Autumn Marsh & Soham Arekar
The world’s oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, yet for decades they’ve been largely overlooked in discussions about climate change solutions. Amid growing concerns over greenhouse gas emissions and ecosystem degradation, a new player is emerging as a potential game-changer: ocean farming. Unlike traditional agriculture, which often leads to deforestation, soil erosion, and freshwater depletion, ocean farming could offer a way to capture carbon, restore marine habitats, and feed a growing population — all while staying beneath the waves. But can this burgeoning industry truly make a difference in combating the climate crisis?
We’ve previously discussed agriculture's impact on the current climate crisis. According to the UNEP, 32% of human-caused methane emissions are coming from agriculture. For more information about methane emissions from agriculture, check out our previous article Farming Climate Destruction. Agriculture is one of the most unavoidable creators of greenhouse gasses, it’s an absolute necessity for the survival of humans; so, what are researchers doing to remedy or offset agricultural impacts?
The ocean functions as a major carbon sink. A portion of the carbon that is emitted ends up stored in the ocean through various aquatic plant species and organisms. One such example of this is seaweed. The Vernick with the World Wildlife Foundation discusses how seaweed will intake carbon that is stored in the ocean before eventually falling off and drifting to the seafloor where it will store the carbon. Seaweed doesn’t only absorb carbon however, per The Nature Conservancy seaweed also absorbs nitrogen which helps to prevent the occurrence of algal blooms. Algal blooms happen when there are excess nutrients in a given part of the ocean. The NIH says that some of the main contributors to algal blooms are from excess nutrients in fertilizers and wastewater pollution. Nitrogen is a common nutrient in plant fertilizers, seaweed being able to absorb these prevents the creation of dead zones. Dead zones occur when algal blooms are toxic and make a region of the ocean inhabitable to other aquatic life.
The Labor Network for Sustainability reminds readers that there are 3.5 billion people who are dependent on the ocean as a source of food with 90% of major commercial now being threatened by the issue of overfishing. The Labor Network for Sustainability sees this as a time for a rebirth of ocean farming, this time rather than fish like salmon they’ll be seaweed farms. Labor Network for Sustainability strongly notes that this likely won’t work if it gets into the hands of commercial mono-aquaculture fishing. Rather, this new approach to aqua-culture needs to stay in the hands of smaller, more dedicated farmers who value a multitrophic approach to aquatic farming. This is because of the historical issue with fisheries and commercial fishers destroying the genetic diversity of fish and focusing on the mass production of the largest, or most genetically desirable of fish species which negatively impacts survivability.
Notably, seaweed farming isn’t a new practice. According to The Nature Conservancy, the seaweed farming industry has grown to a market totaling $16.7 billion market with 80% of it based in Indonesia and China. NIH mentions how seaweed is capable of growing two feet per day. This doesn’t only hold impressive potential for carbon absorption throughout photosynthesis, but it also makes it a much more renewable source of food than many of the common crops that we currently rely on.
Ocean farming is still in its infancy, but its potential is undeniable. By turning the world’s seas into productive carbon sinks, we can address some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time — from climate change to biodiversity loss. Yet, as with any large-scale intervention, the key will be ensuring that the growth of this industry is sustainable, equitable, and scientifically sound. If managed carefully, ocean farming could become a cornerstone of the global effort to build a more resilient, sustainable future. After all, if we’re going to solve the climate crisis, we’ll need to start thinking outside the land — and beneath the waves.
Citations
1. Labor Network for Sustainability. The coming green wave: Ocean farming to fight climate change - labor network for Sustainability. Labor Network for Sustainability - Making a Living on a Living Planet. (2015, May 29). https://www.labor4sustainability.org/articles/the-coming-green-wave-ocean-farming-to-fight-climate-change/
2. Methane emissions are driving climate change. here’s how to reduce them. UNEP. (n.d.). https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/methane-emissions-are-driving-climate-change-heres-how-reduce-them
3. The Nature Conservancy, With the right tools, seaweed can be an important piece of the climate puzzle. The Nature Conservancy. (2024, March 12). https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-insights/perspectives/blue-carbon-seaweed-nature-based-climate-solution/
4. NIH, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Algal blooms. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/algal-blooms
5. Vernick, D. (2024, May 28). What are the climate benefits of seaweed? World Wildlife Foundation. https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/why-seaweed-is-a-jack-of-all-trades-in-the-fight-against-the-climate-crisis