Getting into Kelp
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Hello everyone! I am based in Massachsuetts and am looking to start a kelp hatchery to provide ground level infrastructure for the kelp industry to grow in my area. I am currently an operations manager in an agricultural wet lab, so the day to day operations for needed to run a kelp hatchery will be easy for me to pick up. I am currently in the planning phase and will be seeking funding in the near future. I am looking to make connections with farmers and hatchery in the new england area to discuss and possibly form partnerships. Feel free to reach out to me anytime!
@jacob_29 Check out GreenWave's course on setting up a nursery and let us know if you have any questions!
https://hub.greenwave.org/lms/course/seed-production-pathways-to-scale/
@jacob_29 Hi Jacob, We have nearly half a million dollars invested in our kelp nursery. Sarah Redmond who founded our company has well over 15 years of nursery experience. There are plenty of resources out there, but most of it is pretty basic and a significant amount is not very helpful. I would suggest interning somewhere to get a feel for how things work. I am glad to chat with you if that would be helpful. Peace, Trey
@jacob_29 FYI I moved your post to the kelp hatchery topic for better visibility.
To add on to Toby - there's also recorded webinars other resources under the Nursery topic. Check them out!
@jacob_29 the scale of kelp farming in MA is pretty small and has even scaled back a bit since the Sea Grant Seaweed Hub published this State of the States report back in 2023. As you start on this journey, I'd encourage you to consider needs across your target geography. Trey's comment about interning while you're getting a better understanding for the lay of the land is a good one.
GreenWave, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and other groups have supplied kelp seed to the small number of kelp farmers in MA in the past. @scott_lindell @david_bailey @james_bassett and others may be able to provide some local context.