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Why not use it as fertilizer? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seaweed_fertiliser

Given the area of the trials (North Sea) I would be hesitant to eat it but on plants in place of oil based sources? Would that work / be safe?

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Is the salt content low enough? Too much salt can make soil infertile.

Scottish farmers fertilised their fields with seaweed and fishguts for centuries. Burnt seaweed ash was also used I believe, a by product of chemical extraction (seaweed and rhubarb were functionally "industrial" plants, use as food followed on. Plants like madder were for dye, rushes and flax for their obvious uses in construction and fabric)

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