Episode 17: Atlantic Sea Farms
Today we’re going to be talking about kelp. Yeah, seaweed.
All right, kelp is not synonymous with seaweed, but they are related and those in the know tend to use the terms interchangeably. The question we’ll examine is this: is kelp one of the resources that will help sustain our planet - and its ever growing population - in the future?
My guest today is Liz MacDonald. Liz is responsible for farming partnerships at Atlantic Sea Farms, a Maine-based company working alongside fishing families on the coast of Maine to cultivate regenerative kelp, one of several hundred species of seaweed, on open ocean sea farms. Based in Biddeford Maine, the folks at Atlantic Sea Farms have grown to a point where they now represent the majority of farmed seaweed in the US.
But first I want to look at a legend that pertains to our topic – it’s from the Northwest, what is now Washington State, and our heroine is Samish Native American, her name, Ko-kwal-alwoot. She is also known as the "Maiden of Deception Pass," a young woman who sacrificed herself to insure the survival of her people - by agreeing to marry the Sea King.
As the legend goes… One late summer day while gathering shellfish, Ko-kwal-alwoot is pulled into deep water by a mysterious force, which is revealed to be the Sea King who is completely captivated by her beauty.
The Sea King proposes a deal to the young girl - if she marries the Sea King, he will provide her people with a bountiful harvest of fish and clean water forever.
Her parents reluctantly agree to the arrangement, but only if the Sea King vows he will allow her to return to her village once a year.
As the years pass, her visits become more and more disturbing to the villagers… as Ko-kwal-alwoot begins to shed her human form – she is transforming into a creature of the sea – with long braids of kelp for hair and her body taking a fish-like form.
Her parents, seeing that their daughter has fallen deeply in love with the Sea King and his underwater world, eventually make the difficult decision to release their daughter from the promise to return home every year - so that she can become wholly a part of her new world. Ko-kwal-alwoot assures them that - from that day forward - she would forever watch over the waters and provide the bounties for her people for generations to come.
From that time on, the Samish people believed that seeing kelp floating in the waters near Deception Pass was a sign of Ko-kwal-alwoot's presence, signifying her continued protection of the sea.
Now, I hear you listeners out there, asking yourselves, “where the heck is he going with this story?”
Just so happens I was eating a delicious kelp-burger at Luke’s Lobster the other day… right here in Portland, and it struck me… there’s been a lot of talk and interest in seaweed lately. I wanted to see how I could educate myself.
I learned from Liz, my guest today, that although seaweed has existed on the planet for millions of years – and likely harvested for thousands of years starting in China, Japan, South Korea and by the indigenous peoples of the Americas – for food, medicine, building materials and, in fact an amazing variety of uses – it is not yet considered by most folks in this country as an important part of their lives… let alone their diet.
It's important to know that seaweed is considered by many a ‘Superfood’ because it’s incredibly rich in essential minerals like iodine, calcium and magnesium and far exceeds the mineral content of most land-based plants. It’s low in calories – and high in fiber, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids. All these elements contribute to overall health benefits.
So, what is the real opportunity here? Good question – and one we’re going to be taking a deep dive into on today’s podcast.