Nursery Operations | Farmer Forum

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Hi.

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Good morning everyone. Good afternoon. Welcome.

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We have people a couple more seconds

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to file in and then we'll jump in.

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Awesome. Um,

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just a quick note for those of you who are joining

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for the first time, this, um, we are running this as a,

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a call, um, so that there's opportunity for people

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to come off mute and ask questions at the end.

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Um, but we ask that you just keep yourself on mute, uh,

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until q and a.

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Um, if you don't mind. Alright,

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well, we are two past the hour,

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so I think I'll go ahead and, and jump in.

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Um, we've got a lot to cover today and,

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and wanna give time for our guest speakers.

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Um, so welcome everyone.

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My name is Lindsay Olson and I am the director of training

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and support at GreenWave.

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Um, and it is my pleasure to welcome you

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to the first Farmer Forum of the 20 24 20 25 season.

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Um, I see lots of familiar names in the participants,

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but for those of you who are, are new here, um,

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really glad to have you.

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Farmer Forum is an initiative that we launched, uh,

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two years ago now to really try

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and connect the seaweed farming community during,

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um, the season.

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So bringing practitioners together on a monthly basis

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to really dig into the topics, um,

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that you might be grappling

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with at different points in your season.

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And we really try and make these calls very practical

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and conversational in nature.

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So, um, really trying to get into the details of,

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of whatever it is that, um,

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you are focusing on at the moment.

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Um, please feel free

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to put questions in the chat throughout the presentation if

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there are clarifying questions, um, you have.

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And then we'll compile these

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and, uh, we always save time at the end for q and a.

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Um, we are recording this call so that folks who aren't able

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to join us at the, um, at this time

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live can still benefit from the material.

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So just, um, a note on that.

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Awesome. Well, to kick off, um, I would love

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to hear from you all, um, about

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who is in the room, the virtual room.

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So if you don't mind putting in the chat, um,

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if you open chat on your, uh, zoom

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and if you can tell us what your name is, your, uh,

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current role or interest in seaweed.

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Are you a farmer? Are you a nursery operator?

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Um, are you just, you know, curious about the industry?

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Uh, and then where are you're physically located?

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Um, David and Nicole from Maine,

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UCLA, Nova Scotia, Juno, Jamaica.

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Vancouver, Sweden. Awesome.

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Amazing. Well, thank you all for being here.

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It's always great to see what a wide spread

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of practitioners the these calls bring together, together.

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Um, great. Thanks everyone for being here.

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Alright, um, I wanted

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to share right briefly at the very beginning

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before we get too deep into, um, the details that this year,

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uh, GreenWave is doing something a little bit different.

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We have launched a new program, um,

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that we're calling regional advanced farmer cohorts.

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So essentially this year, um, the training and support

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and market development teams at GreenWave are working with

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active farmers in three regions, um, in Cordova, Alaska,

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Kodiak, Alaska, and

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with the Maine Family Sea Farms Cooperative in southern

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Maine to really sort of, um, help dig into what are some

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of the, the regional challenges that folks are facing

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on the ground going through the entire season.

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And, um, what are the,

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where are the similarities in those challenges?

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Where are they regionally unique?

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Um, and what are ways that we can help try

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and remove bottlenecks

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to allow active farmers in these regions to scale?

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Um, so we're, we are working with, um,

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the active growers in these three groups from, uh,

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providing support and,

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and some facilitation from seed production all the way

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through harvest and stabilization of their kelp.

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Um, and this year for Farmer Forum, we wanted

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to tap into some of the lessons

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that we are learning on the ground in these three places

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and really bring those to light, um,

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to the broader farmer community because we know that, um,

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although there may be 20 farms participating in this cohort

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program, there over 80 active farmers in the US alone, um,

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not to mention all of the other geographies you guys

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are are calling in from.

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And so there's clearly lots to be learned, um,

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from the broader community.

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And so we wanted to be, use these calls as a way

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to share updates and learning throughout the season.

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So this, you may have noticed this is the, um, calendar

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for this season's upcoming farmer form events.

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And we really have tried to make the topics very sort of,

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uh, I don't wanna say basic,

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but foundational in nature where the goal here is

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to really like put a, a, a microscope over, um,

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our own, our our own knowledge and, and,

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and, um, understanding of how we go through the season

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and make sure that we all are optimizing our activities, um,

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at the farm and nursery level to be to, to kind of nail each

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milestone throughout the season and make it most

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as efficient as possible.

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So, um, we're kicking off the series

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with nursery operations.

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Clearly a very, very important step in the overall, um,

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cycle of the kelp farming season.

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Um, without good seed, it is impossible

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to have good product.

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So, um, we are really grateful to have, uh,

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four different nursery operators here to talk

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to us today about that.

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And, um, it looks from the attendance list, we,

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we have some extra, um, folks in the room.

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I might, I might be so bold as to call on later.

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Um, but next at Halloween we're gonna be talking

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about out planting.

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Um, in December we'll talk about, uh, working with buyers

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and like all of the sort of pre-harvest arrangements that,

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um, should be in place to, um, in advance of sales.

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And then we will, um,

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dig into the details on estimating yields

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and just the, what we have learned, um, over the years from,

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from that and what we're learning this

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year, harvest planning.

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And lastly, um, preparing for stabilization and processing.

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So today, um, I am going to just briefly point you

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to a couple resources

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that live on the green Wave ocean farming hub

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that are relevant to nursery operations.

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Um, and, uh, kinda wanna highlight a few things

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that might be relevant

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to this particular season and moment in time.

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Um, and then I'm gonna turn it over

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to our nursery operators on the call.

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We're going to hear from Maggie from GreenWave,

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Nicole from Main Family Sea Farms, uh, Michael from

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Tic Pride and Seward and Lexi from, um,

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Alaska Ocean Farms in Kodiak.

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And then we've got time for q and a.

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Alright, um,

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so hopefully everyone here on this call has been on the,

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it was registered for the GreenWave Ocean Farming Hub.

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Um, Gigi, maybe you could put the, the hub, uh,

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link in the chat for folks who, um,

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maybe do not have an account there,

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but hopefully this is familiar.

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This is, um, sort of source of truth for all of the, all

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of our training and and programmatic materials.

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I wanted to point out a couple specific, uh, resources

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that exist for nursery operations just

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because I know there's a lot of information on here

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and sometimes it can be difficult to wade through.

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So the place you would wanna go is to courses

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and then switch over to kelp hatchery.

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And there it's the kelp hatchery curriculum is divided into

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getting started, which is essentially like building your

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nursery and then annual operations, which is running it,

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which is what we're going to be talking about today.

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A few, um, key things to point out.

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There's a lot of great information here

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and I recommend reading it all.

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Um, we are undergoing an audit

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of the curriculum at the moment and,

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and updating some of the lessons to be more, um, concise

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and have, um, direct protocols that, that are pertain to,

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that pertain to each lesson.

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And, um, we expect that unfortunately won't be finished

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for this nursery season, but definitely for next season.

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Um, and in the meantime, I just wanted to point you

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to a couple places where we think

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that the information could be helpful.

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So in this production,

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in this course called Seed Production Pathways to Scale,

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this really goes over green waves.

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Um, the learnings that we have had in the last recent years

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around trying to optimize our in nursery system.

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And one of the key things that we have learned, um, through

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that process is that water, uh, sanitation,

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that water processing is like perhaps the most critical step

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to, um, ensuring low contamination and good quality seed.

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And so this course, um,

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or this lesson on water will take you through the sort

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of whole process of, um,

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how GreenWave has switched its filtration system, um,

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and the, the sort of nuts

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and bolts of how we work with our, uh, seawater to make sure

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that we are getting clean input, um, to the, the spools

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that we are growing.

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So this is one course that I highly recommend, um, those

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of you who are thinking about running your own nursery

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or are in the process of running your own nursery checkout.

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The other place that I wanted to direct you to, um,

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is in the annual operations track.

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So again, keaty annual operations.

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Um, there is a course on seeding,

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and this goes through the whole process

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of processing your source tissue all the way

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through the spore release and getting your spools

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into the nursery.

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There's some really great tools, um, visuals here of,

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to help you kind of go through the process of like,

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what's normal, what should I be looking for, um, a uh,

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spo uh, spore density calculator, et cetera, et cetera.

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So this is a really great resource

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as well this time of the year.

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And then the last place that I wanna just point out,

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make sure that everybody knows about it is the

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community space.

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So there is a specific channel for kelp patchy.

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Um, thank you to Maggie for posting recently.

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Um, but we really recommend you guys use this space

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as you go through this season to post questions.

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Um, you can start a discussion here and,

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and, uh, put it straight to the theatre.

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You can choose your geography, um, make it relevant

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to whomever you would like to see the question.

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And we, um, very much encourage folks to, uh,

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to continue to use this space throughout the,

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throughout the, the nursery season.

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Alright, um, so with

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that I think I will pass the mic over to Maggie

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to give you a little bit of an update from the GreenWave

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nursery in Connecticut.

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Hi everyone. Um, thanks Lindsay.

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As Lindsay said, I'm the, uh,

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nursery operator here at Green Wave's Nursery

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in New Haven, Connecticut.

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Um, slide.

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So, um, our nursery, we provide seed

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to about 25 farmers in, um, New York, Connecticut,

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Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

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Um, we cultivate sugar kelp, our envelope, our,

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the whole nursery is inside a 20 foot

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refrigerated shipping container.

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Um, and we have eight tanks in there that are 60 gallons

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at maximum capacity.

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We can grow about 77,000 feet.

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Um, and each of those 60 gallon tanks holds

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24 400 foot spools.

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Um, and we operate the nursery on a flow

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through system slide.

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Um, this is just a diagram of how we set up our tanks.

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There's, um, three main components that we use.

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00:12:57.955 --> 00:12:59.535
Um, the first is air pump

256
00:12:59.555 --> 00:13:01.495
and Airstone, um, just

257
00:13:01.495 --> 00:13:04.055
to keep airflow air going in the tank, um,

258
00:13:05.185 --> 00:13:06.415
throughout the whole season.

259
00:13:06.995 --> 00:13:11.015
Um, and then the second is this, um, acrylic spool stand

260
00:13:11.125 --> 00:13:13.895
that we use so we can evenly space our spools.

261
00:13:14.235 --> 00:13:15.895
Um, they're packed pretty tightly in there,

262
00:13:15.955 --> 00:13:17.815
so we just wanna make sure, um,

263
00:13:18.405 --> 00:13:20.415
they're all separated, uh, the right way.

264
00:13:20.795 --> 00:13:23.815
And then lastly, we have kind of an upwelling system

265
00:13:23.945 --> 00:13:27.375
where we have a water pump that, um, recirculates the water

266
00:13:27.375 --> 00:13:29.615
through the UV through a UV filter

267
00:13:30.515 --> 00:13:34.655
and then through, um, an upwelling frame into the spools

268
00:13:34.715 --> 00:13:38.305
and creates even water flow throughout the tank slide.

269
00:13:41.655 --> 00:13:44.795
Um, what's happening now, currently we have three

270
00:13:44.795 --> 00:13:45.875
of those tanks running

271
00:13:45.935 --> 00:13:47.435
and we're gonna start up three more

272
00:13:47.445 --> 00:13:48.675
tanks by the end of the week.

273
00:13:49.215 --> 00:13:51.835
We have spools in those tanks ranging from

274
00:13:51.975 --> 00:13:53.155
one to four weeks old.

275
00:13:53.695 --> 00:13:57.115
Um, over on the side you can see a microscope photo

276
00:13:57.175 --> 00:13:59.795
of the spore fights on the four week old spools

277
00:14:00.135 --> 00:14:01.635
and the three week old spools.

278
00:14:02.415 --> 00:14:03.635
And then the other thing

279
00:14:03.635 --> 00:14:06.035
that we're busy doing is just collecting water, uh,

280
00:14:06.035 --> 00:14:07.075
two to three times a week.

281
00:14:07.075 --> 00:14:11.275
So we collect our water, we don't have easy access to water.

282
00:14:11.455 --> 00:14:15.155
Um, we collect our water from a spot about an hour away

283
00:14:15.495 --> 00:14:18.795
and we truck it in, um, 500 gallons at a time.

