GreenWave

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Bren Smith of GreenWave explains his farming methods, including the symbiotic relationship kelp has with other seafood he grows.

GreenWave is a North American nonprofit focused on the development of regenerative farming techniques for aquaculture, called "3D ocean farming", to create blue carbon. [1] [2] [3] Their focus is on developing polyculture practices for farming shellfish and seaweeds and kelps. [2] [4] These practices include using many layers of the water column, emulating high activity water ecosystems like reefs, to increase productivity and biomass. [5]

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The organization focuses on developing globally accessible techniques for this kind of farming. [6] As of 2019, they had a waitlist of over 4,000 farmers in 20 countries needing support in starting such farms. [3] Starting such a farm usually costs between US$20,000–50,000. [3] The nonprofit was created by Bren Smith to spread methods first developed on his Thimble Island Ocean Farm in Long Island Sound. [7] [8] Emily Stengal is the co-founder and deputy director of the non-profit. [9]

In 2015, the organization's 3D ocean farming method won the Buckminster Fuller Institute's Fuller Challenge. [8] The organization also won a 2017 The Index Project prize. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aquaculture</span> Farming of aquatic organisms

Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the controlled cultivation ("farming") of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae and other organisms of value such as aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater, brackish water and saltwater populations under controlled or semi-natural conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the harvesting of wild fish. Mariculture, commonly known as marine farming, refers specifically to aquaculture practiced in seawater habitats and lagoons, as opposed to freshwater aquaculture. Pisciculture is a type of aquaculture that consists of fish farming to obtain fish products as food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariculture</span> Cultivation of marine organisms in the open ocean

Mariculture or marine farming is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other animal products, in enclosed sections of the open ocean, fish farms built on littoral waters, or in artificial tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds. Non-food products produced by mariculture include: fish meal, nutrient agar, jewellery, and cosmetics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fishery</span> Raising or harvesting fish

Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place. Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both in freshwater waterbodies and the oceans. About 500 million people worldwide are economically dependent on fisheries. 171 million tonnes of fish were produced in 2016, but overfishing is an increasing problem — causing declines in some populations.

<i>Macrocystis</i> Genus of large brown algae

Macrocystis is a monospecific genus of kelp with all species now synonymous with Macrocystis pyrifera. It is commonly known as giant kelp or bladder kelp. This genus contains the largest of all the phaeophyceae or brown algae. Macrocystis has pneumatocysts at the base of its blades. Sporophytes are perennial and the individual may live for up to three years; stipes/fronds within a whole individual undergo senescence, where each frond may persist for approximately 100 days. The genus is found widely in subtropical, temperate, and sub-Antarctic oceans of the Southern Hemisphere and in the northeast Pacific from Baja California to Sitka, Alaska. Macrocystis is often a major component of temperate kelp forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Algaculture</span> Aquaculture involving the farming of algae

Algaculture is a form of aquaculture involving the farming of species of algae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture</span> Type of aquaculture

Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) provides the byproducts, including waste, from one aquatic species as inputs for another. Farmers combine fed aquaculture with inorganic extractive and organic extractive aquaculture to create balanced systems for environment remediation (biomitigation), economic stability and social acceptability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seaweed</span> Macroscopic marine algae

Seaweed, or macroalgae, refers to thousands of species of macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae. The term includes some types of Rhodophyta (red), Phaeophyta (brown) and Chlorophyta (green) macroalgae. Seaweed species such as kelps provide essential nursery habitat for fisheries and other marine species and thus protect food sources; other species, such as planktonic algae, play a vital role in capturing carbon, producing at least 50% of Earth's oxygen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aquaculture in New Zealand</span>

Aquaculture started to take off in New Zealand in the 1980s. It is dominated by mussels, oysters and salmon. In 2007, aquaculture generated about NZ$360 million in sales on an area of 7,700 hectares. $240 million was earned in exports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seaweed farming</span> Farming of aquatic seaweed

Seaweed farming or kelp farming is the practice of cultivating and harvesting seaweed. In its simplest form farmers gather from natural beds, while at the other extreme farmers fully control the crop's life cycle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Offshore aquaculture</span> Fish farms in waters some distance away from the coast

Offshore aquaculture, also known as open water aquaculture or open ocean aquaculture, is an emerging approach to mariculture where fish farms are positioned in deeper and less sheltered waters some distance away from the coast, where the cultivated fish stocks are exposed to more naturalistic living conditions with stronger ocean currents and more diverse nutrient flow. Existing "offshore" developments fall mainly into the category of exposed areas rather than fully offshore. As maritime classification society DNV GL has stated, development and knowledge-building are needed in several fields for the available deeper water opportunities to be realized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aquaculture in South Korea</span>

South Korea is a major center of aquaculture production, and the world's third largest producer of farmed algae as of 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aquaculture of giant kelp</span> Cultivation of seaweed

Aquaculture of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, is the cultivation of kelp for uses such as food, dietary supplements or potash. Giant kelp contains iodine, potassium, other minerals vitamins and carbohydrates.

