The Seagriculture USA conference program is designed to provide you with a comprehensive overview of the seaweed industry, from the latest research to practical applications in the marketplace. With a diverse range of sessions, the conference provides an opportunity for delegates to learn from experts in the field, network with industry professionals, and stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the seaweed industry.
Conference Program
Seagriculture USA
6 - 7 September 2023
Portland, ME, USA
Pre-registration: Tuesday September 5 from 4.00 - 6.00 pm
During pre-registration you are welcome to pick-up your conference badge at the registration desk.
Conference day 1: Wednesday 6 September 2023
9.00 am – 9.30 am Opening of the conference
Morning Chair: Eliza Harrison, Director of California Operations, Ocean Rainforest, USA
9.30 am - 10.00 am: Keynote presentation: Alaska, frontier and opportunity
Markos Scheer, Founder & CEO, Seagrove, USA
10.00 am – 11.10 am Session 1: Smart seaweed farming
Smart farming refers to managing farms using modern information and communication technologies to increase the quantity and quality of cultivated products while optimizing the human labor required. Within this session, seaweed experts will present their contribution to increase the profitability of seaweed farming.
10.00 am - 10.30 am: Innovating for the kelp farming industry, an Alaska farmers perspective
Alf Pryor, Kelp Farmer, Alaska Ocean Farms, USA
10.30 am - 10.50 am: Smart farming: physics and finances of seaweed cultivation structures
Tobias Dewhurst, Ocean Engineer, Kelson Marine, USA
10.50 am - 11.10 am: We are building innovative seaweed processing and harvesting solutions!
Huibert-Jan Zweemer, Process Advisor & Project Manager,
Murre Technologies, The Netherlands
11.10 am – 11.40 am Coffee Break / Trade Show
11.40 am – 12.40 pm Session 2: Social and regulatory aspects related to seaweeds
During this session, speakers will present their work on social and regulatory aspects (e.g. permitting policies) related to seaweeds.
11.40 am - 12.00 pm: Harnessing the power of storytelling and storylistening for building social contracts
Holly Parker, Director, Schiller Coastal Studies Center, Bowdoin College, USA
12.00 pm - 12.20 pm: Social license and BMPs as critical tools in the leasing and permitting process
Sebastian Belle, Executive Director, Maine Aquaculture Association, USA
12.20 pm - 12.40 pm: Marine biomass as feedstock for industrial valorization
Adi Goldman, CEO & Co-founder, Biotic, Israel
12.40 pm – 2.10 pm Lunch / Trade Show
1.15 pm – 2.10 pm Expanding the Community
2.10 pm - 2.30 pm: Keynote presentation:
Turning the tide: building a farmer-first blue economy
Samantha Garwin, Director of Market Development, GreenWave, USA
2.30 pm – 3.30 pm Session 3: Panel discussion on Investments in seaweeds and the opportunities of seaweed carbon credits
Moderator: Marc von Keitz, Director, The Grantham Foundation
During this panel discussion, a number of seaweed business and investment experts will share their vision on the seaweed industry in North America and abroad, on needs and expectations, and on what the next steps should be. Furthermore, the topic of seaweed carbon credits will be discussed.
Lisa Sebesta, Consultant to Funds, Foundations and Family Offices,
Sitari Capital, USA
James Lindsay, Principal, Builders Initiative Investment Team, USA
Schery Umanzor, Assistant Professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA
Caroline Zepecki, Summer Associate, Propeller, USA
David Barber, Co-Founder, Owner, Blue Hill, USA
3.30 pm – 4.00 pm Coffee Break / Trade Show
Afternoon Chair: Mike Williamson, President, CEO, Cascadia Seaweed, USA
4.00 pm – 5.00 pm Session 4: The young seaweed generation
The seaweed industry is full of young, ambitious people. During this session, three young seaweed experts will share their stories.