284
00:14:18.895 --> 00:14:21.755
And since we're using a flow through system, uh,

285
00:14:21.775 --> 00:14:23.995
we use a lot of water slide.

286
00:14:25.875 --> 00:14:29.575
What's going well right now is all of our seed is on track

287
00:14:29.685 --> 00:14:31.655
with our target out planting dates

288
00:14:31.715 --> 00:14:33.015
and distribution, um,

289
00:14:33.015 --> 00:14:34.775
that we've already talked about with farmers.

290
00:14:35.795 --> 00:14:38.695
So far we haven't seen any signs of contamination.

291
00:14:38.995 --> 00:14:40.455
Um, we'll be on the lookout

292
00:14:40.735 --> 00:14:43.015
'cause we're approaching the time where they would pop up.

293
00:14:43.785 --> 00:14:46.125
And we've changed a few things from years past

294
00:14:46.395 --> 00:14:48.245
that have been working well for us this year.

295
00:14:48.985 --> 00:14:52.005
Um, in years past we've done a hundred percent replenishment

296
00:14:52.185 --> 00:14:55.685
per tank per day and we've lowered that to 75%

297
00:14:56.145 --> 00:14:57.485
and it seems to be working well

298
00:14:58.265 --> 00:15:00.445
and that's helping a lot with our water consumption.

299
00:15:01.645 --> 00:15:05.385
We also, this year, did a little bit more extensive cleaning

300
00:15:05.405 --> 00:15:08.385
and sterilization process of the nursery after last season

301
00:15:08.965 --> 00:15:10.825
and then again before this season.

302
00:15:11.365 --> 00:15:14.225
And we broke everything down, bleached it, scrubbed it,

303
00:15:14.505 --> 00:15:16.385
rinsed it, and then reassembled it

304
00:15:17.075 --> 00:15:19.615
and ran it with a couple of flush loads of water.

305
00:15:20.715 --> 00:15:24.215
And then we're also changing our outplant date.

306
00:15:24.755 --> 00:15:27.015
We are trying to figure out the earliest we can outplant

307
00:15:27.015 --> 00:15:28.175
in at our farm.

308
00:15:28.355 --> 00:15:30.535
So we're, we have a few spools

309
00:15:30.535 --> 00:15:33.735
that are going out in the water as, as early as, um,

310
00:15:34.155 --> 00:15:35.215
two weeks from now.

311
00:15:36.335 --> 00:15:40.685
Slide challenges we faced, uh,

312
00:15:40.695 --> 00:15:42.685
water consumption, I just talked about it

313
00:15:42.685 --> 00:15:44.245
and then Lindsay kind of highlighted it,

314
00:15:44.305 --> 00:15:48.365
but, uh, we treat our water at GreenWave pretty extensively

315
00:15:48.645 --> 00:15:51.525
'cause it's, uh, not that clean coming out of

316
00:15:52.105 --> 00:15:53.325
the Long Island sound.

317
00:15:53.905 --> 00:15:57.085
So that process, not only we have to go an hour

318
00:15:57.085 --> 00:15:59.445
to get the water, but then the process takes an additional

319
00:15:59.445 --> 00:16:04.285
36 hours in the tank to where we, um, treat it with ozone

320
00:16:04.305 --> 00:16:07.125
and we use a protein skimmer.

321
00:16:07.945 --> 00:16:09.125
And around

322
00:16:09.215 --> 00:16:12.285
after 36 hours, it's finally clean enough to send through,

323
00:16:12.545 --> 00:16:15.845
um, our filter line down to 0.2 microns

324
00:16:17.095 --> 00:16:20.195
and that, that causes some issues when we're, um,

325
00:16:21.375 --> 00:16:23.685
refreshing the tanks at a hundred percent each day.

326
00:16:25.015 --> 00:16:27.755
The other issue, other challenges we faced, uh,

327
00:16:27.815 --> 00:16:31.115
is contamination Right now we haven't seen any this season,

328
00:16:31.295 --> 00:16:34.795
but last year we had a diatom outbreak that we were able

329
00:16:34.795 --> 00:16:36.755
to treat and save all of that seed.

330
00:16:36.855 --> 00:16:40.355
But the year prior we had a bacteria, um, issue

331
00:16:40.375 --> 00:16:42.235
and we were not able to save all that seed

332
00:16:43.595 --> 00:16:48.595
slide concerns.

333
00:16:49.195 --> 00:16:51.495
Um, and questions that we have, uh,

334
00:16:51.685 --> 00:16:53.255
just mitigating contamination.

335
00:16:54.265 --> 00:16:56.935
We've been treating the water a lot and that's been helping.

336
00:16:57.235 --> 00:17:00.335
So, um, we've got our fingers crossed for this season.

337
00:17:00.965 --> 00:17:04.335
Another constant concern I think across a lot of people.

338
00:17:04.915 --> 00:17:08.655
Uh, source availability, um, especially in,

339
00:17:08.795 --> 00:17:10.655
in the Long Island sound, it's getting later

340
00:17:10.655 --> 00:17:11.815
and later each year.

341
00:17:11.955 --> 00:17:14.375
So, um, we're a little bit worried about that.

342
00:17:14.835 --> 00:17:17.855
And then lastly, water consumption and water treatment.

343
00:17:21.955 --> 00:17:23.615
Um, thank you Maggie. It looks like we just

344
00:17:23.615 --> 00:17:24.775
have one question, quick question.

345
00:17:25.315 --> 00:17:27.295
Um, how did you treat your water last year

346
00:17:27.295 --> 00:17:29.135
to save your seed spools from diatoms?

347
00:17:30.425 --> 00:17:31.845
Um, last year we,

348
00:17:32.105 --> 00:17:34.845
we saw the diatoms popping up a little bit early

349
00:17:34.845 --> 00:17:37.805
where it was just kind of specs, little colonies on the side

350
00:17:37.805 --> 00:17:41.045
of the tank, and then we treated the water

351
00:17:41.045 --> 00:17:42.565
with germanium dioxide

352
00:17:43.225 --> 00:17:47.725
and also rinsed the spools under fresh, sterile sea water.

353
00:17:48.265 --> 00:17:52.485
And, um, the spore fights were holding on,

354
00:17:52.905 --> 00:17:54.965
but the diatoms were able, we were able

355
00:17:54.965 --> 00:17:56.685
to like dislodge them and flush them

356
00:17:57.435 --> 00:17:58.765
down the down the drain.

357
00:18:01.565 --> 00:18:02.855
Awesome, thank you.

358
00:18:03.645 --> 00:18:05.335
Yeah, there are any other questions, um, from me.

359
00:18:05.335 --> 00:18:08.495
You are throughout the, um, throughout the presentations,

360
00:18:08.495 --> 00:18:09.935
please feel free to put 'em in the chat.

361
00:18:12.055 --> 00:18:15.425
With that, I think we'll turn over, uh, to Michael Mahmud,

362
00:18:15.425 --> 00:18:16.785
who's joining us from Seward

363
00:18:17.045 --> 00:18:18.705
and the El Lu Pride Marine Institute.

364
00:18:20.485 --> 00:18:22.545
Uh, good morning and good afternoon everyone.

365
00:18:23.655 --> 00:18:25.115
It is a beautiful morning here.

366
00:18:26.175 --> 00:18:29.395
Um, I am well into one month in my

367
00:18:30.075 --> 00:18:31.635
hatchery at this point.

368
00:18:32.095 --> 00:18:34.195
Um, you can go to the next slide please.

369
00:18:35.215 --> 00:18:36.875
Uh, we're located in Seward, Alaska,

370
00:18:37.815 --> 00:18:41.755
and we are growing a lot of different species of kelp.

371
00:18:43.025 --> 00:18:46.535
Right now I have about 73,000 feet already seeded

372
00:18:46.535 --> 00:18:51.455
with another 16,000 or so that we're seeding this weekend.

373
00:18:52.435 --> 00:18:54.215
And hopefully that'll be it.

374
00:18:55.055 --> 00:18:57.835
Um, we grow, we're still using an old,

375
00:18:57.855 --> 00:19:00.915
the old green wave style of hatchery methods

376
00:19:01.385 --> 00:19:02.635
with weekly tank changes.

377
00:19:03.535 --> 00:19:06.475
Um, so we're growing our spools on 15 inch,

378
00:19:07.035 --> 00:19:10.625
we're growing our seed on 15 inch spools with 200 feet

379
00:19:10.625 --> 00:19:12.225
of string on each spool.

380
00:19:12.885 --> 00:19:14.025
Um, next slide, please.

381
00:19:16.555 --> 00:19:20.015
Oh, I said some of this here. You can see my totals.

382
00:19:20.435 --> 00:19:22.775
Um, we've pretty much done it in stages.

383
00:19:23.005 --> 00:19:27.595
Just, I've really tried to get the farmers to

384
00:19:29.145 --> 00:19:32.915
send me the, so not all at once, which is hard to do

385
00:19:32.915 --> 00:19:36.115
because the so is ready all at the same time.

386
00:19:37.055 --> 00:19:38.435
But it's worked out so far.

387
00:19:40.265 --> 00:19:41.845
Um, it's really time consuming

388
00:19:42.145 --> 00:19:46.715
and I have a really good team to help me clean, clean the,

389
00:19:46.735 --> 00:19:49.915
so otherwise I would just live here at the hatchery.

390
00:19:50.845 --> 00:19:55.425
Um, next slide please. So, let's see.

391
00:19:55.525 --> 00:19:57.865
The big thing was a lot of farmers delivered,

392
00:19:57.895 --> 00:19:59.065
hand delivered their, so,

393
00:19:59.245 --> 00:20:00.905
and then they stuck around to clean it,

394
00:20:00.905 --> 00:20:02.865
which gave them a good perspective into

395
00:20:02.865 --> 00:20:06.145
how much work we really do at the hatchery

396
00:20:06.145 --> 00:20:09.105
or nursery to prepare us for success.

397
00:20:10.145 --> 00:20:11.805
Um, communication is key

398
00:20:12.855 --> 00:20:16.785
and I really try to strive, you know,

399
00:20:16.965 --> 00:20:19.385
if something goes wrong, I really wanna let them know,

400
00:20:19.885 --> 00:20:22.065
or if things are going well, I wanna,

401
00:20:22.525 --> 00:20:23.785
you know, let them know that as well.

402
00:20:25.085 --> 00:20:26.825
Um, 'cause

403
00:20:26.825 --> 00:20:29.505
before in the past years it hasn't always been that way,

404
00:20:30.005 --> 00:20:33.545
but, um, this year it's going exceedingly well.

405
00:20:33.645 --> 00:20:37.465
So far. Um, the source, some of the,

406
00:20:37.465 --> 00:20:39.265
so I've gotten hasn't been the greatest,

407
00:20:39.525 --> 00:20:43.265
but we, the farmer being there can see that

408
00:20:44.595 --> 00:20:46.335
it, we didn't get good spore release

409
00:20:46.475 --> 00:20:48.765
or we've gotten really excellent bore release.

410
00:20:50.495 --> 00:20:53.595
And so that, that's just them seeing it with their eyes

411
00:20:54.905 --> 00:20:56.565
rather than me just emailing them

412
00:20:56.565 --> 00:20:59.685
and telling them is a big, big, big, uh, improvement.

413
00:21:00.075 --> 00:21:04.905
Next slide, please. Um, challenges I faced.

414
00:21:06.355 --> 00:21:10.675
I have lack of sleep. I don't have any social life at this

415
00:21:10.675 --> 00:21:12.195
point, but that's fine.

416
00:21:13.205 --> 00:21:14.905
Um, it's been really well.

417
00:21:15.255 --> 00:21:18.305
I've just, we have growing so much kelp, it's been hard

418
00:21:18.305 --> 00:21:19.625
for me to keep up, but

419
00:21:20.395 --> 00:21:23.005
because we're doing weekly tank changes, I have a lot

420
00:21:23.005 --> 00:21:24.485
of cleaning every day

421
00:21:24.825 --> 00:21:29.365
and if I don't keep up on it, then it just backs up

422
00:21:29.425 --> 00:21:31.685
and then I don't have anywhere for the spools to go.

423
00:21:32.625 --> 00:21:34.645
So I look out my window.

