Novel seaweed cultivation project wins U.S. government contract

Ocean Rainforest, Inc. has signed a contract with the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) to conduct the second phase of a pioneering seaweed cultivation project, known as “MacroSystems” in California. In partnership with Primary Ocean and Hortimare, Ocean Rainforest will design and test new methods for farming Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) in open ocean conditions.

Over the next three years, Ocean Rainforest will launch a three-year demonstration project in the California Bight. The project is exclusively research-based and will not compete with existing commercial operations, a statement from the company said. At the project’s conclusion, Ocean Rainforest expects to help propel the industry forward in ways that:

- support the traditional "shing industry by creating "sh habitat and increasing local "sh populations

- improve the health of the marine environment by reducing the amount of excess nutrients in the water

- reduce ocean acidi"cation by capturing CO2

- encourage economic development in the local community by creating sustainable and reliable jobs.