The Growing Movement for Regenerative Ocean Agriculture
In this episode, we dive deep into the innovations that have emerged from the ocean justice movement. Learn why regenerative ocean farming is a climate solution that already exists, and meet the individuals and organizations that are reimagining our relationship to the sea. From online resources that promote sustainably sourced seafood to seaweed textiles, we explore the various ways people are taking action to protect our beloved ocean.
Hosted by @ariellevking
Script by Marisa Orozco
Research by Marisa Orozco, @ariellevking + @diandramarizet
Audio Engineering + Music by @awesomenostalgia
Produced by @diandramarizet + @sustainablesabs
This episode is sponsored by @montereybayaquarium
Visit https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/together to join the Aquarium and learn more about how you can help protect the ocean for generations to come
Episode Transcript
Introduction
Welcome to The Joy Report, a podcast dedicated to sharing stories about climate solutions and environmental justice, grounded in intersectionality and optimism. This show is brought to you by the organization, Intersectional Environmentalist. I’m your host, Arielle V. King, an environmental justice strategist and educator passionate about making environmentalism irresistible. Tune in for a dose of climate joy and actionable steps you can take to help protect people and the planet.
In episode 5 of this season, we established ocean justice and conservation as essential solutions against climate change. In this episode, we’ll be discussing the range of innovations that have come out of this movement. Today’s traditional seafood and fashion systems continue to cause a great deal of harm to marine ecosystems, but emerging methods like kelp agriculture and wearable ocean fabric show us that healing our waters can take shape in many different forms.
Support for this episode is brought to you by The Monterey Bay Aquarium. More than just a destination — the Aquarium is committed to protecting our ocean. Through initiatives such as rescuing and rehabilitating sea otters, safeguarding coastal ecosystems, and fostering a passion for ocean stewardship in young leaders, the Aquarium’s mission is to inspire conservation of the ocean. Join the Aquarium and learn more about the animals that call the ocean home. Check out Monterey Bay Aquarium dot org slash together to learn more.
The Problem
Seafood is a life source for communities around the world, providing sustenance to over 3 billion people and employing about 60 million workers. But as our human population and appetite for seafood continues to grow, our ocean ecosystems are struggling to keep up with the demand. Negative changes in ocean health disproportionately impact Indigenous peoples, low-income coastal communities, and local fishermen because they depend on the ocean — for sustenance, employment, cultural practices, and overall way of life. So when climate change, overfishing, and our own consumption habits affect the tide, these communities bear the brunt of the impact. The state of seafood is in a crisis, and there is a dire need for the industry to practice sustainable fishing and farming methods to help protect the ocean and its surrounding communities.
The lack of transparency in the supply chain for wild seafood is… fishy. Historically, seafood has been sourced through a complex system that exploits workers and pollutes the environment. The complexity and ambiguity of the supply chain is by design— leaving consumers in the dark about the ecological cost and human labor conditions utilized for the seafood to end up on their plate. Plus, overfishing, lack of effective and sustainable resources, and our own consumption habits are leading wild fish species on a path toward extinction.
To help reduce our reliance and impact on wild fish stocks, we’re turning more and more to fish farming, also known as aquaculture. More than 50 percent of the seafood we eat today is farmed, and that number will only continue to grow. Aquaculture is considered the sustainable way forward for seafood, but it can still have negative impacts on the environment, depending on how the fish are farmed. Inadequate management of the activity has been linked to the destruction of mangrove forests, the acidification of soils, and the displacement of native species, to name a few.
Another major contributor to the current state of our ocean is the fashion industry. Every year, the textile industry uses over one trillion gallons of water to dye garments — enough to fill 2 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. The dyes contain highly toxic chemicals that contaminate the water, and most of that water then flows untreated into our oceans and rivers.