424
00:21:35.115 --> 00:21:37.845
That is a view of Mount Alice in Resurrection Bay

425
00:21:37.875 --> 00:21:39.325
that I'm looking at right now.

426
00:21:40.125 --> 00:21:41.605
Although that was the sunrise from last week.

427
00:21:42.825 --> 00:21:44.245
Um, log lunches

428
00:21:44.505 --> 00:21:48.605
and deep breaths really helped me in keeping a good track.

429
00:21:49.325 --> 00:21:52.525
A good record of everything I do at each day

430
00:21:53.265 --> 00:21:55.555
is con very helpful.

431
00:21:56.455 --> 00:22:01.085
Um, next slide. Um, that's a poor photo of our,

432
00:22:01.465 --> 00:22:02.845
one of the spools of ribbon kelp

433
00:22:03.355 --> 00:22:06.715
that was taken a week ago ago.

434
00:22:06.715 --> 00:22:10.055
Um, and I just wanna know how the farmers

435
00:22:10.195 --> 00:22:12.855
who are using the new Green GreenWave set up, I would like

436
00:22:12.855 --> 00:22:14.295
to know how they're going with that.

437
00:22:15.305 --> 00:22:19.005
What, um, 'cause I really would like to transfer

438
00:22:20.485 --> 00:22:23.465
my nursery into that style in the future.

439
00:22:27.425 --> 00:22:29.515
Awesome. Thank you Michael.

440
00:22:29.625 --> 00:22:32.795
Well, that's a great segue to, um, hearing from Nicole,

441
00:22:32.855 --> 00:22:35.675
who is one of the folks from the Maine Family Sea Farms

442
00:22:35.675 --> 00:22:39.315
nursery that has built, um, a new nursery this year,

443
00:22:39.825 --> 00:22:42.675
modeled off of the one that Maggie described, uh,

444
00:22:42.805 --> 00:22:45.235
green waves space down in New Haven, Connecticut.

445
00:22:46.735 --> 00:22:49.385
Yeah, I was gonna say, I don't really have to say as much

446
00:22:49.385 --> 00:22:52.425
because we copied Maggie's exactly.

447
00:22:53.005 --> 00:22:56.705
Um, we have a setup for five tanks at the moment.

448
00:22:57.165 --> 00:23:00.425
Um, three that are scored at the moment,

449
00:23:01.265 --> 00:23:03.105
a fourth leaching and then a fifth.

450
00:23:03.325 --> 00:23:05.265
We are actually, that's kind of

451
00:23:05.265 --> 00:23:07.545
what we're happening right now, talking about

452
00:23:08.145 --> 00:23:09.225
possibly setting that one up.

453
00:23:09.925 --> 00:23:14.715
Um, but it seems to be going really,

454
00:23:14.715 --> 00:23:18.115
really well with that exact, uh, replication

455
00:23:18.135 --> 00:23:20.585
of their, their system.

456
00:23:21.085 --> 00:23:24.295
Um, that was kind of what we were saying.

457
00:23:24.295 --> 00:23:27.335
But yeah, we have all, um, sugar kelp at the moment.

458
00:23:27.675 --> 00:23:31.815
We planned for, hopefully for Aria, um,

459
00:23:31.825 --> 00:23:32.935
maybe skinny kelp,

460
00:23:33.195 --> 00:23:37.105
but we are going out this week, early next week

461
00:23:37.125 --> 00:23:38.465
to get more source tissue.

462
00:23:38.465 --> 00:23:41.905
Hopefully that's been kind of a problem finding that.

463
00:23:41.965 --> 00:23:46.885
But, um, yeah, so we have a max capacity of 48,000 with all

464
00:23:46.885 --> 00:23:47.965
of our tanks set up.

465
00:23:48.895 --> 00:23:52.315
Um, and again, literally the same exact setup

466
00:23:52.855 --> 00:23:54.155
as Maggie's.

467
00:23:54.945 --> 00:23:57.445
Um, we

468
00:24:01.345 --> 00:24:05.605
are talking maybe possibly doing like a spring seating for

469
00:24:06.125 --> 00:24:09.925
somebody who wants, um, to grow kelp just

470
00:24:09.985 --> 00:24:12.005
for urchin food specifically.

471
00:24:12.305 --> 00:24:16.285
So we may be doing that, um, a little later on,

472
00:24:17.095 --> 00:24:19.005
which would be good practice.

473
00:24:19.305 --> 00:24:21.245
And if there's another market for something like that,

474
00:24:21.245 --> 00:24:22.885
that's awesome as well.

475
00:24:23.865 --> 00:24:27.685
Um, so we're into the second week of our post-release.

476
00:24:28.745 --> 00:24:30.525
Um, it seems to be going well.

477
00:24:30.635 --> 00:24:34.755
Protein seems to be a problem coming back in,

478
00:24:34.755 --> 00:24:38.035
but we're gonna, we are gonna start, um, protein skimming

479
00:24:38.035 --> 00:24:40.995
for 48 hours instead of 48 or instead of 24.

480
00:24:41.735 --> 00:24:44.515
So hopefully that will help with that issue.

481
00:24:44.735 --> 00:24:47.075
We have noticed since we first noticed that problem,

482
00:24:47.565 --> 00:24:50.155
we've noticed it seems to be fading.

483
00:24:50.495 --> 00:24:52.075
Um, they haven't gone away completely,

484
00:24:52.215 --> 00:24:54.115
but it seems like the protein isn't,

485
00:24:54.775 --> 00:24:56.955
has gone down in color and diluted.

486
00:24:57.755 --> 00:24:59.255
Um, yeah,

487
00:24:59.255 --> 00:25:01.215
and like I said, we were doing, we're doing another

488
00:25:01.885 --> 00:25:04.505
hopefully source capture.

489
00:25:05.465 --> 00:25:08.225
I am going down with my children today

490
00:25:08.325 --> 00:25:10.385
to see if we can see some, um,

491
00:25:10.455 --> 00:25:13.465
down in harpswell the giant steps, which seems

492
00:25:13.465 --> 00:25:16.665
to have a good source issue, uh,

493
00:25:16.845 --> 00:25:18.785
or has good source there.

494
00:25:19.285 --> 00:25:23.265
So hopefully I'll see some. Um, so that's to be determined.

495
00:25:24.125 --> 00:25:27.825
Uh, what's going well, we've, we're really surprised

496
00:25:27.885 --> 00:25:30.105
how well things are actually going in general.

497
00:25:30.375 --> 00:25:33.985
Obviously there's been a lot of things that come up, kind

498
00:25:33.985 --> 00:25:36.185
of like small things that we've tweaked, cutting

499
00:25:36.975 --> 00:25:40.705
different type lengths just to mitigate

500
00:25:41.355 --> 00:25:42.465
leaks and things like that.

501
00:25:43.205 --> 00:25:46.185
Um, but we've, our teamwork has been really well,

502
00:25:46.395 --> 00:25:48.265
we've improved our communication

503
00:25:48.395 --> 00:25:52.345
after a little bit in the beginning of just trying to see

504
00:25:52.965 --> 00:25:56.705
how to work at nursery since it's our first year.

505
00:25:57.565 --> 00:26:01.025
Um, and once we've gotten into the flow of what we need

506
00:26:01.025 --> 00:26:04.305
to do day to day, it's definitely improved significantly

507
00:26:05.735 --> 00:26:07.065
with things going smoothly

508
00:26:07.365 --> 00:26:10.745
and being able to just go with the flow

509
00:26:10.745 --> 00:26:11.825
with whatever comes up.

510
00:26:12.085 --> 00:26:14.385
Um, we definitely have a couple of things

511
00:26:14.385 --> 00:26:16.345
that we just can't fix at the moment

512
00:26:16.415 --> 00:26:18.825
that are long-term things for next year

513
00:26:18.825 --> 00:26:21.025
that we've come across with.

514
00:26:21.365 --> 00:26:24.065
Um, but with the small equipment tweaks,

515
00:26:24.155 --> 00:26:26.905
we've like numbered both sides of the spools.

516
00:26:27.375 --> 00:26:28.905
That helps a lot with the flipping,

517
00:26:29.115 --> 00:26:32.185
which is something we didn't do in our first three tanks.

518
00:26:32.185 --> 00:26:35.385
So the fourth one, we've numbered both sides of the spools

519
00:26:35.385 --> 00:26:38.065
and just small things like that that have helped.

520
00:26:38.325 --> 00:26:42.245
Um, but for the most part with the system,

521
00:26:42.245 --> 00:26:45.045
everything has been going very well.

522
00:26:47.425 --> 00:26:50.205
But, um, again,

523
00:26:50.545 --> 00:26:54.205
to mirror off everybody else finding quality source samples,

524
00:26:55.795 --> 00:26:58.695
uh, that's, it's, you know, this time of year I guess it,

525
00:26:58.695 --> 00:27:01.975
they're a little bit older, but we, it seemed to go well

526
00:27:02.315 --> 00:27:04.095
and we got some good samples

527
00:27:04.475 --> 00:27:06.295
and, you know, it's just waiting now.

528
00:27:07.035 --> 00:27:10.295
Um, and then figuring out the proper forms of communication,

529
00:27:10.405 --> 00:27:15.115
that was kind of a, a problem for us in the beginning,

530
00:27:15.295 --> 00:27:17.395
but I think we've dealt with that.

531
00:27:18.225 --> 00:27:20.875
David's biggest challenge is the protein skimmer,

532
00:27:20.875 --> 00:27:23.875
but he is, um, had some patience with it now

533
00:27:23.935 --> 00:27:25.555
and kind of tweaked that.

534
00:27:26.335 --> 00:27:30.305
Um, and then, you know, to deal with all that,

535
00:27:30.515 --> 00:27:32.305
we've done more note taking

536
00:27:33.325 --> 00:27:35.625
and posting updates in multiple places.

537
00:27:36.085 --> 00:27:39.425
Um, taking a lot of pictures of just everything, even if it

538
00:27:40.475 --> 00:27:44.145
seems silly just to, any data is good.

539
00:27:45.775 --> 00:27:47.725
And yeah, we've,

540
00:27:47.725 --> 00:27:49.845
we've actually figured out the protein skimmer.

541
00:27:50.085 --> 00:27:52.845
I mean, yesterday we did anyway, so that seemed good.

542
00:27:53.585 --> 00:27:58.325
Um, as far as for other nursery operators, like any, any

543
00:27:58.835 --> 00:28:03.405
information we we want, that's kind of all that we're going

544
00:28:03.405 --> 00:28:07.125
for since we're newly in this and kind of going in blind.

545
00:28:07.545 --> 00:28:12.215
Um, our biggest concern obviously ongoing is

546
00:28:12.455 --> 00:28:13.655
a market for the kelp

547
00:28:13.805 --> 00:28:17.015
because I think we'll be able to be very successful

548
00:28:17.115 --> 00:28:19.535
and making all this seed,

549
00:28:19.675 --> 00:28:22.335
but, you know, just having it go somewhere is always

550
00:28:22.335 --> 00:28:25.495
something we're thinking about and it is a lot of work.

551
00:28:25.795 --> 00:28:27.775
Um, I'm with you Michael.

552
00:28:28.055 --> 00:28:30.875
I, it, it's a lot of things to navigate,

553
00:28:30.875 --> 00:28:33.435
especially basically just being there every day

554
00:28:33.495 --> 00:28:35.475
or any for anything.

555
00:28:35.535 --> 00:28:39.595
So keeping motivated and positive during all the challenges

556
00:28:39.695 --> 00:28:41.885
and just keeping right on the game.

557
00:28:44.405 --> 00:28:46.105
Um, that's our,

558
00:28:46.765 --> 00:28:49.505
our biggest concern, I guess.

559
00:28:49.645 --> 00:28:54.015
And yeah, but everything has been going fairly well.

560
00:28:54.085 --> 00:28:58.215
Just waiting, I have to say, I had a son, a kid

561
00:28:58.215 --> 00:28:59.935
that was in the nicu

562
00:28:59.935 --> 00:29:01.175
and this is very similar

563
00:29:01.395 --> 00:29:03.655
to like leaving your babies every night

564
00:29:03.755 --> 00:29:04.975
and then like wondering

565
00:29:04.975 --> 00:29:07.615
what like could possibly happen overnight

566
00:29:08.355 --> 00:29:11.335
and just like, it's a constant concern

567
00:29:11.515 --> 00:29:13.735
and there's a lot of variables, so it's like you spent

568
00:29:13.735 --> 00:29:17.025
so much work and done so much prep for it

569
00:29:17.285 --> 00:29:20.465
and now you just like want it to work so bad.

