Offshore seaweed aquaculture presents significant opportunities to coexist with other aquaculture ventures (e.g., finfish farming) and offshore energy developments, thanks to its ability to attenuate hydrodynamic energy and reduce hazardous ocean conditions. However, current predictive models are limited, often relying on rigid structures rather than capturing the dynamic, buoyant nature of seaweed.

Advancing our understanding of seaweed-hydrodynamic interactions is essential to optimising aquaculture designs and maximising environmental and economic co-benefits, such as coastal protection, increased resilience of nearby infrastructure, and mitigation of climate change impacts. My research aims to quantify hydrodynamic attenuation by assessing how effectively offshore cultivated seaweed reduces wave and current energy. It seeks to understand the intricate interactions between seaweed properties, wave dynamics, and hydrodynamic forces.

Additionally, the study focuses on developing predictive models to accurately estimate the attenuation capabilities of different seaweed species. Ultimately, this project will indirectly benefit the seaweed aquaculture sector and will help optimise aquaculture farm designs. A combination of experimental and numerical modelling will be applied to achieve those goals, with the experimental campaign conducted at the Coastal and Offshore Research Lab (CORL) at the University of Western Australia.

The research findings will not only advance marine science but also provide valuable insights for industry and government stakeholders in Australia and New Zealand.