The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the ocean.

In this episode of In Hot Water, Maine, we learn about the growth of the seaweed sector in Maine, which includes both wild and farmed seaweeds, while asking, “is seaweed a climate solution?”

There’s no quick fix for seafood harvesters in the Gulf, but climate solutions do exist. From encouraging species diversification to actively involving frontline communities, changemakers are leading a new path for seafood in Maine

Produced by Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) and Seaworthy, the “In Hot Water” podcast explores SEAFOOD and CLIMATE JUSTICE in distinct regions.

Episode Guide

• :00 Intro to In Hot Water, Maine Edition
• 02:03 The farmed seaweed industry in Maine is growing rapidly while the wild seaweed industry has been around for about 50 years
• 05:45 All seaweed farmed in Maine’s waters comes from a parent species found in Maine
• 06:44 How macrobiotic eating led to the founding of one of Maine’s most enduring wild seaweed brands
• 17:34 While regulations around harvesting wild seaweeds in Maine exist, they are minimal
• 23:32 The climate in crisis affects wild seaweed production in a myriad of ways
• 26:40 While there are opportunities for aquaculture to enhance wild seaweed production, there are challenges
• 33:06 A recent study found that 1 in 4 people in the U.S. have never heard of seaweed farming. How do you educate the public about the benefits of seaweed?
• 34:46 Are seaweeds a climate solution?

Resources

1. 1. Recommend this series to anyone who enjoys seafood and is curious about how climate change is affecting our seafood-producing regions.