The Port of San Diego is adding five years onto its agreement with Sunken Seaweed, LLC., a local startup demonstrating the feasibility and benefits of seaweed and shellfish aquaculture in San Diego Bay. The Port is also investing an additional $100,000 in the project in exchange for an increase in revenue share from 5% to 6% and an extended revenue share period from 2043 to 2048, according to the company's release.
Sunken Seaweed is led by two marine ecologists committed to pioneering sustainable seaweed aquaculture in San Diego. They are growing culinary seaweeds including dulse, sea lettuce, ogo, and other larger kelp varieties. Sunken Seaweed’s goal is to sell their seaweed to chefs and food production and distribution companies. They are also exploring a range of products including fertilizers, human food supplements, and livestock feed additives. Sunken Seaweed’s pilot farm is located at the northwestern end of Grape Street Pier Number 1 along the North Embarcadero.
The amended agreement will allow Sunken Seaweed to continue conducting seaweed and shellfish aquaculture ecosystem services research in San Diego Bay. Additionally, they’ll be able to expand and scale their land-based seaweed aquaculture operations at a new satellite location in Humboldt Bay in collaboration with a well-established, vertically integrated aquaculture company, Hog Island Oyster Company. The amendment will support the scaling of Sunken Seaweed operations and allow the company to position itself as an industry leader in seaweed production, as well as in ecosystem services research applied to seaweed aquaculture in port environments.
Aquaculture encompasses the cultivation of shellfish, fish, and aquatic plants/algae. The aquaculture sector is driven by a growing global demand for seafood and the lack of a domestic supply. The Sunken Seaweed pilot project is part of the Port’s Blue Economy Incubator, established to assist in the creation, development, and scaling of new water-dependent business ventures on San Diego Bay focusing on sustainable aquaculture and Port-related blue technologies.