Kelp farming is a rapidly expanding industry in the Northeastern US and Alaska. Cool, nutrient rich water in the Gulf of Maine make the region ideal for growing kelp; 2021 harvests in Maine alone totaled more than 800,000 wet pounds, and the state issued 125+ permits covering 173 acres of coastal waters (Piconi et al. 2020). However, kelp farms in the southern portion of the Gulf of Maine are virtually non-existent, despite hosting healthy natural populations, due to gear restrictions in Cape Cod Bay that mitigate Right Whale entanglement during the winter months. Kelp farming provides a unique market diversification opportunity for shellfish farmers and commercial fishers in the Northeastern US. The kelp farming season ranges from November to June making it complementary to shellfish farming and many commercial fisheries which demand more attention during the warmer months. This project will test a novel on-bottom growing structure for Saccharina latissima with no vertical lines and stiff non-rope grow-lines. These gear modifications may make kelp farming possible in areas where traditional systems are prohibited. Deployment of the novel test structure will occur in late fall 2021 at 3 participating farm locations in the southern Gulf of Maine.