Point Judith Kelp
Kelp (brown macroalgae) is an up-and-coming sea vegetable that offers extraordinary promise as an aquaculture product. Kelp gets everything that it requires to grow (sun, oxygen, nutrients) from the sea, so it requires zero inputs except for labor. As a healthy food and diet source, kelp is loaded with minerals – it may support the immune system, keeps inflammation at bay and provides cardiovascular benefits. Kelp is also beneficial to the environment by efficiently sequestering carbon from the oceans. Removal of carbon is a critical factor in reducing and reversing climate change. Looking forward to regenerative solutions for our planetary food security, kelp continues to float to the surface.
While developing the curriculum for the NMI Restorative Aquaculture Associate Degree Program, I was reminded of all this and constructed a “Kelp Growing 101” course. As part of my research, I read the book Eat Like a Fish by the GreenWave founder Bren Smith, which referred to Captain David Blaney and his company Point Judith Kelp. I was in dire need of kelp growing experience so I googled Point Judith Kelp Company, sent them an inquiry, and received an almost immediate reply: “Call me”. And so my kelp growing internship began. The barter was simple: kelp growing experience in return for me pitching in to help with winter preparations (kelp likes growing in 50-degree sea temperatures) with the following tasks:
Kelp spools are 1.5” x 18” PVC pipes evenly wound with 200 feet of nylon cord. To accomplish this, Captain Blaney shared with me a “top secret” method of hand-winding the spools by using a cordless drill with a paint roller bit. As the greenhorn, it was my job to wind the 40 kelp spools that we would use on the farm. I have to say, my learning curve was steep! Many hours and days later, the kelp spools were ready to go into the nursery aquariums, where the juvenile kelp spores attach themselves to the nylon cord on the spools. Later in the season, the mature reproductive kelp tissue will be introduced into the nursery aquariums and then miraculously inoculate the kelp spools. Obviously, this is my oversimplified explanation – for a more thorough and scientific guide about growing kelp, visit the Kelp Farming Manual. When the kelp spores develop sufficiently in Blaney’s basement nursery, the spools will be transferred and unwound on lines in the sea farm.
Captain Blaney and I installed three 50-gallon aquarium tanks in a series row. Each aquarium shared a common seawater chiller, a siphon connecting each tank (to keep the water levels equalized) and overhead PVC seawater supply piping, using a gravity feed from a 60-gallon tank in the back of Captain Blaney’s pick-up truck. Point Judith seawater is pumped into the truck tank at the boat ramp with a 12-volt transfer pump.
The work skiff was full of leaves from overwintering in Captain Blaney’s driveway. The leaves had to be removed from inside the boat so the bilge pumps would not foul when we were sea bound. Another job for the greenhorn! Once cleaned, I came up with the bright idea of covering the skiff with a tarp to keep leaves and water out!
In the Point Judith Rhode Island waters, Captain Blaney knows from experience that kelp reproductive (sorus) tissue usually is ready the beginning of November… ish. Stay tuned for the Point Judith Kelp Part II blog post to see how this winter growing season turns out!
Click here to learn more about NMI’s Office of Restorative Aquaculture.
