Three years ago, if you had told the three founders of Chatham Kelp—all of whom are longtime shellfishermen—they’d one day operate the largest kelp-focused farm in Massachusetts, they might not have believed you.
Founders Jamie Bassett, Carl Douglass and Richard Curtiss admit, at the time, they hadn’t given seaweed a second thought—as a crop or otherwise. But the fishing industry, amidst increased regulations and decreasing stocks, was changing, and the trio wanted to find another revenue stream to offset the slow winter months.
Originally, they looked into starting an oyster farm, but no grants were available in town. That’s when Carl did some research, and found GreenWave, a Connecticut-based nonprofit dedicated to training and supporting ocean farmers. “They are kind of an incubator for kelp,” he explains.
Already widely cultivated and consumed in Asia, kelp is a superfood, high in fiber and rich in vitamins and nutrients. It is also an ingredient in many everyday products, from toothpaste and shampoo to pharmaceuticals, according to NOAA, and has shown promise as a biofuel.
Last December, after three years of research, planning and a lengthy permitting process that included presenting plans to nine different committees, Chatham Kelp finally lowered five 200-foot lines seeded with sugar kelp spores into Nantucket sound, a half mile off Harding’s Beach in Chatham.
“We chose that area because it’s [better] protected from northeast winds,” says Jamie. It’s also dredged by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, leaving it devoid of eelgrass, a condition of their permit approval. If there is any eel grass anywhere near where we wanted to grow,” says Jamie, “it was a no go.”
Sugar kelp is native to the northeast Atlantic, and thrives in cold, swift-moving water. Its long golden brown strands, which bear a striking resemblance to lasagna noodles, can grow up to 15 feet in length. Sugar kelp is a sustainable, low-impact crop that requires no fertilizer, land use or freshwater resources to produce. And because it is a winter crop, it doesn’t interfere with commercial or recreational boating activities, making it ideal for Chatham’s shores.
Between December and May, Jamie, Richard and Carl made frequent boating trips to check on the new kelp farm. “The division of marine fisheries charged us with monitoring the kelp at least every two weeks. And we monitored it every week, weather dependent,” Jamie says. And, once a month, members of GreenWave would join them to provide additional support and onsite training.
The forward-thinking kelp farmers also invited chefs out onto the boat to visit the farm. “We like to take the chefs out on the boat, have them clip it off the line and cook it,” Richard says. “Then get to feel a part of it,” Carl adds.
