California Seaweed Permitting
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Hello!
I'm looking for any updates to the California aquaculture permitting process. I've had an active interest in seaweed farming for quite a while now, but keep running into the roadblock of permitting in California. I went to the Seaweed Festival last year in Santa Barbara and received the same story there; essentially that it's impossible to get a new permit for seaweed farming in California.
Has anyone heard anything differently? I'm based in Oakland - would love to meet up with anyone interested in seaweed farming if you're in the area!Pedro
@pedro_aguirre -Hi, Pedro. Take a look the Site Evaluate course and jump to "Understand the Regulations". There is a drop down menu at the bottom where you can click on California and learn a bit more about the state-of-the-state https://hub.greenwave.org/lms/....
While things are moving slowly in CA, there has been some progress in the past couple of years. The first commercial seaweed farm growing red seaweeds (Gracilaria and dulse) was permitted in Humboldt Bay in 2020 and, in 2021, another farm site in Humboldt Bay secured approvals to cultivate bull kelp and other brown macroalgaes.
Assembly Bill 303 Aquaculture: mariculture production and restoration: pilot program was introduced last year and is still being amended in assembly.
There are a few other efforts in the works to expand opportunities and decrease start-up costs, and we'll post more information as it becomes available.
You can find more info about the permitting process for aquaculture in California on the CA.gov website: https://permits.aquaculturemat...
@karen_gray please chime in!
@kendall_barbery - thanks Kendall!
@pedro_aguirre - Hello Pedro! Thanks for your interest and questions. Please take time to review Kendall's recommendations. As you're already aware, California has a bit of catching up to do to allow for the tremendous interest and desire to pursue setting up seaweed farms in this state. One key thing to bear in mind is that the location of the proposed farm i.e. in State (up to 3 miles from shoreline) or Federal (from 3 to 200 miles) waters, will trigger a different process. For instance, in state waters, a lease is required first before going after the required permits. In most areas this means seeking approval from the California Fish and Game Commission for the lease (although in some areas the sea bottom will be under other jurisdiction e.g. a port or harbor for example). I'm not sure if you've seen this report I put together to help understand the process which can give you a more detailed guide to the key elements. It's a rough guide but will give you a picture. Let us know when/if you have further Qs! ~Karen
@kendall_barbery - thanks Kendall!
@pedro_aguirre - Hello Pedro! Thanks for your interest and questions. Please take time to review Kendall's recommendations. As you're already aware, California has a bit of catching up to do to allow for the tremendous interest and desire to pursue setting up seaweed farms in this state. One key thing to bear in mind is that the location of the proposed farm i.e. in State (up to 3 miles from shoreline) or Federal (from 3 to 200 miles) waters, will trigger a different process. For instance, in state waters, a lease is required first before going after the required permits. In most areas this means seeking approval from the California Fish and Game Commission for the lease (although in some areas the sea bottom will be under other jurisdiction e.g. a port or harbor for example). I'm not sure if you've seen this report I put together to help understand the process which can give you a more detailed guide to the key elements. It's a rough guide but will give you a picture. Let us know when/if you have further Qs! ~Karen
@pedro_aguirre -Hi Pedro. I am also based in Oakland and am new to this whole world. Would love to catch up and chat if you are interested.
@azhar_meyer, @pedro_aguirre, @karen_gray, @kendall_barbery,
Hi all, I'm a grad student at UCSC. always had a passion for seaweed, though I study plastic dependency in New Orleans. I'm putting together a google spreadsheet for folks in northern CA. Feel free to send me your phone #s and/or email and I will add you to the list and send an email to organize folks.
best,
Chris Lang | 650 387 9239 / calang@ucsc.edu
@azhar_meyer, @pedro_aguirre, @karen_gray, @kendall_barbery,
Hi all, I'm a grad student at UCSC. always had a passion for seaweed, though I study plastic dependency in New Orleans. I'm putting together a google spreadsheet for folks in northern CA. Feel free to send me your phone #s and/or email and I will add you to the list and send an email to organize folks.
best,
Chris Lang | 650 387 9239 / calang@ucsc.edu
@pedro_aguirre Hey Pedro - I'm new to this group. I'm currently an MBA student in sustainable solutions based in the Bay Area and have been researching seaweed farming and the marketplace. I'd be interested to connect with you sometime to see what you've learned - doesn't seem like much progress has happened with permitting...
Feel free to send a message my way at andykastner@gmail.com and we can connect further.
Cheers,
Andy
Hi Andy, I'm going to add you to the email list and slack group of our growing NorCal seaweed folks, called 'Kelpfuls'.
cheers,
Chris
Hi Andy, I'm going to add you to the email list and slack group of our growing NorCal seaweed folks, called 'Kelpfuls'.
cheers,
Chris
@pedro_aguirre
Hi Pedro,
I am also in the bay area looking to get into aquaculture and would love to be apart off whatever you're creating in the bay area!
best email is zach@zachariahepperson.com