570
00:29:20.685 --> 00:29:24.745
So it's, it's been challenging, but awesome all around.

571
00:29:28.945 --> 00:29:33.085
Thanks Nicole. Um, we've got a couple questions coming in.

572
00:29:33.505 --> 00:29:36.565
Um, I think I'll just ask one for now

573
00:29:36.565 --> 00:29:38.685
and then we'll save the others for the q and a at the end,

574
00:29:38.785 --> 00:29:42.525
but can you clarify about, um, how you are, uh,

575
00:29:42.665 --> 00:29:45.885
for the spore release, are you using settling tubes

576
00:29:45.885 --> 00:29:47.045
for the Spore Pro process

577
00:29:47.185 --> 00:29:49.125
or are you just pouring the liquid into the tank?

578
00:29:49.225 --> 00:29:52.485
How did you guys go about seeding your spools once you had

579
00:29:52.485 --> 00:29:53.485
the spore liquid?

580
00:29:54.935 --> 00:29:58.115
Um, we just, we just poured it right into the tanks.

581
00:29:58.135 --> 00:29:59.395
You, I mean, we were kind

582
00:29:59.395 --> 00:30:02.075
of mixing them up in five gallon buckets

583
00:30:02.175 --> 00:30:04.755
and then, you know, test testing that liquid,

584
00:30:04.755 --> 00:30:08.115
putting it into our beaks

585
00:30:08.115 --> 00:30:11.845
and then we just dumped it right into the tank and that.

586
00:30:13.395 --> 00:30:16.315
Great. Okay. Awesome.

587
00:30:16.975 --> 00:30:19.395
Um, we'll save the next two questions for, for

588
00:30:19.395 --> 00:30:20.435
after the next speaker,

589
00:30:20.575 --> 00:30:24.235
but would like to welcome Alexa, um, from Alaska Ocean Farms

590
00:30:24.235 --> 00:30:28.155
and Kodiak, um, who is a very experienced,

591
00:30:28.295 --> 00:30:29.435
uh, nursery operator.

592
00:30:29.775 --> 00:30:31.475
Um, and to tell us a little bit about

593
00:30:31.475 --> 00:30:33.315
what she's got going on in her backyard.

594
00:30:35.025 --> 00:30:37.715
Well, technically it's my front yard. Um, yes.

595
00:30:38.175 --> 00:30:41.115
Um, I, I've been working in the nursery industry now for,

596
00:30:41.175 --> 00:30:43.315
uh, since 2017, so quite a few years.

597
00:30:43.955 --> 00:30:46.035
I have run commercial nurseries for Blue Evolution

598
00:30:46.095 --> 00:30:49.075
and now I have my own here in Kodiak, Alaska, um,

599
00:30:49.175 --> 00:30:51.355
is within many regions that are growing kelp.

600
00:30:51.495 --> 00:30:54.555
Uh, nursery capacity is a, is a big problem.

601
00:30:55.375 --> 00:30:57.995
And this year, um, we have our nursery up

602
00:30:58.015 --> 00:31:01.315
to near full capacity, had to save some space just to, uh,

603
00:31:02.455 --> 00:31:04.315
to do some, uh, r and d projects.

604
00:31:04.695 --> 00:31:07.555
But we are, our nursery is set up a little bit different in

605
00:31:07.755 --> 00:31:09.075
configuration than the other nurseries.

606
00:31:09.455 --> 00:31:12.515
Um, after working years in this industry, I was like,

607
00:31:12.535 --> 00:31:15.435
how much help seed can I cram into a small

608
00:31:15.435 --> 00:31:16.595
area and how do I do that?

609
00:31:16.985 --> 00:31:19.475
Well, I decided to go up, so, um,

610
00:31:19.655 --> 00:31:21.595
and I twisted, turned everything sideways.

611
00:31:21.815 --> 00:31:24.235
So everything, all my spools are on a vertical orientation.

612
00:31:24.905 --> 00:31:27.435
This means that I do rotate them a couple times

613
00:31:27.555 --> 00:31:28.635
a day, which is a lot of work.

614
00:31:28.815 --> 00:31:30.715
I'm working on a rotation system for those,

615
00:31:30.715 --> 00:31:32.195
so they'll get even light distribution

616
00:31:32.615 --> 00:31:36.995
and also have the added awesomeness of a, uh,

617
00:31:37.575 --> 00:31:39.595
of being able to increase water flow.

618
00:31:40.175 --> 00:31:42.315
So it's pretty cool. We're excited.

619
00:31:42.735 --> 00:31:44.395
Um, I'm also in a shipping container.

620
00:31:44.495 --> 00:31:46.275
I'm in a 40 foot shipping container.

621
00:31:46.305 --> 00:31:48.435
It's an insulated shipping container, an old reefer,

622
00:31:48.655 --> 00:31:49.875
the reefer portion doesn't work.

623
00:31:50.055 --> 00:31:54.395
So for climate control, I'm using a heat pump system.

624
00:31:54.455 --> 00:31:56.835
We have actually really cheap electricity here in Kodiak

625
00:31:56.835 --> 00:31:58.875
as far as you know, electrical rates go.

626
00:31:59.575 --> 00:32:03.555
And the, um, aftermarket tool bot, if you're not familiar

627
00:32:03.555 --> 00:32:04.995
with that, that's a really cool tool.

628
00:32:05.375 --> 00:32:07.475
You can take a window air conditioner

629
00:32:07.475 --> 00:32:09.035
or a mini split heat pump

630
00:32:09.055 --> 00:32:11.555
and turn it into a cooler basically.

631
00:32:11.595 --> 00:32:13.235
Typically those, those things won't cool much

632
00:32:13.235 --> 00:32:14.315
lower than 60 degrees.

633
00:32:14.665 --> 00:32:17.195
This tricks it into thinking it's not yet at 60

634
00:32:17.295 --> 00:32:20.355
and you can, uh, bring it down to the magical 11 degrees C

635
00:32:20.355 --> 00:32:21.475
or 50 degrees Fahrenheit

636
00:32:21.475 --> 00:32:23.355
that kelp really likes to, uh, to grow at.

637
00:32:23.355 --> 00:32:26.115
So that's what we've got, um, all told.

638
00:32:26.655 --> 00:32:31.395
Um, we can grow about 172,800 feet

639
00:32:31.905 --> 00:32:35.635
each one of those blue fiberglass tanks holds 24 spools

640
00:32:35.705 --> 00:32:36.875
400 feet each.

641
00:32:37.655 --> 00:32:40.845
And I have a plan in the future to be able

642
00:32:40.845 --> 00:32:42.085
to run this twice a season.

643
00:32:42.545 --> 00:32:45.725
So we would start in August, do a run for six

644
00:32:45.725 --> 00:32:47.245
to eight weeks, usually about six weeks

645
00:32:47.245 --> 00:32:48.285
if it's just sugar kelp.

646
00:32:48.665 --> 00:32:50.405
And then we could restock the nursery

647
00:32:50.405 --> 00:32:52.925
and produce another 172,800 feet.

648
00:32:53.505 --> 00:32:56.405
Um, given our current yields of sugar kelp,

649
00:32:56.405 --> 00:32:58.485
that would put us somewhere in the vicinity

650
00:32:59.025 --> 00:33:01.885
of just under 2 million pounds produced.

651
00:33:02.105 --> 00:33:04.525
So the goal of my nursery was to produce a lot

652
00:33:04.525 --> 00:33:06.485
of kelp seed in a small space.

653
00:33:07.265 --> 00:33:09.685
And this can, this is any, this, this, the beauty

654
00:33:09.685 --> 00:33:11.645
of this system is that it can be placed anywhere.

655
00:33:12.345 --> 00:33:14.205
Um, we do not rec,

656
00:33:14.465 --> 00:33:16.845
we recirculate the water through each tank.

657
00:33:17.345 --> 00:33:19.645
And so because I don't add seawater,

658
00:33:19.725 --> 00:33:21.165
I don't do water changes, I have

659
00:33:21.165 --> 00:33:23.565
to monitor the water quality parameters in each tank

660
00:33:24.105 --> 00:33:25.165
in which I use a monitor.

661
00:33:25.525 --> 00:33:26.845
I just take a cup full of water,

662
00:33:27.265 --> 00:33:29.045
all my standards are kept in the nursery,

663
00:33:29.045 --> 00:33:30.565
everything's at the right temperature so I can monitor

664
00:33:30.905 --> 00:33:32.765
pH and salinity.

665
00:33:33.345 --> 00:33:35.165
The only thing we've had off in the tanks,

666
00:33:35.165 --> 00:33:37.005
like last season was salinity.

667
00:33:37.025 --> 00:33:38.845
We lost of course, some water

668
00:33:38.865 --> 00:33:41.405
to evaporation over the six to eight weeks.

669
00:33:41.405 --> 00:33:42.525
The kelp was in the nursery,

670
00:33:42.825 --> 00:33:46.125
so then I would just take distilled water or ro water

671
00:33:46.465 --> 00:33:48.085
and titrate the salinity back down.

672
00:33:48.145 --> 00:33:49.525
So this is what we would refer to

673
00:33:49.525 --> 00:33:51.285
as a recirculating aquaculture system.

674
00:33:51.915 --> 00:33:53.685
Each tank is its own unit.

675
00:33:54.265 --> 00:33:56.565
Um, it is on a pump

676
00:33:56.565 --> 00:33:58.845
that has about a hundred and two seventy two gallon

677
00:33:58.865 --> 00:33:59.965
an hour flow rate.

678
00:34:00.385 --> 00:34:03.845
It circulates through a one micron canister, filter

679
00:34:04.675 --> 00:34:07.125
through a UV and then back into the tank.

680
00:34:07.145 --> 00:34:08.685
So we have a nice current moving flu

681
00:34:08.685 --> 00:34:12.805
through Kelpie likes laminar flow as the gato bytes

682
00:34:12.865 --> 00:34:15.885
and the developing spo aytes really, really need,

683
00:34:16.385 --> 00:34:17.765
um, water circulation.

684
00:34:17.835 --> 00:34:20.725
They need new clean sea water with nutrients brought in.

685
00:34:21.105 --> 00:34:22.365
And if you have a stagnant system

686
00:34:22.365 --> 00:34:23.565
and you're not getting a lot of water flow,

687
00:34:23.565 --> 00:34:24.765
you'll just have reduced growth

688
00:34:25.025 --> 00:34:27.765
and slower growth if you can't really exchange that water.

689
00:34:27.765 --> 00:34:29.965
So that's what I work on, is moving as much water through

690
00:34:30.205 --> 00:34:31.205
that tank as possible.

691
00:34:31.585 --> 00:34:32.725
Of course, without splashing,

692
00:34:32.725 --> 00:34:35.125
we don't wanna contaminate cross-contaminate between tanks.

693
00:34:36.265 --> 00:34:39.285
Um, some challenges in my nursery, definitely,

694
00:34:39.745 --> 00:34:40.845
you know, getting sea water.

695
00:34:40.905 --> 00:34:43.525
We are so lucky in Kodiak, I'm able to get sea water.

696
00:34:43.545 --> 00:34:45.645
We have a large, um, marine lab here

697
00:34:45.955 --> 00:34:49.605
that produces an abundance of pre-filtered sea water.

698
00:34:49.985 --> 00:34:51.285
So when I bring it in by nursery,

699
00:34:51.285 --> 00:34:54.005
and unlike the other nurseries that are getting wild sea

700
00:34:54.005 --> 00:34:55.805
water, you know, straight from the ocean,

701
00:34:56.225 --> 00:34:57.925
we have a pre-filtration step.

702
00:34:58.065 --> 00:35:00.685
So I only filter down to 0.2 microns

703
00:35:00.685 --> 00:35:03.005
with mechanical filtration, run it through UV

704
00:35:03.005 --> 00:35:05.045
for a final scrub before it goes into the tanks.

