In South Korea, we saw the most automated or mechanised ways of harvesting. Between 600 and 3,000 metres of line can be harvested per hour here. Yet it is important to note that the fastest method, by stripping the entire lines with a semi-automated continuous process, also affects the quality of the harvested seaweed significantly. 

In the North of Japan, harvesting begins in the middle of June and usually continues until mid August. Harvest or yield in Japan is not measured in weight (kg or MT), but rather in pieces. For instance, would a typical farm in Hokkaido with a 3,000m line harvests between 40,000 -100,000 pieces per year.The harvest takes place during the early morning hours (3-5am typically) and about 1,000-2,000 pieces are harvested at once. This amount depends on the  space for drying the blades on land.

In Shandong and Dalian, China, farmed Saccharina grows up to 4-6 metres before it is harvested between May and August every year. In the South of China (Fujian province), the growth period is much shorter and blades grow only up to 1-2 metres. The harvesting process is usually done by a team of two people per boat and is physically very demanding. There is an urgent need to achieve mechanised harvesting and transportation to shore.