4.00 pm - 4.20 pm: Lessons learned: the trails and errors of seaweed farming
David Bailey, Research Associate, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA
4.20 pm - 4.40 pm: Convincing the world to EAT MORE KELP
Courtney Boyd Myers, Founder, CEO, AKUA, USA
4.40 pm - 5.00 pm: Protein content and bioactive peptides in the red seaweed Palmaria palmate (dulse)
Pierre Edouard Liboureau, PhD fellow, University of Stavanger, Norway
5.00 pm - 5.20 pm: Keynote presentation:
Seaweed processing and applications
Victoria Piunova, Chief Technology Officer, Loliware, USA
6.00 pm – 7.30 pm Welcome Cocktail Reception at the Portland Museum of Art
Conference day 2: Thursday 7 September 2023
Morning Chair: Holly Parker, Director, Schiller Coastal Studies Center, Bowdoin College, USA
9.00 am - 9.20 am: Keynote presentation:
Diversifying fishing economies through kelp farming
Briana Warner, President & CEO, Atlantic Sea Farms, USA
9.20 am – 10.30 am Session 5: Seaweeds and indigenous communities
Various indigenous communities in North America have used seaweeds for centuries. During this session, some of these communities will share their story.
9:30 am - 9:50 am: Traditional knowledge and climate science
Darlene Troge, Administration and Finance Director, Shinnecock Kelp Farmers, USA
9:30 am - 9:50 am: Traditional knowledge and climate science
Donna Collins Smith, Council Member, Shinnecock Kelp Farmers, USA
9:50 am - 10:10 am: Social license in mariculture from an Indigenous perspective
Keolani Booth, Councilman, Metlakatla Indian Community, Mariculture Liaison, USA
10:10 am - 10:30 am: Coastal First Nations partnership in seaweed aquaculture
Mike Williamson, President, CEO, Cascadia Seaweed, USA
10.30 am – 11.00 am Coffee Break / Trade Show
11.00 am – 12.00 pm Session 6: Seaweed processing and applications
The Seagriculture conference is not complete without this session. Three speakers will present their work on processing aspects and (novel) seaweed applications.
11.00 am - 11.20 am: Some lessons and challenges in building a sustainable seaweed business
Steve Eddy, Science Advisor, Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, USA
11.00 am - 11.20 am: Some lessons and challenges in building a sustainable seaweed business
Shep Erhart, Co-founder, President, Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, USA
11.20 am - 11.40 am: The beauty of seaweed
Michele Gilfoil, Founder & President, Planet Botanicals, USA
11.40 am - 12.00 pm: Commercial scale drying and milling: a shared use model
Mitchell Lench, Founder & CEO, Ocean's Balance, USA
12.00 pm – 1.30 pm Lunch / Trade Show
Afternoon Chair: Sebastian Belle, Executive Director, Maine Aquaculture Association, USA
1.30 pm - 1.50 pm: Keynote presentation
Charting the course: navigating permitting challenges and market barriers in Southern California's seaweed industry
Eliza Harrison, Director of California Operations, Ocean Rainforest, USA
1.50 pm – 2.50 pm Session 7: Seaweed diversity
During this session, a diversity of seaweed-related topics will be discussed by a diversity of speakers.
1.50 pm - 2.10 pm: Quantifying the efficacy and environmental impacts of large scale macroalgal cultivation and purposeful sequestration
David Siegel, Professor, UC Santa Barbara, USA
2.10 pm - 2.30 pm: Innovation challenges in seaweed aquaculture
Jang K. Kim, Professor, Incheon National University, South Korea
2.30 pm - 2.45 pm Closing of the conference
Julie Decker, Executive Director, Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, USA
From 3.00 pm onwards: Networking by the Bay
Join us for a unique networking experience at Seagriculture USA: Networking by the Bay!
As the Seagriculture USA conference draws to a close, we invite you to embark on a special networking event that will leave you with unforgettable memories and a taste of Portland's coastal charm. Step outside the conference room and prepare for an afternoon of exploration and connection. Portland, Maine, known for its picturesque coastline and thriving seaweed industry, offers the perfect backdrop for this extraordinary gathering.