705
00:35:05.825 --> 00:35:07.805
All of the tank components come apart.

706
00:35:07.905 --> 00:35:09.765
So all of the tubing, the hoses, the lines,

707
00:35:10.565 --> 00:35:12.285
anything gets taken apart at the end of the season.

708
00:35:12.465 --> 00:35:15.885
And, uh, soaked in bleach water, flushed with fresh water

709
00:35:15.905 --> 00:35:18.005
and put away, um, even though I haven't used it,

710
00:35:18.005 --> 00:35:20.405
I'll do it the same thing at the start of each season.

711
00:35:21.025 --> 00:35:22.365
So definitely getting the hatchery up

712
00:35:22.365 --> 00:35:24.405
and going is the, where all the labor lies

713
00:35:24.825 --> 00:35:27.045
and then taking things back down at the end of the season.

714
00:35:27.695 --> 00:35:28.885
We've also made some leaps

715
00:35:28.885 --> 00:35:30.325
and bounds here in Kodiak when it comes

716
00:35:30.325 --> 00:35:31.645
to producing the seed spools.

717
00:35:31.645 --> 00:35:33.245
No one's really mentioned the challenge that

718
00:35:33.245 --> 00:35:34.965
that presents in it of itself.

719
00:35:36.385 --> 00:35:40.205
Um, so a lot of folks are, you know, maybe working on,

720
00:35:40.825 --> 00:35:43.845
you know, six seed spools per hour or something.

721
00:35:43.875 --> 00:35:46.165
It's incredibly slow for a lot of producers.

722
00:35:46.165 --> 00:35:47.845
It's one of the things I've heard time and time again.

723
00:35:48.545 --> 00:35:50.885
We had a friend who was an engineer make a seed

724
00:35:50.885 --> 00:35:51.925
winding system for us.

725
00:35:52.625 --> 00:35:57.285
And in about oh 53 seconds we can wind,

726
00:35:57.705 --> 00:36:00.325
uh, four spools or 400 foot spools.

727
00:36:00.345 --> 00:36:01.605
So we're working quick,

728
00:36:01.745 --> 00:36:03.445
we can get this done within a matter of hours.

729
00:36:03.995 --> 00:36:06.125
Basically each day we figure out what we need.

730
00:36:06.385 --> 00:36:08.565
My husband goes, spends a few hours winding seed spools,

731
00:36:08.705 --> 00:36:11.725
put 'em in tanks, fill 'em with sea water, inoculate 'em,

732
00:36:11.725 --> 00:36:12.845
and we're, we're ready to go.

733
00:36:13.545 --> 00:36:16.805
And to the question, I do not inoculate within the nursery

734
00:36:16.815 --> 00:36:20.445
tanks themselves, I use separate bins

735
00:36:20.445 --> 00:36:22.725
and those bins are sanitized between each

736
00:36:22.725 --> 00:36:23.965
of the inoculation events.

737
00:36:24.375 --> 00:36:27.125
Those bins are placed in an alcove in the nursery

738
00:36:27.295 --> 00:36:28.685
where I put blackout curtains.

739
00:36:28.685 --> 00:36:30.005
So I can still work in the nursery.

740
00:36:30.125 --> 00:36:31.765
I can have my nursery lights on the tanks

741
00:36:31.765 --> 00:36:32.845
that are already stocked

742
00:36:33.025 --> 00:36:35.285
and then have a, a blackout, a dark area

743
00:36:35.465 --> 00:36:36.685
for spore settlement.

744
00:36:37.145 --> 00:36:39.605
So, um, yeah, I wouldn't inoculate my tanks just

745
00:36:39.605 --> 00:36:41.285
because then I have kelp

746
00:36:41.305 --> 00:36:42.925
and who knows what else that I brought in

747
00:36:42.925 --> 00:36:44.565
with a spore solution within those tanks.

748
00:36:44.565 --> 00:36:45.405
So we're just trying to keep

749
00:36:45.405 --> 00:36:46.645
everything as clean as possible.

750
00:36:47.345 --> 00:36:50.495
Um, bull winder is awesome, as we mentioned the needs,

751
00:36:50.495 --> 00:36:54.575
but temperature control, a mini split runs about $3,000

752
00:36:54.715 --> 00:36:57.375
for a single zone with the, um, the outdoor unit

753
00:36:57.435 --> 00:36:58.655
and the indoor zone.

754
00:36:59.555 --> 00:37:01.135
So pretty reasonable

755
00:37:01.395 --> 00:37:03.895
and you'll get many years of, of use out of that.

756
00:37:04.075 --> 00:37:06.295
So yeah, that's just what we've been up to in Kodiak.

757
00:37:06.565 --> 00:37:08.215
It's always a challenge.

758
00:37:09.135 --> 00:37:11.935
I am right with everyone in saying that, yes,

759
00:37:11.965 --> 00:37:13.335
this is a stressful time.

760
00:37:13.995 --> 00:37:16.655
We are the base of success for the kelp farming industry.

761
00:37:16.995 --> 00:37:19.255
So if we fail, they'll fail.

762
00:37:19.355 --> 00:37:21.255
And so it's a tremendous amount

763
00:37:21.255 --> 00:37:23.775
of pressure every day I go in and I'm squinting

764
00:37:23.775 --> 00:37:26.415
and looking at spools, examining them, making sure

765
00:37:26.415 --> 00:37:28.455
that things are growing, making sure there's no

766
00:37:28.695 --> 00:37:32.415
contamination and kind of collectively holding our breath

767
00:37:32.415 --> 00:37:34.575
around here until those spools go up in the

768
00:37:34.575 --> 00:37:36.055
ocean and onto the farm.

769
00:37:36.595 --> 00:37:39.575
So yes, nursery work is tough. It's challenging.

770
00:37:39.835 --> 00:37:42.375
It is super rewarding though when you send those spools out

771
00:37:42.395 --> 00:37:46.285
and then people are harvesting, you know, up to a hundreds

772
00:37:46.285 --> 00:37:47.605
of thousands of pounds of kelp.

773
00:37:47.635 --> 00:37:50.485
It's really cool. So yes, it's stressful.

774
00:37:50.655 --> 00:37:52.725
We're working on ways to make it less stressful

775
00:37:52.785 --> 00:37:54.205
and kind of get in control of things.

776
00:37:54.585 --> 00:37:58.605
But case in point, we in Alaska have this 50 50 rule.

777
00:37:58.625 --> 00:38:01.685
You have to get 50 pieces of mature tissue, you know, of,

778
00:38:01.705 --> 00:38:03.245
of kelp tissue, source tissue,

779
00:38:04.185 --> 00:38:06.125
and you have to have that come from

780
00:38:06.125 --> 00:38:07.805
with 15 kilometers of a kelp farm.

781
00:38:08.225 --> 00:38:10.645
So I have folks on the opposite side of Kodiak Island

782
00:38:10.675 --> 00:38:11.925
that have to send me material.

783
00:38:12.085 --> 00:38:14.645
I just can't grab it from right out front here like I do

784
00:38:14.645 --> 00:38:15.645
for the rest of the nursery.

785
00:38:15.645 --> 00:38:18.605
For the farms closer to town, they were delayed by weather.

786
00:38:18.775 --> 00:38:21.285
Their source tissue sat, I don't know if it's going

787
00:38:21.285 --> 00:38:22.805
to be viable bull kelp.

788
00:38:22.955 --> 00:38:27.285
It's very, very, uh, fragile, highly perishable compared

789
00:38:27.285 --> 00:38:29.045
to something like sugar kelp source tissue.

790
00:38:29.105 --> 00:38:31.005
So they might have to go recollect.

791
00:38:31.005 --> 00:38:32.805
And so we have, we have a lot of challenges yet

792
00:38:32.805 --> 00:38:35.085
to overcome green waves working towards ga

793
00:38:35.115 --> 00:38:36.125
gato fight cultivation.

794
00:38:36.195 --> 00:38:37.685
I've been doing some of that work myself.

795
00:38:38.265 --> 00:38:40.605
We don't have a regulatory framework yet in which

796
00:38:40.625 --> 00:38:43.125
to use gato fights to stock commercial farms in Alaska.

797
00:38:43.305 --> 00:38:44.725
But all these things are, are things

798
00:38:44.725 --> 00:38:47.485
that we're working towards and addressing these challenges.

799
00:38:47.665 --> 00:38:49.765
So I feel like every year we get a little bit better,

800
00:38:49.965 --> 00:38:52.685
a little bit better, but there is tons of room

801
00:38:52.685 --> 00:38:54.005
for innovation and improvement.

802
00:38:54.105 --> 00:38:57.125
So any of you here on the call that are into engineering

803
00:38:57.145 --> 00:38:58.645
or into to challenges

804
00:38:58.705 --> 00:39:01.645
or perhaps maybe you're looking for a, a master's thesis

805
00:39:01.825 --> 00:39:04.165
or something, man, we've got ideas galore, so,

806
00:39:04.345 --> 00:39:06.085
so look us up, talk to me offline.

807
00:39:06.525 --> 00:39:08.565
I can hook you up with some of the, the bigger challenges

808
00:39:08.565 --> 00:39:10.565
and some of the cool projects that could spin out

809
00:39:10.565 --> 00:39:12.765
of working in, in the nurseries here.

810
00:39:14.435 --> 00:39:16.525
Awesome, thank you so much, Alexa.

811
00:39:16.755 --> 00:39:18.405
It's wonderful to hear your expertise

812
00:39:18.465 --> 00:39:21.925
and um, yeah, just the insight about how important

813
00:39:22.635 --> 00:39:23.685
nursery production is.

814
00:39:23.685 --> 00:39:25.525
It is just the cornerstone of the season.

815
00:39:25.705 --> 00:39:27.885
So, um, hats off to all of you in the room.

816
00:39:28.945 --> 00:39:32.045
Um, speaking of others in the room,

817
00:39:32.485 --> 00:39:34.005
I have been perusing the guest list

818
00:39:34.005 --> 00:39:35.685
and I see a couple names that I recognize,

819
00:39:35.685 --> 00:39:37.085
but I'm not gonna, um, name names

820
00:39:37.175 --> 00:39:38.885
until you have a chance to volunteer.

821
00:39:38.945 --> 00:39:42.165
But is there anyone on the call who also operates,

822
00:39:42.265 --> 00:39:43.365
uh, a kelp nursery?

823
00:39:43.365 --> 00:39:46.045
It's okay if it's small or large or what have you.

824
00:39:46.385 --> 00:39:49.725
Um, who would like to tell us just a couple words about, um,

825
00:39:49.725 --> 00:39:51.885
where you're at in the season and um,

826
00:39:52.585 --> 00:39:54.165
and yeah, to introduce yourself.

827
00:39:56.215 --> 00:39:57.215
Yay, Tamson.

828
00:40:02.545 --> 00:40:04.455
Hello. Um, my name is Tamson Peoples.

829
00:40:04.535 --> 00:40:06.535
I run the hatchery for the University

830
00:40:06.535 --> 00:40:08.415
of Alaska Fairbanks here in Juneau, Alaska.

831
00:40:08.795 --> 00:40:10.415
Um, this is the second year that we've been running it.

832
00:40:10.415 --> 00:40:15.015
Last year we grew I think a total about 36,000 seed, uh,

833
00:40:15.085 --> 00:40:17.855
feet of seed spools around 200 feet per spool.

834
00:40:17.915 --> 00:40:20.095
Um, a number of species that went all across the state.

835
00:40:20.155 --> 00:40:22.335
So this year we're working with farmers from the Juno area,

836
00:40:23.275 --> 00:40:24.415
um, through the research project.

837
00:40:24.465 --> 00:40:27.855
We're also working with farmers from Kodiak, uh, Cordova

838
00:40:28.395 --> 00:40:30.335
and uh, Kachemak Bay as well.

839
00:40:30.475 --> 00:40:31.975
So we've got a couple different

840
00:40:31.975 --> 00:40:33.215
projects going on in the hatchery.

841
00:40:33.635 --> 00:40:34.775
Our system's a bit different.

842
00:40:34.865 --> 00:40:38.135
We're using static tanks in a cold water bath

843
00:40:38.155 --> 00:40:39.575
to maintain temperature just

844
00:40:39.575 --> 00:40:41.575
because that was the infrastructure that we had available

845
00:40:41.635 --> 00:40:43.215
to us last year.

