Climate Science and Policy

Seaweed farming is the fastest growing aquaculture industry in the U.S., with kelp accounting for much of the sector. Yet the industry faces a multitude of roadblocks in California that have prevented successful expansion of the industry in productive waters and a wide-open market. The purpose of this policy briefing document is to bring together relevant information about kelp aquaculture in California, to succinctly summarize and analyze it in an accessible way, and to provide a variety of solutions to the barriers the activity has faced thus far. This document can act as a comprehensive guide for those interested in the topic, including, but not limited to, members of the public, state policymakers and decision makers, prospective kelp aquaculture farmers, kelp companies, or other relevant organizations. A StoryMap web page version of this report is also available online that acts as an overarching look at this issue for those more visually inclined. It can be found here.

Kelp aquaculture is an important topic in relation to climate change, ecosystem health, regenerative agriculture, and sustainability generally. Some of the many potential benefits of cultivating kelp in the ocean include local buffering of ocean acidification, absorption of excess nitrogen and phosphate, creation of habitat, carbon drawdown, buffering wave action, and creation of climate resilient jobs. Farming kelp requires no fertilizers, pesticides, or freshwater, and can grow up to 18 inches in a single day under the right conditions. Kelp is already used in a variety of products such as food, fertilizers, cosmetics, bioplastics, animal feed, biofuels, and medicines.

Despite global demand for kelp increasing every year, and states like Maine and Alaska rapidly expanding farm production, California has fallen far behind in the nascent industry. The kelp aquaculture industry in the state faces obstacles such as a complex permitting process, inferior cost-competitiveness, negative social license, absence of marine spatial planning, and limited domestic markets for kelp products. Regardless, many commercial entities are actively pursuing the activity in the state and attempting to overcome these issues.

Action is needed from both state and private entities to bring together the resources necessary to surmount barriers to the industry and capture the many potential environmental benefits of kelp. A combination of cooperation within the industry to work collectively on market development and processing infrastructure along with funding from the state for a kelp subsidy, further research, and an improved permitting system would vastly improve the chances of industry success in California. Future policies should take into account relevant research, best environmental management practices, and local community input. While it is not clear if a prospering kelp aquaculture industry will arise in California, there is tangible interest from multiple types of stakeholders to try to make it happen.