The fabric in our clothing is also a cause for concern. Most fast fashion garments are made from synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon, acrylic, spandex. Companies often resort to synthetic fibers because they’re cheaper to make and are more stretchable, water-proof, and stain-resistant. For consumers, the low-cost and versatile properties may seem favorable too. But synthetic fibers cause social and environmental harms that cannot be overlooked; these fibers are literally made from fossil fuels. Corporations use an exorbitant amount of energy to transform nonrenewable resources like petroleum into synthetic fabrics. Throughout the extraction and processing phase, fossil fuels get released into the air and water in the form of harmful chemicals and pollutants. What’s more is that synthetic fibers shed microplastics during washing, and those tiny plastic fibers can end up in our oceans too.
Through its use of textile dyes and synthetic fibers — not to mention the tons and tons of fabric waste — the fashion industry leaves many areas of the ocean uninhabitable. Ocean dead zones, or hypoxic zones, refer to areas in the ocean where oxygen levels are so low that marine life can no longer be sustained. Although they can occur naturally, [scientists declare that hypoxia is exacerbated by human activity, primarily from nutrient pollution. Thankfully, ocean dead zones can be repaired. From the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA’s, Ocean Podcast, scientist Alan Lewitus reflects on a dead zone reduction success story in Rhode Island.
ALAN LEWITUS: And actually in response to a fish kill on the order of a decade ago, the state imposed regulations on sewage treatment plants to reduce nutrient loading by 50 percent. They achieved that goal and our studies show that hypoxia was reduced as a result. The Bay turned from a eutrophic Bay to an oligotrophic Bay — which means cleaner water, essentially, better water quality. They haven’t achieved the ultimate goal with respect to hypoxia yet. They might need to actually reduce nutrients a little more, but they’re going in a great direction. So that’s a real success story there. So yeah, hypoxia can be mitigated.
Traditional food and fashion systems have caused immense harm to the ocean over the years, but we’re starting to see a change in the tide. The growing demand for supply chain transparency and the emergence of innovations in aquaculture and fashion are redefining how we engage with the ocean.
Intervention
Let’s not underestimate ourselves: we as consumers are a powerful group— as a collective, we have the ability to change failing systems and shift company operations toward sustainability. Thankfully, with various rating programs and online tools at our fingertips, it has become easier to access information to feel confident in what we buy at clothing and grocery stores.
In our previous episode on fashion circularity, we highlighted Beaker, a digital platform that considers specific sustainability factors to establish a rating system for companies. Fortunately, tools and resources like Beaker also exist for the food industry.
In the seafood world, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has a Seafood Watch recommendations list that provides a rating program for seafood eaters. With over 2,000 recommendations, the list tells users all they need to know about where their fish was caught, the management’s effectiveness, and the fisheries’ impact on the ecosystem and surrounding communities. Users can also filter their search to show only certified seafood, good alternatives, or which seafood to avoid. Over the past 25 years, the program has made a huge impact:
CORBETT NASH: From shifts in fishing policies, like our decades long work to help move Pacific Bluefin Tuna toward sustainability, to a material increase in sustainability commitments from the major seafood buyers we work with, to spreading awareness through hundreds of conservation partners and advocates at zoos and aquariums.
That’s Corbett Nash, the Outreach Manager for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program. He goes on to explain that the program isn’t only for consumers. They also have a Verification Platform, which creates a new pathway for small-scale shrimp farmers across South and Southeast Asia to assure buyers of their environmental practices.
From a buyers’ perspective, consumers and businesses aren’t likely to buy shrimp from farms that are not certified. In order to meet these challenges, the Platform allows small-scale farmers to assess their own production against locally relevant sustainability standards, make and document their improvements, and take products to the US market.
NASH: The majority of these farms are small and family run, lacking the resources to verify through things like eco certifications that their operations are environmentally sustainable. Industry partners are already recognizing the verification platform as a cost effective, scalable approach to meeting demand for environmentally sustainable shrimp. Farmers who use the verification platform are gaining an advantage in the marketplace, as demand from seafood buyers for verified products that meet the Seafood Watch standards is growing.
The human labor behind seafood is equally as important as its environmental justice impacts. In efforts to improve human rights and labor conditions, the Monterey Bay Aquarium partnered with fisheries and human rights experts to develop a Seafood Social Risk Tool. The online resource profiles seafood production systems around the world and identifies areas within those systems that are at higher risk of containing forced labor, human trafficking, and hazardous child labor. With the help of the Seafood Social Risk tool, businesses can identify and manage the risk of human rights abuses in their seafood supply chains.
