RI farmers biggest challenge
Sometimes we are our own worse enemies.
As I think about the future and scaling up my farm to grow kelp in other areas, it hits me how hard that is going to be. What limits the growth of kelp farming in RI is not innovation, techniques, or available will and grit to make it happen. That’s the “easy” part. What stand in the way is places to do it.
In the terrestrial model, if you want to start a farm, you buy a piece of land and start farming. Highly simplified, but you get the idea. With aquaculture, we farmers must go through a state process to apply to lease (not own) submerged land from the state. There is an in-depth and complex regulatory framework to do this. We work with the RI Coastal Resources Management Council and other agencies and stakeholder groups to vet and hopefully approve a lease location, often after a year or more of rigorous and involved public meetings and approvals. I think this is a good thing, overall. A process is necessary to make sure any activity taking place on shared “commons” like the ocean or Bay are done in a way that is in the best interest of the state’s citizens and the small business farm. This balance of “best for citizens and the farmer” comes through much effort, outreach, and often conflict. Many times, with no success. Or setbacks, grievances, miscommunications, and wounded emotions.
We farmers need to do a better job of telling our stories. Of sharing what aquaculture is and is not. There are so many misconceptions, in part from the industrial fish farming activities that have often left an environmental wake of harm. By the way, fish farming is not permitted in Rhode Island. However, the distaste from fish farming in other states and countries is still strong in our mouths.
As a sea gardener, our story is one of environmental good. Perhaps if we work together more we can offer this story as a solution and help others who come after us avoid the challenges that exist today in obtaining space to grow our crops.
