Inside Seaweed #10: Atlantic Sea Farms with Liz MacDonald – Lessons from the field, practical tips, training path and resources to become a seaweed farmer, best practices, equipment, logistics, costs and challenges.

Liz MacDonald is the Seaweed Supply and Advancement Manager at Atlantic Sea Farms. Liz has been farming the Gulf of Maine (US) since 2016, cultivating native mussels, scallops and kelp. Her detailed and practical knowledge of seaweed production is absolutely incredible.

Liz has collaborated with researchers and is a published author in multiple scientific journals, presenting her research nationally. She is responsible for Atlantic Sea Farms’ farming partnerships and helps a growing community of ocean farmers.

In this very informative episode, she painted an in-depth picture of seaweed supply on the east coast of the United States. This included:

  • Learnings from on-the-job experience
  • Practical tips as a seaweed farmers
  • Trainings paths to become a seaweed farmer and learning resources
  • Best practices and equipment out on the farm
  • Costs and challenges associated with farming
  • Processing and logistics
  • Opportunities for innovation
  • Social and environmental considerations

Useful Links:

Liz MacDonald on LinkedIn
Atlantic Sea Farms: Website, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook
Gulf of Maine Research Institute – Aquaculture Projects
University of Maine
Sea Grant