Increased transparency of supply chains raises the pressure on companies to change their productions into more sustainable and equitable systems. Ones that sustainably grow seafood, provide safe working conditions, and work with — rather than against— natural ecosystems.
Systems like regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is a method of growing food and other products using resources in a way that restores ecosystems and provides useable products. If you’re interested in learning more about regenerative agriculture, we talk in depth about it in a season 1 episode.
For this episode, we’re going to focus on regenerative ocean farming, which is a climate-friendly model of aquaculture where different types of kelp are grown in a way that requires no freshwater, feed, or fertilizer. Functioning as a natural carbon sink, a single acre of seaweed can absorb 20x more carbon dioxide than a land-based forest of the same size. Kelp farms also improve water quality, restore ecosystems, and increase biodiversity. With all its environmental benefits, it’S become clear that regenerative ocean farming is a great example of a climate solution that exists in the natural world.
Seaweed also promotes human health; it’s considered a superfood because it’s rich in nutrients, is good for the heart and gut, and can help balance blood sugar levels. Seaweed is a key ingredient in many dishes and can take shape in the form of nori sheets in sushi, kombu in miso soup, and even raw seaweed salad. And its magical properties are inspiring people to explore even more ways to incorporate algae and other oceanic materials into our everyday lives.
Main story
The sustainable fashion world is welcoming kelp into its realm by transforming it into fashionable and eco-friendly clothing. Seaweed textiles, also known as algae textiles, are fabrics derived from the fibers of brown, red, and/or green seaweed. Here’s how it works:
The process starts with sustainably harvesting seaweed from the ocean to ensure the protection and preservation of marine ecosystems. Once harvested, seaweed goes through a conversion system that could include drying, grinding, and chemical treatments to extract the fibers. These fibers are then spun or woven into fabrics to make seaweed textiles.
One of the many supply chain benefits of seaweed textiles is that it has a reduced environmental impact. Unlike the raw resources used for traditional and synthetic fabrics, seaweed is an abundant, renewable resource that requires significantly less energy, chemicals, and water to transform into a textile. Seaweed textiles possess natural moisture-wicking capabilities, provide some UV protection, and release vitamins and minerals onto the skin. It’s also biodegradable, as algae textiles can decompose in as little as 8-12 weeks, compared to a synthetic fabric like polyester, which can take anywhere from 20 to 200 years to break down. These natural textiles embody circularity, sustainability, and ocean justice. And Leksi Kostur, an interdisciplinary biodesigner, is embracing seaweed’s potential to further connect people to the planet.
LEKSI KOSTUR: Seaweed offers unique range of physical properties from flexible and pliable to dry and rigid. And that allows me to experiment with new forms of design. And as a biomaterial, it offers the poetic notion to my designs that in the end, everything returns to the Earth.
Kostur grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where she was surrounded by forests, oceans, and mountains. Her connection to the Earth, as well as her background in psychology and anthropology, inform her work. From compostable bridal crowns and wedding arches to biodegradable jewelry, Kostur creates elegant and ethereal designs that are both functional and nature-positive.
KOSTUR: My more recent work is also rooted in ritual, primarily focusing on design for weddings, events, and festivals. I choose natural materials to design for these occasions because they speak to an understanding of life's impermanence and the importance of returning to nature. Materials like seaweed bioplastics align with the inherent symbolism of a ritual, and in a practical sense, they also help to reduce the environmental impact of these events.
In addition to her personal endeavors, Kostur is the co-founder and director of Re: Right Design, a design and consulting business that creates biodegradable and circular solutions for the creative industries. These include retail displays, large-scale biodegradable sculptures, and sets and stages for events like festivals.
KOSTUR: We've developed a unique approach to integrating sustainable practices into these fast paced industries where material turnover is high, but life cycle isn't typically considered. So, in our work, we always aim to align the spaces and products we design with nature's methods to deliver innovative and ethical solutions that push creative boundaries.