846
00:40:43.515 --> 00:40:45.655
Um, regulated temperature in that cold water bath

847
00:40:45.655 --> 00:40:47.575
through having flow through seawater

848
00:40:47.575 --> 00:40:49.615
because the university is connected

849
00:40:49.615 --> 00:40:51.935
to the NOAA lab next door that has

850
00:40:51.935 --> 00:40:54.495
to be running seawater 24 7 for their heat pumps.

851
00:40:54.495 --> 00:40:56.215
So we had endless supplies of seawater

852
00:40:56.715 --> 00:40:58.935
to maintain temperature and, and to have access to.

853
00:40:58.965 --> 00:41:01.895
This year we're running on chiller pump recirculating

854
00:41:01.895 --> 00:41:04.095
systems for the chiller baths to maintain temperature.

855
00:41:04.195 --> 00:41:05.575
And we're only about two

856
00:41:05.635 --> 00:41:07.295
and a half weeks into the operation.

857
00:41:08.065 --> 00:41:10.015
Definitely some growing pain switching over

858
00:41:10.015 --> 00:41:11.015
to those new pump systems.

859
00:41:11.275 --> 00:41:12.735
But, uh, so far so good.

860
00:41:12.735 --> 00:41:14.935
We've got a couple different species right now.

861
00:41:15.305 --> 00:41:16.535
We're going out diving tomorrow

862
00:41:16.535 --> 00:41:18.135
to collect some more species here in Juneau

863
00:41:18.135 --> 00:41:21.055
and we'll be receiving another additional four species from

864
00:41:21.175 --> 00:41:22.295
Kodiak in the next couple weeks.

865
00:41:26.255 --> 00:41:29.435
Thanks Tamon, appreciate you giving us that update.

866
00:41:30.015 --> 00:41:31.355
Um, anyone else in the room

867
00:41:31.375 --> 00:41:32.915
who is running a nursery this season,

868
00:41:32.920 --> 00:41:34.010
season that wants to chime in?

869
00:41:43.115 --> 00:41:47.015
Hi there. Hi Charlene, welcome. Hi,

870
00:41:47.475 --> 00:41:48.475
Hi. I run

871
00:41:48.475 --> 00:41:50.775
a nursery in Nova Scotia.

872
00:41:51.845 --> 00:41:54.965
I have max capacity of 36,000 feet

873
00:41:55.625 --> 00:41:57.245
and uh, this year I thought I was gonna take a break.

874
00:41:57.365 --> 00:42:00.165
I didn't think uh, it was gonna be any orders.

875
00:42:01.025 --> 00:42:04.715
Um, the area I live in is, uh, going

876
00:42:04.715 --> 00:42:07.275
through a lease application called, uh,

877
00:42:07.505 --> 00:42:08.835
agriculture Development area.

878
00:42:09.215 --> 00:42:12.235
So leases weren't ready, but actually I did get a few orders

879
00:42:12.455 --> 00:42:14.535
and, uh, I turned a few down

880
00:42:14.795 --> 00:42:16.615
and I am going to Newfoundland

881
00:42:16.635 --> 00:42:19.775
to help set up a nursery there.

882
00:42:19.785 --> 00:42:23.295
Since I'm the only seed supplier in Atlantic Canada,

883
00:42:23.925 --> 00:42:27.255
it's going to be great to have, uh, hold fast

884
00:42:27.895 --> 00:42:29.695
a company set up a nursery.

885
00:42:29.695 --> 00:42:32.935
And Ric, who I will be helping next week in Newfoundland is

886
00:42:33.175 --> 00:42:35.295
actually, uh, participating today on there.

887
00:42:36.115 --> 00:42:40.865
Um, I I grow in 90 gallon tanks

888
00:42:41.825 --> 00:42:45.415
and I know all about diatoms

889
00:42:45.435 --> 00:42:47.575
and I learned the most from mistakes that I made,

890
00:42:47.685 --> 00:42:48.855
that I've made in the past.

891
00:42:49.895 --> 00:42:51.215
I love to grow seed.

892
00:42:51.245 --> 00:42:54.215
It's a lot like, uh, one of the ladies said about, uh,

893
00:42:54.685 --> 00:42:55.855
looking after your babies.

894
00:42:56.055 --> 00:43:00.415
I almost hate to almost hate to, uh, sell them afraid

895
00:43:00.415 --> 00:43:01.415
that they're not gonna look after them,

896
00:43:01.435 --> 00:43:02.255
but I dropped them off.

897
00:43:02.795 --> 00:43:06.885
But, uh, because I can only make seed with,

898
00:43:07.835 --> 00:43:11.735
uh, sous tissue, 50 kilometer radius is what we're allowed.

899
00:43:12.135 --> 00:43:15.095
I do travel a lot to pick up sous.

900
00:43:15.485 --> 00:43:16.615
I'll meet people in the province

901
00:43:16.655 --> 00:43:18.455
and pick up the source, bring it back home,

902
00:43:18.845 --> 00:43:20.415
make seed and bring it back.

903
00:43:21.375 --> 00:43:25.115
But I don't use the ocean water, but I did in the past.

904
00:43:25.515 --> 00:43:27.435
I use a product called Instant Ocean

905
00:43:28.255 --> 00:43:31.835
and my water is UV treated, reverse osmosis

906
00:43:32.055 --> 00:43:34.795
and instant ocean, and that's how I make my seed.

907
00:43:36.675 --> 00:43:38.445
Awesome. Thanks Charlene.

908
00:43:38.445 --> 00:43:40.085
Really nice to meet you and thanks for being here.

909
00:43:40.715 --> 00:43:44.935
You're welcome. All right. Anyone else?

910
00:43:45.245 --> 00:43:46.015
Just give a minute.

911
00:43:53.145 --> 00:43:54.995
Okay. In that case I think we'll go ahead

912
00:43:54.995 --> 00:43:56.555
and skip over to q and a.

913
00:43:56.555 --> 00:43:57.755
We've got some great questions

914
00:43:57.755 --> 00:43:59.795
that came in throughout the conversation

915
00:43:59.935 --> 00:44:03.075
and thanks Alexa for putting some answers in the chat.

916
00:44:04.015 --> 00:44:06.955
Um, this first one from Sohil, um,

917
00:44:07.055 --> 00:44:10.595
is about the protein skimmer used in the release of Spor.

918
00:44:10.615 --> 00:44:13.395
So is the protein skimmer used in the release of spores?

919
00:44:13.575 --> 00:44:15.795
So maybe Maggie or Nicole, you could speak to that?

920
00:44:17.905 --> 00:44:19.925
Um, yeah, I'll answer that.

921
00:44:19.985 --> 00:44:22.845
We are just using the protein skimmer to treat the water.

922
00:44:23.145 --> 00:44:26.045
Um, after the skimmer, it goes through a bunch

923
00:44:26.045 --> 00:44:27.445
of filters down to 0.2,

924
00:44:27.465 --> 00:44:31.005
and then that water that's been filtered down

925
00:44:31.045 --> 00:44:32.885
to 0.2 microns is what we do all

926
00:44:32.885 --> 00:44:34.445
of our nursery operations with.

927
00:44:35.615 --> 00:44:39.125
We're taking, we're pumping up, um, ocean water

928
00:44:39.505 --> 00:44:42.405
to our nursery, so that's, yeah, we're doing the same thing,

929
00:44:42.465 --> 00:44:45.645
but the water we're taking is pumped right out of the ocean.

930
00:44:48.505 --> 00:44:49.505
Great.

931
00:44:50.755 --> 00:44:53.975
Um, okay, another kind of meta question, uh, or,

932
00:44:54.035 --> 00:44:56.495
or perhaps more meta than the protein schemer question,

933
00:44:56.515 --> 00:44:58.135
but Michael Kurtz wants to know,

934
00:44:58.135 --> 00:45:00.175
do farmers need fresh seed every season

935
00:45:00.795 --> 00:45:03.295
or do prior year plantings regenerate?

936
00:45:06.005 --> 00:45:08.665
So you, you have to get new seed every year, so

937
00:45:08.665 --> 00:45:09.865
that requires going out

938
00:45:09.865 --> 00:45:13.105
and recollecting as mentioned, one of the ways to kind

939
00:45:13.105 --> 00:45:16.065
of forgo having to do that could be the use of gato bytes,

940
00:45:16.065 --> 00:45:18.225
which I know that GreenWave is using

941
00:45:18.245 --> 00:45:20.265
to produce their seed spools.

942
00:45:20.445 --> 00:45:23.625
That's where you arrest the kelp in its second phase of,

943
00:45:23.625 --> 00:45:25.745
its basically the first phase of its lifecycle.

944
00:45:26.125 --> 00:45:28.185
The little spores that are released from the spor source

945
00:45:28.185 --> 00:45:30.545
tissue will settle and grow into

946
00:45:30.545 --> 00:45:31.705
what are called gato fights,

947
00:45:32.005 --> 00:45:34.625
and that's what you can kind of vegetatively propagate

948
00:45:34.685 --> 00:45:36.185
and keep over a season

949
00:45:36.845 --> 00:45:40.345
and then use them to stock spools the next year

950
00:45:40.605 --> 00:45:41.825
and induce spo fight growth

951
00:45:41.825 --> 00:45:43.425
with a control of nutrients and light.

952
00:45:44.295 --> 00:45:47.395
So it's really interesting. So I've done some of that work.

953
00:45:48.145 --> 00:45:51.715
It's fantastic. It does require now a year round maintenance

954
00:45:51.855 --> 00:45:54.585
of, of nursery nursery work.

955
00:45:54.585 --> 00:45:57.025
Instead of having a season that lasts, you know, three,

956
00:45:57.025 --> 00:45:59.345
four months now you have a season that lasts year round

957
00:45:59.345 --> 00:46:00.825
because you have to maintain those cultures.

958
00:46:00.885 --> 00:46:05.455
So we make some save some time locating the, the tissue.

959
00:46:05.715 --> 00:46:08.295
Now you've got a year-round cultivation set up.

960
00:46:08.555 --> 00:46:11.015
So it's really what everybody's comfortable doing.

961
00:46:11.565 --> 00:46:13.415
Myos bore certainly work, but there is the risk

962
00:46:13.415 --> 00:46:15.575
of tissue not not releasing, of,

963
00:46:15.755 --> 00:46:17.495
of complications getting a tissue.

964
00:46:17.675 --> 00:46:19.135
So, um, in the future, more

965
00:46:19.135 --> 00:46:20.655
of us might start using gato bytes.

966
00:46:23.405 --> 00:46:25.655
Yeah. Um, I'll just chime in about

967
00:46:26.755 --> 00:46:29.975
GAA mentioned we use them, but um, yeah, all of the, all

968
00:46:29.975 --> 00:46:32.495
of GreenWave seed is seeded with gato bytes

969
00:46:32.495 --> 00:46:36.055
and it does take a lot of, um, year-round care for us

970
00:46:36.315 --> 00:46:38.215
to keep the gametophyte cultures healthy.

971
00:46:38.795 --> 00:46:41.215
Um, but one of the benefits is that, um,

972
00:46:41.615 --> 00:46:44.535
I think l also mentioned like all of the contaminants

973
00:46:44.535 --> 00:46:46.215
that come in with the source tissue.

974
00:46:46.435 --> 00:46:48.215
And we have a chance

975
00:46:48.215 --> 00:46:50.095
because we keep the cultures year round

976
00:46:50.195 --> 00:46:53.055
to make sure those contaminants aren't in the gata fight

977
00:46:53.055 --> 00:46:55.015
cultures before we use them for seed.

978
00:46:55.075 --> 00:46:58.175
So that has helped us, um, at our nursery

979
00:46:58.175 --> 00:46:59.935
with contamination issues as well.

980
00:47:03.435 --> 00:47:05.265
Great, thanks. Lexi.

981
00:47:05.385 --> 00:47:07.065
I know you added, you answered this in the chat,

982
00:47:07.325 --> 00:47:08.745
but if you could speak aloud, um,

983
00:47:09.375 --> 00:47:13.025
what was the stat you mentioned about which temperature kelp

984
00:47:13.025 --> 00:47:15.465
grows best at and, and your bleach concentration?

