Kelp-tivating Idea! Kelp Aquaculture In WA State Waters Artwork

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Hey, all you naturalists out there! Want to know more about the different marine species living in the Salish Sea? How about the latest research findings with them? All ecosystems are eventually connected. For this reason, in each podcast we will dive in with an expert to talk about topics and facts related to the marine animals that call the Salish Sea home and occasionally include topics of broader relevance. We'll cover topics from the small (plankton) to the large (whales) and everything in-between, including our iconic salmon and orcas! If you have curiosity and wonder about the local marine life that abounds here, then this podcast is for you!

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Kelp-tivating Idea! Kelp Aquaculture In WA State Waters

September 16, 2025 • Dr. Meg Chadsey • Season 5 • Episode 9

You may have heard the buzz about macroalgae aquaculture. To name a few of the benefits, kelp and other seaweeds can be grown for food, animal feed, organic fertilizer, biofuels and other sustainable products. In Washington State, kelp aquaculture grew out of ocean acidification (OA) research. Besides all these commercial services to humans, kelp forests provide productive habitat which supports a wide variety of fish, invertebrates, and marine mammals, forming the basis for a rich ecosystem. Did you know there are two kelp farms in WA state waters? Dr. Meg Chadsey, a Carbon Specialist and PMEL Liaison with Washington Sea Grant, joins us on this episode to tell us more about this really promising type of farming and what it takes to make "kelping the sea" happen!