Then there’s Sasha Azbel, the founder and creative director of Sashoonya. Azbel is an architectural designer turned textile artist who uses home-grown plant extracts and carefully foraged seaweed to dye her products. In 2021, she founded the textiles art and design company that creates sustainable goods using local materials and dyes in New England. From scarves and bandanas to wall hangings, all of Sashoonya’s products are “based on reciprocity with our natural environment.”
In addition to seaweed, invasive species and fish skins have become a viable resource for textiles. INVERSA Leathers is a company that makes exotic luxury textiles using invasive species.
AARAV CHAVDA: If you look at lionfish for example, they overeat and consume 79% of all native fish on any coral reef they touch in an invaded territory. The carp has overconsumed to be about 90% of the biomass of all freshwater ecosystems. And the python has eaten 90-99% of all small mammals out of the everglades wetlands.
That’s the INVERSA CEO and co-founder Aarav Chavda. By using lionfish, carp, and python as materials for textiles, he hopes to limit the impact of these invasive species while also restoring and protecting native species.
There’s also been a resurgence in fish leather, which is a material produced from tanning the skins of a variety of fish species. Although it has recently become a popular alternative to leather made from cows or sheep, its origins derive from Indigenous communities around the world. From Scandinavia and China to the Amazon, Indigenous communities recognized the ecological and cultural value of transforming fish skins into durable, water-resistant clothing, footwear, and tools.
Take Woden, a Nordic shoe company that offers multiple options for shoes made out of fish leather. The fish leather they use is a waste product from the Icelandic fishery and food industry, which is then treated and tanned using gentle and eco-friendly methods aided by Icelandic natural hot springs. According to their website, the tanning process produces 0% carbon emissions.
Seafood and fashion companies are showing us that the ocean offers us limitless possibilities. Rooted in sustainability and a commitment to protecting our ocean, these individuals and organizations are redefining and healing our relationship with the deep blue one fiber at a time.
Call to Action
The ocean is a life source, and we have a shared responsibility to take care of it. Here are some ways you can ways you can protect the ocean:
First, build a relationship with the ocean. Without a relationship, an appreciation, or an understanding of how we are connected to the water, it’s hard to care what’s happening to it.
Protecting the ocean can start with small lifestyle changes. Like when you go to the beach, leave nothing behind but your footprints. You can take shorter showers and limit laundry days to when you have a full load to reduce runoff and conserve water. And avoid single-use plastics like straws and water bottles that can end up in our oceans.
Take advantage of the online resources available. There are plenty of rating programs and online tools that can help you make sustainable seafood choices at the grocery store. And if you’re at a restaurant, ask questions about where and how the seafood was sourced. Asking questions and starting a dialogue can go a very long way.
Consumers are a powerful group in leading the charge toward sustainability. So as much as you can, shop local and sustainable.
There is no perfect solution, and the individuals and organizations mentioned in this episode are proof that there is no single way to protect the ocean. It’s about taking action in ways that spark something in you. There is room for everyone in this movement, so let’s dive in.
Other positive climate news
Here’s some other positive climate news you should know about:
Before leaving office, President Biden declared a permanent ban on new offshore drilling projects across 625 million acres of federal waters. The law also prohibits future presidents from overturning the ban.
New York City’s Congestion Pricing recently took effect in an effort to reduce city traffic, direct funds to public transportation, and cleaner air. The rollout follows similar successful programs in places like Singapore, London, and San Diego.
Last November, the designation of Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary went into effect, protecting over 4,000 square miles of Central California’s coastal and ocean waters.
Additional IE updates
And in the world of Intersectional Environmentalist:
Support CTA: Just a reminder that if you love this podcast and want to support IE’s ongoing resource development, please remember that sharing our resources across platforms, rating our podcast episodes, and donating to IE helps us continue this work.
Outro
And remember, fighting the climate crisis is a marathon, not a sprint. We need everyone to get involved in a way that feels right for them, now more than ever.
Our individual positive actions do have power, and they’re strengthened when we do them as a collective. Tune in next episode where we’ll explore advancements in environmental law that are helping sustain our climate optimism and hopefulness.
I’m your host, Arielle V. King, and thank you so much for listening to this episode of The Joy Report.
