Uploaded February 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Seaweed cultivation is often framed as a way to address water quality issues such as excess nutrients and ocean acidification, but it's important to remember that the relationship between seaweed and water quality is a two-way street. Local species, especially bull kelp, are vulnerable to warming temperatures and other human impacts on water quality. What benefits can seaweeds provide, and how can we bolster both wild and cultivated species against changing ocean conditions?
Moderator: Teri King, Washington Sea Grant Water Quality & Aquaculture Specialist
Panelists: Robin Fales, PhD Candidate, UW Biology; Micah Horwith, Senior Scientist, WA Dept. of Ecology; Nichole Price, Senior Scientist, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences; Ruth Sofield, Aquatic Toxicologist, Western Washington University
Only a handful of seaweed farms and restoration projects have been permitted in Washington, but there is no shortage of interest in –and questions about– the future of seaweed cultivation in our shared waters. The Washington seaweed community needs reliable information to make informed choices about this future. Constituents also need to recognize where the available information is incomplete or unreliable. Through this symposium, Washington Sea Grant aims to move the community towards a shared understanding of what is known, and what is not known, about seaweed farming and what it could look like. Learn more about the Washington Seaweed Collaborative: waseaweedcollaborative.org
Seaweed cultivation is often framed as a way to address water quality issues such as excess nutrients and ocean acidification, but it's important to remember that the relationship between seaweed and water quality is a two-way street. Local species, especially bull kelp, are vulnerable to warming temperatures and other human impacts on water quality. What benefits can seaweeds provide, and how can we bolster both wild and cultivated species against changing ocean conditions?
Moderator: Teri King, Washington Sea Grant Water Quality & Aquaculture Specialist
Panelists: Robin Fales, PhD Candidate, UW Biology; Micah Horwith, Senior Scientist, WA Dept. of Ecology; Nichole Price, Senior Scientist, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences; Ruth Sofield, Aquatic Toxicologist, Western Washington University
Only a handful of seaweed farms and restoration projects have been permitted in Washington, but there is no shortage of interest in –and questions about– the future of seaweed cultivation in our shared waters. The Washington seaweed community needs reliable information to make informed choices about this future. Constituents also need to recognize where the available information is incomplete or unreliable. Through this symposium, Washington Sea Grant aims to move the community towards a shared understanding of what is known, and what is not known, about seaweed farming and what it could look like. Learn more about the Washington Seaweed Collaborative: waseaweedcollaborative.org
![Off The Hook [Part 2]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Neou20OALq8/mqdefault.jpg "Off The Hook [Part 2]
Part 1 of 3: Series created to educate and inform the public about the ongoing threat of Seabird Bycatch. Produced by Washington Sea Grant")
