The coronavirus pandemic has been a struggle for much of Maine seafood, but the seaweed sector of the industry has found a way to grow during the crisis.

Seaweed harvesting and farming is based largely along the rocky and chilly coast of Maine. It has grown for several years as interest in foods and nutritional products made with the marine algae have risen in popularity.

Seaweed is highly dependent on the restaurant sector, which made the pandemic a potentially major setback.

But representatives for a company that works with two dozen Maine seaweed farmers say it nearly doubled its harvest this year!

Overall the harvest is estimated to have yielded around 450,000 pounds.