseline methodology applied to this project
No corresponding baseline methodology could be applied to the Seaweed A/R CDM Project as a proven
method. Instead, we proposed a new methodology for constructing a seaweed community on an artificial
reef.
B.2 Justification for the choice of methodology and its applicability to the project
The following methodology was applied in accordance with the conditions stipulated below:
• A direct A/R seaweed plantation with selected species was installed in the marine substrate.
• The site for constructing this pilot farm with perennial species was selected because no seaweed
community had previously existed there. Moreover, the plantation substrate for project activities had
to be open; current coverage by seaweeds did not already qualify at the level described for this pilot
farm.
This project could be implemented as one of afforestation. We provided evidence that, in the past 30
years, no such activity of planting seaweed vegetation on artificial reef substrates (blocks, ropes, reefs,
Triton, etc.) had occurred in this devastated coastal area, no nitrogen fertilizer was used, and the proposed
cultivation practices did not interfere with natural seaweed habitats.
Reforestation would be a possible alternative for this environment using seaweed forests restored via
artificial plantation into previously forested areas. In addition, seeding might be a viable option, with the
goal of promoting natural restoration on sites where communities have been destroyed and areas used for
other purposes. Appropriate survey data were provided to prove the conditions stated above.
per meter of rope. For example, in July 2009, E. cava had 92 fronds m
–1
versus 103 fronds m
–1
for
E. stolonifera. Those respective densities decreased to 54 and 58 in December 2009 before rising to 81
and 109 in May 2010. This increase in density may have been due to the growth of young fronds that
matured under suitable conditions as well as the outgrowth of fronds from new holdfast propagation.
Management activities could be visualized within the framework of an integrated system that
included a detailed location of the project boundaries via GPS and GIS, utilization of marine spatial
resources, the range of marine space, the duration of the project period leased from the owner, permanent
monitoring, afforestation, thinning, harvesting, etc. A task force team for marine affairs was responsible
for overseeing the entire process of preparation and implementation. This involved training personnel,
providing management assistance, and giving instruction in maintaining quality control. Such an
approach clearly delineated the project boundaries and activities that occurred. For example, by using the
GIS system, the floating buoys could be remotely monitored by satellite.
Over the specified credit period, the amount of GHG emissions to be reduced through implementation
of this new carbon sink was expected to be > 12.1 tCO 2 eq ha
–1
yr
–1
. As a factor in risk analysis, the sea
urchin is a major grazer but it does not affect plants at greater depths. However, because this current
project site was shallow and plants were prostrate during low tides, some sea urchins moved from
the rocky substrate to graze. This action accounted for approximately 50% of the damage and loss to
Saccharina japonica, 20% to Ecklonia cava, and just under 10% to E. stolonifera. Furthermore, the
larvae of the blue mussel appeared from April to June and matured in September and October. Therefore,
the space available for plant growth was diminished by the influx of mussel settlements. This affected
the attachment of Ecklonia cava and E. stolonifera when they regenerated in October and November as
the water temperature dropped, leading to a decrease in their biomass. Some blue mussels died due to
low salinity during seasons of heavy rain. When they became detached from the substrate after death,
seaweeds were also lost with them. During the first five years of the project, we noted that over 90% of
the seaweed became detached in this manner.
Section B. Application of a baseline methodology
B.1 Title of reference for the approved baseline methodology applied to this project
No corresponding baseline methodology could be applied to the Seaweed A/R CDM Project as a proven
method. Instead, we proposed a new methodology for constructing a seaweed community on an artificial
reef.
B.2 Justification for the choice of methodology and its applicability to the project
The following methodology was applied in accordance with the conditions stipulated below:
• A direct A/R seaweed plantation with selected species was installed in the marine substrate.
• The site for constructing this pilot farm with perennial species was selected because no seaweed
community had previously existed there. Moreover, the plantation substrate for project activities had
to be open; current coverage by seaweeds did not already qualify at the level described for this pilot
farm.
This project could be implemented as one of afforestation. We provided evidence that, in the past 30
years, no such activity of planting seaweed vegetation on artificial reef substrates (blocks, ropes, reefs,
Triton, etc.) had occurred in this devastated coastal area, no nitrogen fertilizer was used, and the proposed
cultivation practices did not interfere with natural seaweed habitats.
Reforestation would be a possible alternative for this environment using seaweed forests restored via
artificial plantation into previously forested areas. In addition, seeding might be a viable option, with the
goal of promoting natural restoration on sites where communities have been destroyed and areas used for
other purposes. Appropriate survey data were provided to prove the conditions stated above.