Giant Kelp cultivation permit in California

On Friday, October 15, the California Coastal Commission unanimously passed a consistency certification to install and operate for two years a submerged aquaculture facility within an 86-acre site (35 ha) for the cultivation of giant kelp (M. pyrifera) approximately 4.4 miles offshore of Santa Barbara, CA, USA. The area is identified in the picture above.
This represents a very important milestone in our endeavors to establish #seaweed cultivation in the Pacific Ocean. In this connection we have received letters of support from 47 scientific, environmental and industry organizations as well as individuals from across the US and Europe. Thanks for your support!
Although this represents a critical milestone, we still have some way to go in securing our full approval for a R&D cultivation permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). That will enable us to continue the work towards our goal for the ARPA-E funded #MacroSystems project to develop and upscale hatchery processes and an innovative offshore cultivation & harvesting system for #GiantKelp. #bluebioeconomy #blue #regeneration #sustainable #aquaculture