985
00:47:16.565 --> 00:47:19.295
Sure. So, um, industry standard has been

986
00:47:19.295 --> 00:47:21.895
around 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 11 degrees Celsius.

987
00:47:22.315 --> 00:47:25.335
Um, certainly kelp will grow pretty well at lower

988
00:47:25.355 --> 00:47:26.575
and higher temperatures.

989
00:47:27.075 --> 00:47:28.335
Um, some temperatures,

990
00:47:28.335 --> 00:47:30.670
especially at higher temperatures become fatal.

991
00:47:30.695 --> 00:47:32.365
Lower temperatures can slow growth.

992
00:47:32.505 --> 00:47:34.565
So that's just kind of what people use in general.

993
00:47:34.955 --> 00:47:38.045
Mimicking kind of, um, summertime water temperatures

994
00:47:38.225 --> 00:47:43.105
or, you know, at at higher latitudes, um, experiment,

995
00:47:43.105 --> 00:47:44.225
maybe something works better for you,

996
00:47:44.225 --> 00:47:45.345
maybe you get stuff to grow faster.

997
00:47:45.925 --> 00:47:47.425
I'm a little leery of higher temperatures.

998
00:47:47.725 --> 00:47:50.825
It seems to also increase the, um, chances of anything else

999
00:47:50.825 --> 00:47:52.305
that's in the tank starting to bloom.

1000
00:47:52.405 --> 00:47:54.905
So you can have outbreaks of things

1001
00:47:54.905 --> 00:47:55.985
that might be in the background,

1002
00:47:56.505 --> 00:47:58.665
cyanobacteria, other algae species.

1003
00:47:58.845 --> 00:48:00.985
So as you increase the temperature, you can end up

1004
00:48:00.985 --> 00:48:03.345
with a little bit more growth than you want.

1005
00:48:03.925 --> 00:48:08.345
Um, the bleach concentrations, uh, standard 10% bleach,

1006
00:48:08.685 --> 00:48:10.025
um, to water ratio.

1007
00:48:10.025 --> 00:48:11.665
Just this, that's just household bleach,

1008
00:48:11.765 --> 00:48:15.575
not straight sodium hypochlorite, um, works great

1009
00:48:15.575 --> 00:48:16.855
for sanitizing surfaces.

1010
00:48:16.855 --> 00:48:19.175
So if you're working with some, uh, kelp material

1011
00:48:19.195 --> 00:48:20.735
and then you need to clean off that surface,

1012
00:48:20.735 --> 00:48:22.095
that's what I've found to be sufficient.

1013
00:48:22.635 --> 00:48:24.215
Um, at the end of the season, you'll notice

1014
00:48:24.245 --> 00:48:27.255
that your tanks will be full of all sorts of things,

1015
00:48:27.255 --> 00:48:28.895
especially like spora fights.

1016
00:48:29.155 --> 00:48:31.735
You know, the spores are still on the spools.

1017
00:48:31.735 --> 00:48:33.535
They put 'em, you put 'em in the, the nursery tank,

1018
00:48:33.535 --> 00:48:35.015
they'll recruit on the sides.

1019
00:48:35.275 --> 00:48:36.495
You've got like, just like a lot

1020
00:48:36.495 --> 00:48:38.175
of biological material in there,

1021
00:48:38.265 --> 00:48:40.575
using a 20% bleach solution will kind

1022
00:48:40.575 --> 00:48:42.455
of fry the organics and the tank.

1023
00:48:43.035 --> 00:48:45.535
Um, it'll help loosen up those little hold fast from some

1024
00:48:45.535 --> 00:48:46.855
of those spore fights that have developed.

1025
00:48:47.035 --> 00:48:49.655
So you just don't have any material leftover

1026
00:48:49.725 --> 00:48:53.415
that could then breed bacteria or mold or things like that.

1027
00:48:53.595 --> 00:48:55.775
So I use a little bit higher concentration.

1028
00:48:56.115 --> 00:48:58.055
Um, there are charts online, so if you're working

1029
00:48:58.055 --> 00:49:01.135
with really cold water, you might wanna increase the amount

1030
00:49:01.135 --> 00:49:03.375
of bleach that you use to, you know, get a,

1031
00:49:03.455 --> 00:49:06.535
a sufficient amount of ions, those chloride ions in,

1032
00:49:06.535 --> 00:49:07.615
in, in, in water.

1033
00:49:08.155 --> 00:49:10.735
Um, so if you're working in a cold room, might need

1034
00:49:10.735 --> 00:49:12.775
to add a little bit more, but there are charts online

1035
00:49:12.775 --> 00:49:14.535
that will give you, um, a listing of

1036
00:49:14.535 --> 00:49:15.975
how much bleach you should add based on your,

1037
00:49:15.975 --> 00:49:17.815
your ambient water temperature so

1038
00:49:17.815 --> 00:49:18.935
that you are getting sufficient amount

1039
00:49:18.935 --> 00:49:21.055
of bleaching action going.

1040
00:49:23.475 --> 00:49:27.125
Thanks Alexa. Uh, the next question was from Joseph

1041
00:49:27.305 --> 00:49:28.645
and I think I'm gonna take this one.

1042
00:49:28.705 --> 00:49:30.445
Um, does every farm have a hatchery

1043
00:49:30.445 --> 00:49:33.005
or do farmers come to hatcheries to purchase spools?

1044
00:49:33.005 --> 00:49:34.005
If so, what's the cost?

1045
00:49:34.385 --> 00:49:39.005
Um, so the, i in, in general, I would say that, um,

1046
00:49:39.185 --> 00:49:41.325
no, not every farm has a hatchery.

1047
00:49:41.665 --> 00:49:45.725
Um, the speakers on the call are all representing, um,

1048
00:49:46.355 --> 00:49:48.005
regions that they are growing from

1049
00:49:48.205 --> 00:49:49.365
multiple farms in their region.

1050
00:49:50.065 --> 00:49:52.605
Um, and that is typically the model that is used

1051
00:49:52.605 --> 00:49:55.205
that farmers will work with a regional nursery

1052
00:49:55.205 --> 00:49:57.605
or a nursery in their state to grow spools for them,

1053
00:49:57.605 --> 00:49:59.645
and then they do purchase those spools from them.

1054
00:50:00.265 --> 00:50:02.605
Um, unfortunately we can't discuss price

1055
00:50:02.785 --> 00:50:04.045
in a public forum like this.

1056
00:50:04.625 --> 00:50:08.125
Um, but there is a, a list on the hub

1057
00:50:08.265 --> 00:50:10.285
of different nursery operators

1058
00:50:10.305 --> 00:50:13.165
and operations, uh, across all the regions of the US

1059
00:50:13.165 --> 00:50:15.565
and Canada that you can, um, reach out directly

1060
00:50:15.565 --> 00:50:17.525
to those nursery operators if you're interested in,

1061
00:50:17.625 --> 00:50:19.085
in purchasing their spools.

1062
00:50:19.305 --> 00:50:20.565
So, um, I'll see if I can dig

1063
00:50:20.565 --> 00:50:21.845
that up and, and put it in the chat.

1064
00:50:24.755 --> 00:50:28.565
And then Charlene says, after you wind twine on the spools

1065
00:50:28.565 --> 00:50:30.245
and beg them, do you place them in a freezer

1066
00:50:30.295 --> 00:50:31.685
until you're ready to use them?

1067
00:50:33.145 --> 00:50:36.245
Um, Maggie, do you wanna comment on that?

1068
00:50:39.965 --> 00:50:44.105
Um, so our spools, we are seeding with GA Unified,

1069
00:50:44.105 --> 00:50:47.025
so we use a slightly different seed string that, um,

1070
00:50:47.765 --> 00:50:51.225
has a different manufacturing process than the typical ones

1071
00:50:51.225 --> 00:50:52.505
that are used for spore seating.

1072
00:50:52.845 --> 00:50:56.185
We don't soak ours in anything, we just wind them, uh,

1073
00:50:56.325 --> 00:51:00.025
and then put them in the cabinet in a, it's a dry cabinet

1074
00:51:00.125 --> 00:51:02.265
that's pretty relatively airtight.

1075
00:51:02.485 --> 00:51:03.745
Uh, and that's been enough for us.

1076
00:51:03.885 --> 00:51:08.025
But in the past, using the hold fast seed stringing, we've

1077
00:51:08.715 --> 00:51:13.105
wound them and then leached them in seawater for a couple

1078
00:51:13.105 --> 00:51:14.825
of days and then drain it down

1079
00:51:14.825 --> 00:51:18.425
and maybe leach 'em one more time to make sure any

1080
00:51:18.425 --> 00:51:19.545
of the chemicals are getting out

1081
00:51:19.565 --> 00:51:22.385
and then store them, um, in the freezer.

1082
00:51:22.705 --> 00:51:23.785
I think in the past, yeah,

1083
00:51:24.245 --> 00:51:27.465
but some I know not, like Lexi mentioned,

1084
00:51:27.465 --> 00:51:28.905
not all people put them in the freezer.

1085
00:51:31.515 --> 00:51:32.685
Nice. You wanna come in?

1086
00:51:33.855 --> 00:51:37.145
Yeah. Um, I've been using the hold fast stuff for a number

1087
00:51:37.145 --> 00:51:40.345
of years and you know, we've, we've leached them, we've,

1088
00:51:40.345 --> 00:51:41.905
we've soaked them in warm water,

1089
00:51:41.955 --> 00:51:43.345
we've done all sorts of things to 'em.

1090
00:51:43.345 --> 00:51:44.505
And then I abandoned

1091
00:51:44.505 --> 00:51:47.065
that about five years ago and I haven't looked back.

1092
00:51:47.285 --> 00:51:50.905
Um, I haven't noticed anything deleterious in the water.

1093
00:51:51.015 --> 00:51:53.385
Some people have said that they've used other seed string

1094
00:51:53.445 --> 00:51:54.985
or al alternatives to the hold fast

1095
00:51:54.985 --> 00:51:57.145
and they've noticed like maybe a discoloration

1096
00:51:57.145 --> 00:51:58.425
to the water maybe in milkiness

1097
00:51:58.425 --> 00:52:00.225
or something as something leaches out of the string.

1098
00:52:00.665 --> 00:52:04.225
I haven't had any issues so far with the, the hold fast.

1099
00:52:04.405 --> 00:52:06.145
So I mean, results may vary.

1100
00:52:06.545 --> 00:52:08.425
I don't wanna say that it's always okay, who knows

1101
00:52:08.425 --> 00:52:10.225
what they might do to one particular role,

1102
00:52:10.325 --> 00:52:13.545
but, um, I'm using such large amounts of seed stringing

1103
00:52:13.545 --> 00:52:15.705
and growing so much seed that it's just really not practical

1104
00:52:15.705 --> 00:52:17.145
for me to go through that extra step.

1105
00:52:17.165 --> 00:52:19.425
And we, we haven't found it's, it's deterred, um,

1106
00:52:19.945 --> 00:52:21.265
spore recruitment or anything like that,

1107
00:52:21.405 --> 00:52:23.185
so we do not no longer do it.

1108
00:52:23.615 --> 00:52:25.225
Like with all this stuff, I would advise you

1109
00:52:25.715 --> 00:52:26.945
everything is different.

1110
00:52:27.105 --> 00:52:29.185
I don't wanna say it always works every time.

1111
00:52:29.405 --> 00:52:30.625
You know, you need to just kind

1112
00:52:30.625 --> 00:52:31.985
of feel out what works for you.

1113
00:52:32.085 --> 00:52:34.745
And I always recommend starting by following

1114
00:52:35.525 --> 00:52:36.665
all the kelp manuals that are out there.

1115
00:52:36.665 --> 00:52:37.665
They've got really good information.

1116
00:52:38.005 --> 00:52:41.905
And then as you progress in your, your nursery, uh, um,

1117
00:52:42.045 --> 00:52:43.705
you know, tenure, then you can say,

1118
00:52:43.705 --> 00:52:44.905
okay, I can do away with this.

1119
00:52:44.905 --> 00:52:46.185
I've had success not doing this.