Aquaculture in Madagascar started to take off in the 1980s. The industry includes the cultivation of sea cucumbers, seaweed, fish and shrimp and is being used to stimulate the country's economy, increase the wages of fishermen and women, and improve the regions ocean water quality. Coastal regions of Madagascar are reliant on the Indian Ocean's marine resources as a source of food, income, and cultural identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regenerative agriculture</span> Conservation and rehabilitation approach to food and farming systems

Regenerative agriculture is a conservation and rehabilitation approach to food and farming systems. It focuses on topsoil regeneration, increasing biodiversity, improving the water cycle, enhancing ecosystem services, supporting biosequestration, increasing resilience to climate change, and strengthening the health and vitality of farm soil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aquaculture in the United Kingdom</span>

Aquaculture in the United Kingdom is dominated by salmon farming, then by mussel production with trout being the third most important enterprise. Aquaculture in the United Kingdom represents a significant business for the UK, producing over 200,000 tonnes of fish whilst earning over £700 million in 2012 (€793 million).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FutureFeed</span>

FutureFeed is a seaweed-based feed ingredient for livestock that is currently being developed by a team from Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The primary component of FutureFeed is dried Asparagopsis, a genus of red algae, which has been shown to reduce the methane (CH4) emissions of ruminant livestock by up to 99%. It is added to fodder at feedlots in dosages of 1-2% dietary intake to achieve this result. FutureFeed is currently being developed in collaboration with James Cook University (JCU) and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), with the primary goal of scaling for mainstream commercial use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine permaculture</span>

Marine Permaculture is a form of mariculture that reflects the principles of permaculture by recreating seaweed forest habitat and other ecosystems in nearshore and offshore ocean environments. Doing so enables a sustainable long-term harvest of seaweeds and seafood, while regenerating life in the ocean.

Bren Smith is an aquaculture professional and former commercial fisherman, best known for pioneering Regenerative Ocean Farming via co-founding the non-profit GreenWave.

Seaweed fertiliser is organic fertilizer made from seaweed that is used in agriculture to increase soil fertility and plant growth. The use of seaweed fertilizer dates back to antiquity and has a broad array of benefits for soils. Seaweed fertilizer can be applied in a number of different forms, including refined liquid extracts and dried, pulverized organic material. Through its composition of various bioactive molecules, seaweed functions as a strong soil conditioner, bio-remediator, and biological pest control, with each seaweed phylum offering various benefits to soil and crop health. These benefits can include increased tolerance to abiotic stressors, improved soil texture and water retention, and reduced occurrence of diseases.

<i>Lessonia corrugata</i> Species of seaweed

Lessonia corrugata is a species of kelp, a brown algae in the genus Lessonia, commonly known as strapweed, common crapweed, or Tasmanian kombu. It is a subtidal species endemic to Tasmania and southern Victoria, Australia, and is the least studied of the only three Laminarian kelps that in the region. The species was first described by Arthur Henry Shakespeare Lucas in 1931, and is most closely related to the New Zealand species Lessonia variegata.

References

  1. Maher-Johnson, Louise Elizabeth; Johnson, Ayana Elizabeth (2 November 2018). "Soil and Seaweed: Farming Our Way to a Climate Solution". Scientific American Blog Network.
  2. 1 2 "Our Model". GreenWave. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  3. 1 2 3 MacRae, Gavin. "Ocean farming could help feed the future". Watershed Sentinel. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  4. "Quarantine order in Rhode Island leads to detour of kelp crop into Stonington". The Day. 18 April 2020.
  5. Steucek, Guy. "Kelp Is the New Kale". Lancaster Farming. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  6. Singh, Maanvi (2019-10-21). "This Fisherman Wants Us To Use The Oceans To Fight Climate Change". HuffPost.
  7. "Seaweed farming and its surprising benefits". CBS News. 29 April 2018.
  8. 1 2 "Vertical ocean farms that can feed us and help our seas". ideas.ted.com. 2017-07-26. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  9. Daniels, Raj (2020-12-01). "Bigger Than Us #119 | Regenerative Ocean Farming". Nexus PMG. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  10. "The Index Project". theindexproject.org. Retrieved 2020-05-07.