A Story of Seaweed
In our inaugural blog post, the Pacific Seaweed Industry Association (PSIA) would like to thank you for being here! Thank you for being curious about seaweed and how it can fit into a bright future for people and the planet.
My name is Jordan Hawkswell and I am a seaweed enthusiast, climate advocate, and storyteller who is optimistic about the role of seaweed in a thriving global community. I'm here to share with you all about seaweed in its many facets. From dreamy, underwater scapes of sun-drenched kelp forests to smoked dulse flakes on toast, and everything in between. Join me and the PSGA in learning about how seaweed can work for us all
How does one become interested in seaweed? Like many topics, the more you learn about it, the more wonderful it becomes. This is the story of seaweed for me. Growing up on the shores of the glittering Great Lakes I had a different kind of sea to play in and explore. However, my first memories of seaweeds include the unpleasant tickling of my toes in the murky depths of lakes and I wasn't too fond of them back then. It wasn't until I moved to Halifax, NS that I became immersed in ocean life through my studies at Dalhousie University. There, the magnificent yellows, purples, and blues of the Atlantic stole my heart along with the maritime culture that had me instantly feeling at home.
Fast forward a couple of years and I am living on the very opposite coast, on Vancouver Island. Here, through my work with the Ucluelet Aquarium Society, I was brought face to face with kelp and given the opportunity to explore how kelp forests shape the west coast and create an important foundation for much of the biodiversity. Working hands-on with the ocean in the Pacific Northwest gave me an immense appreciation of the little-known diversity of seaweeds and their story.
The first time I donned a mask and snorkel on the Pacific coast I unknowingly entered a kaleidoscope of underwater life and colours. Giant kelp was swaying in the current with sunlight filtering through the green-yellow kelp frond canopy just below the surface of the water. The bead coral seaweed created a textured pink carpet along the bottom where red turban snails, noble sea lemons, and bat stars roamed. Fish swam quickly through the thick forest of kelp. I was completely struck by this three dimensional world, moving along just out of my sight. I had to know more.
What first drew me to kelp and other seaweeds was how quickly they grow and shape the coast. Most things grow slowly - trees, humans, clams, tortoises. But many seaweed species grow SO FAST. Unfathomably fast. The energy required to grow and create cells that quickly requires a lot of carbon and other nutrients to be taken in from seawater. This intense exchange of nutrients, especially carbon, got me thinking about how seaweeds are connected to the environment. Not only are they carbon hungry, they are a foundational component of the coastal food chain and ecosystem. So many animals rely on healthy seaweed beds and kelp forests to survive as they provide both food and vital habitat. Seaweed does all this using just sunlight and seawater. It feels like magic. Like any forest on land, seaweed beds are alive with the energy of hundreds of marine species whose lives are tightly aligned with the health of the coast.
Looking deeper into seaweeds I quickly learned that they uptake large amounts of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus while providing vital food and habitat for marine animals. In doing so, seaweeds support animal populations, reduce coastal erosion, and combat ocean acidification. When harvested, seaweeds provide nutritious food that requires almost zero inputs for humans and animals. When composted, seaweed can add essential minerals and nutrients back into soils as fertilizer. Seaweeds hold components that support healthy skin and hair and are great for cosmetic use. Some people have begun experimenting with using seaweed as the base for biofuel, bioplastic, building materials, textiles, and biotechnology.
While just scratching the surface I found that seaweed is incredible. I began to look into the process of starting a seaweed farm and joining the coming seaweed revolution. I couldn’t help imagining all of the good that is to come from building a strong and healthy relationship with this wonderful ocean algae and the potential of incorporating it in our daily lives. When managed and farmed well, seaweeds can support life in our oceans, support hard-working coastal communities, and support innovation in sustainable food and industry. The seaweed farming industry is young and has limited information available for hopeful seaweed farmers. This is what drew me to the PSIA, I wanted a place to collect and share the best information for seaweed farmers and those looking to grow the industry into something remarkable.
Follow along as the PSIA and I dive in and learn about all the ways that growing seaweed can help our blue planet thrive alongside us as we grow the sector.