1120
00:52:46.305 --> 00:52:48.425
I can skip a few steps, I can change what I do,

1121
00:52:48.925 --> 00:52:51.145
but for the best success, especially for starting out,

1122
00:52:52.195 --> 00:52:54.335
follow the book to the t.

1123
00:52:58.375 --> 00:53:00.765
Great. Thanks Alexa. Michael, I know you've, um,

1124
00:53:00.765 --> 00:53:02.365
experimented with different, uh,

1125
00:53:02.885 --> 00:53:04.125
spool prep throughout the years.

1126
00:53:04.185 --> 00:53:05.605
Do you have anything to share on

1127
00:53:05.605 --> 00:53:06.765
what you've learned in terms of

1128
00:53:06.865 --> 00:53:08.645
how you prepare your spools before seating?

1129
00:53:09.145 --> 00:53:12.045
Uh, yeah. Last year I did not soak my spools

1130
00:53:12.225 --> 00:53:15.925
before using them, and I did notice some discoloration in

1131
00:53:15.925 --> 00:53:17.125
the water that first week.

1132
00:53:19.715 --> 00:53:22.935
So this year, and I've used the same hold fast string Alexa

1133
00:53:23.125 --> 00:53:25.685
uses, I wound my spool.

1134
00:53:25.705 --> 00:53:28.645
We were winding spools so fast, we didn't have, we,

1135
00:53:29.065 --> 00:53:30.165
we froze them in the past,

1136
00:53:30.265 --> 00:53:32.165
but I got away from that a couple years ago.

1137
00:53:32.965 --> 00:53:35.585
Um, I just store 'em airtight in containers.

1138
00:53:36.285 --> 00:53:39.065
Um, this year I soaked them in fresh water for a day

1139
00:53:39.895 --> 00:53:44.355
and then I soaked them in sea water the next day.

1140
00:53:45.015 --> 00:53:48.755
And then the day that we inoculated the spools,

1141
00:53:48.915 --> 00:53:51.885
I took them out of the seawater bath, rinse them

1142
00:53:51.885 --> 00:53:54.285
with fresh seawater, and then placed them in my

1143
00:53:54.915 --> 00:53:56.125
inoculation tanks.

1144
00:53:56.585 --> 00:53:58.925
And when we inoculate, we inoculate in one tank

1145
00:53:59.545 --> 00:54:02.925
and then transferred them to a clean fresh tank

1146
00:54:04.525 --> 00:54:06.435
after, after that 24 hour period.

1147
00:54:07.385 --> 00:54:09.165
And, and so far that seems

1148
00:54:09.165 --> 00:54:11.005
to be working pretty good this year,

1149
00:54:11.955 --> 00:54:15.575
but it, it, it did give me extra work,

1150
00:54:15.675 --> 00:54:18.175
but I think it works in the long run.

1151
00:54:18.825 --> 00:54:19.825
Great.

1152
00:54:22.155 --> 00:54:26.815
Thanks Michael. Um, Tamson, do you wanna speak?

1153
00:54:26.845 --> 00:54:29.175
Dave asked a question about whether you're using any natural

1154
00:54:29.245 --> 00:54:30.695
seed string sources this season.

1155
00:54:30.915 --> 00:54:33.615
Um, do you wanna just briefly summarize the experiment you

1156
00:54:33.615 --> 00:54:35.375
did, um, and the rationale behind it?

1157
00:54:36.265 --> 00:54:40.035
Yeah. Um, part of my thesis work at UAF was to try

1158
00:54:40.035 --> 00:54:41.315
and identify a natural fiber

1159
00:54:41.315 --> 00:54:43.155
that would degrade after the sea.

1160
00:54:43.375 --> 00:54:45.755
The kelp had grown off the twine and onto the rope.

1161
00:54:46.575 --> 00:54:48.715
Um, I had done a couple years experimentation,

1162
00:54:48.715 --> 00:54:51.755
growing sugar kelp on a couple different natural fibers,

1163
00:54:51.955 --> 00:54:55.435
a couple types of cotton, um, sisal, jute.

1164
00:54:55.495 --> 00:54:57.475
We tried wool, we tried beading silk,

1165
00:54:57.475 --> 00:54:58.755
like actual natural silk.

1166
00:54:59.335 --> 00:55:00.515
Um, we actually had great success

1167
00:55:00.515 --> 00:55:02.715
with a couple different cottons and the beading silk.

1168
00:55:02.855 --> 00:55:05.235
And so last year we tried commercial scaling it

1169
00:55:05.235 --> 00:55:08.555
with bull kelp, um, at a farm here in Juneau with not

1170
00:55:08.555 --> 00:55:11.475
as good success, but the farmers are still bullish on

1171
00:55:11.475 --> 00:55:12.915
wanting to try a natural fiber.

1172
00:55:12.975 --> 00:55:14.915
So we might try that beading silk, um,

1173
00:55:15.365 --> 00:55:16.715
again this year with another species.

1174
00:55:17.015 --> 00:55:19.195
Uh, the nice thing about the silk is it's, it's really fine.

1175
00:55:19.975 --> 00:55:23.755
So you can fit up to three times more per spool as some

1176
00:55:23.755 --> 00:55:25.115
of the other fibers that we were using.

1177
00:55:25.295 --> 00:55:26.835
So that could increase the output

1178
00:55:26.835 --> 00:55:28.475
of a single tank for a hatchery.

1179
00:55:28.735 --> 00:55:29.875
So fingers crossed, um,

1180
00:55:29.875 --> 00:55:31.035
we're gonna get another shot this year.

1181
00:55:31.615 --> 00:55:36.475
Um, probably nothing too intense or too, uh, too much of it.

1182
00:55:36.475 --> 00:55:37.475
Maybe just a couple hundred feet,

1183
00:55:37.535 --> 00:55:39.595
but definitely excited to try it again.

1184
00:55:41.685 --> 00:55:43.015
Awesome, thank you.

1185
00:55:44.285 --> 00:55:46.975
Alright, um, any final questions?

1186
00:55:47.215 --> 00:55:48.255
Probably have time for one more question.

1187
00:55:48.355 --> 00:55:52.555
If there's one out there, feel free

1188
00:55:52.555 --> 00:55:53.955
to raise your hand if you'd rather speak.

1189
00:55:59.245 --> 00:56:01.255
Alright, well, as we're waiting to see if,

1190
00:56:01.275 --> 00:56:02.615
if one pops up in the chat.

1191
00:56:02.795 --> 00:56:04.775
Um, I did just wanna mention, I mentioned earlier

1192
00:56:04.835 --> 00:56:07.175
as I was giving you the tour of the hub that, um,

1193
00:56:07.335 --> 00:56:10.175
GreenWave is undergoing sort of a, an upgrade

1194
00:56:10.195 --> 00:56:12.695
to our nursery curriculum, um, this year.

1195
00:56:12.915 --> 00:56:15.695
And we're trying to, uh, put different protocols

1196
00:56:15.695 --> 00:56:19.495
that are in really sort of, uh, summarize the information

1197
00:56:19.495 --> 00:56:22.455
that was just discussed in this call into easy to follow,

1198
00:56:22.635 --> 00:56:24.445
uh, protocols that are up to date

1199
00:56:24.445 --> 00:56:25.765
with the new information that we're learning.

1200
00:56:25.765 --> 00:56:28.765
Because as multiple people, Alexa, Michael mentioned some

1201
00:56:28.765 --> 00:56:31.485
of the guidance, uh, that was standard a couple years ago,

1202
00:56:31.985 --> 00:56:33.725
people are learning that some

1203
00:56:33.725 --> 00:56:35.325
of those things are maybe not necessary

1204
00:56:35.385 --> 00:56:36.725
or other steps are necessary.

1205
00:56:36.725 --> 00:56:37.805
And so we're trying to capture those.

1206
00:56:38.625 --> 00:56:42.365
Um, so I wanted to share with this group a working document,

1207
00:56:42.745 --> 00:56:45.285
um, that is called Nursery Best Practices.

1208
00:56:45.285 --> 00:56:47.285
And Gigi, if you could put that in the chat.

1209
00:56:47.875 --> 00:56:52.845
This is, um, a sort of summary of, uh, green wave's attempt

1210
00:56:52.945 --> 00:56:55.965
to capture what we think is is the best sort

1211
00:56:55.965 --> 00:56:57.725
of best practices for all the different stages

1212
00:56:57.725 --> 00:56:58.885
of nursery cultivation.

1213
00:56:59.385 --> 00:57:02.085
Um, we're going to be breaking this out into smaller chunks

1214
00:57:02.085 --> 00:57:04.125
that are easier to digest and putting those up on the hub,

1215
00:57:04.185 --> 00:57:06.485
but, um, because we won't have that in time

1216
00:57:06.545 --> 00:57:07.765
for this nursery season,

1217
00:57:07.865 --> 00:57:10.525
we did wanna give all the operators in the room a a glimpse

1218
00:57:10.595 --> 00:57:11.845
into what our thinking and,

1219
00:57:12.145 --> 00:57:14.845
and, um, this document has been shared

1220
00:57:14.845 --> 00:57:17.685
with the nursery operators that in the cohort regions I

1221
00:57:17.685 --> 00:57:19.485
mentioned before and, and wanted to share it more broadly

1222
00:57:19.485 --> 00:57:20.525
with this community as well.

1223
00:57:21.515 --> 00:57:23.335
Uh, so this is a view only document

1224
00:57:23.335 --> 00:57:24.975
and if you have any questions or feedback, um,

1225
00:57:24.975 --> 00:57:26.935
we would always love, we'd welcome that

1226
00:57:26.935 --> 00:57:28.735
and please, um, shoot us an email.

1227
00:57:30.985 --> 00:57:32.845
All right. And then with that, um,

1228
00:57:33.385 --> 00:57:35.445
to respect everyone's time, we'll go ahead and wrap up.

1229
00:57:35.445 --> 00:57:38.285
Please, um, tune back in at the end of the month.

1230
00:57:38.375 --> 00:57:41.685
We're gonna be talking about out planting, um, on Halloween

1231
00:57:42.265 --> 00:57:45.605
and really just how to set yourself up for success

1232
00:57:45.745 --> 00:57:46.805
as the farmer, um,

1233
00:57:47.145 --> 00:57:49.325
and the nursery operator I guess in that transition

1234
00:57:49.625 --> 00:57:50.805
of getting this beautiful seed

1235
00:57:50.805 --> 00:57:52.805
that these folks have been growing for all

1236
00:57:52.805 --> 00:57:54.525
of us out into the water, um,

1237
00:57:54.945 --> 00:57:57.365
and in the most productive way to ensure

1238
00:57:57.365 --> 00:57:59.845
that we have a quality crop going

1239
00:57:59.875 --> 00:58:01.365
into going into the season.

1240
00:58:02.305 --> 00:58:03.365
Um, and then

1241
00:58:03.455 --> 00:58:06.525
after that we'll be back, um, the beginning of December.

1242
00:58:09.265 --> 00:58:12.445
And thanks so much to all of our guest speakers, um,

1243
00:58:12.465 --> 00:58:14.605
for joining AM amidst this really busy season.

1244
00:58:14.925 --> 00:58:16.405
I super duper appreciate it.

1245
00:58:16.645 --> 00:58:18.765
I know that, um, you guys, yeah,

1246
00:58:18.795 --> 00:58:21.045
it's just really impressive the, all of the work and,

1247
00:58:21.105 --> 00:58:22.125
and heart heartache

1248
00:58:22.125 --> 00:58:23.965
that you're putting into both the cultivation

1249
00:58:23.965 --> 00:58:24.925
of your schools, but then also

1250
00:58:24.925 --> 00:58:26.005
sharing out with this community.

1251
00:58:26.025 --> 00:58:27.605
It is just really, really impressive.

1252
00:58:27.705 --> 00:58:30.965
So, um, encourage everyone to continue to ask questions, uh,

1253
00:58:30.985 --> 00:58:32.845
as they come up in the community,

1254
00:58:32.845 --> 00:58:35.885
the GreenWave Hub community on the nursery channel, um,

1255
00:58:36.465 --> 00:58:37.725
and think of us as a resource.

1256
00:58:37.785 --> 00:58:39.205
And, um, thanks to everyone

1257
00:58:39.205 --> 00:58:40.805
and good luck growing your spools.