Marine scientists and Indigenous communities have joined forces to develop regenerative aquaculture to restore oceans along the east and south coast of Australia.
A program, Blue Futures, has devised strategies that assist in the process of restoring the earth’s increasing greenhouse gases and carbon emissions stored in the ocean.
UOW head coordinator Michelle Voyer said that they are in the developmental phase of gathering strategies which allow organisms such as seaweed to store carbon whilst also regenerating self-sufficiently.
“We have seen a significant decline of kelp on the south coast of Tasmania, so we are looking at how we can bring together the more commercial objectives of aquaculture farms with restoration objectives to hopefully integrate into industries,” she said.
“It’s a high risk, taking a lot of money, time and resources for something that we don’t know is going to work properly.”
In 2021, the ‘Australian State of Environment’ report discovered that the increasing frequency of marine heat waves, particularly along the Eastern Australian current, has permanently impacted the health of marine ecosystems, killing many species and their habitat.
Founder of Auskelp, Christopher Ryder has recently received governmental approval for the ‘Eden project’, to install a hatchery located in Edrom NSW, producing regenerative kelp facilities that will provide new sustainable avenues for farmers and industries.
“It’s a brand new industry thats never been done on an ocean farming setting in Australia at all,” Mr Ryder told the ABC.
Auskelp farms has aimed to end user products such as high value protein for human consumption and methane producing food for cattle by providing alternative kelp-based food products, fertilisers, and potential non-harmful biofuels to significantly reduce carbon emissions on a global scale.
Blue Futures have focused on Indigenous practices to understand ways that will improve marine economy. They have partnered with the Eden Aboriginal council and the Junga Aboriginal Land and Water corporation to implement strategies useful to the community and environment.
“We want to build that knowledge and create the relationship between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians to support our environment,” Ms. Voyer said.
Once further research is done, Blue Futures will be able to gather more professionals that can teach regenerative aquaculture at universities, and larger industries with incorporating sustainable practices as the solution for the future.