Areas along the west coast of North America face multiple threats that are altering the ocean ecosystems and ways of life for coastal communities. Significant declines in what once were considered inexhaustible fisheries, as well as warming waters, mean that new solutions are needed to protect the ocean, create jobs, and support local economies.
If well managed, a growing seaweed farming industry in these regions could provide significant benefits to both nature and people. Seaweed farming has potential as a tool to improve coastal water quality, enhance habitat for a host of marine species, and reduce the effects of ocean acidification, while also providing sustainable food and an environmentally-friendly ingredient for consumer products, such as pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, packaging materials, and textiles.
The Pew Charitable Trusts works alongside in-country organizations, Indigenous leaders, coastal communities, and policymakers in Alaska and British Columbia to help build the foundation for a sustainable seaweed farming sector. Priority activities include compiling key ecological data, designing monitoring systems to assess the health of ecosystems in farming regions, and promoting ecologically responsible policies to guide the industry’s long-term growth. Pew works with its partners and coastal communities to support the development of community-led visions that define how to build the industry in a way that restores ocean health, bolsters local economies, and ensures that governance and decision-making include the voices of Indigenous and small-scale producers.
OUR WORK
