This project will convene shellfish and kelp growers, scientists, Indigenous knowledge holders, and state and federal regulators to integrate data on low-trophic aquaculture (LTA) to support the regeneration of coastal biodiversity in Puget Sound into regulatory decision-making frameworks.
LTA can provide quantifiable benefits to marine ecosystems and communities. For example, shellfish and seaweed farms function as “living infrastructure,” or habitats that increase local species richness, including culturally and economically important fish and invertebrates. However, the use of biodiversity data and its associated benefits in regulatory decision-making, including around permitting and leasing of LTA systems, is currently limited, with these decisions made largely through a lens of risk-avoidance.
In this project, a team from Maritime Blue aim to inform state and federal frameworks for permitting and leasing LTA systems in Puget Sound by:
- conducting outreach to understand the priorities, questions, and required data formats of key regulatory bodies;
- synthesizing existing knowledge on the biodiversity benefits of LTA through literature review and interviews with leading researchers and local Tribes;
- holding a series of virtual sessions with shellfish and kelp growers, scientists and other knowledge holders to co-design a knowledge-sharing platform for regulatory bodies; and
- convening an in-person session that brings key regulatory agencies together with LTA industry representatives to communicate our findings and operationalize the knowledge-sharing platform.
This project was funded in August 2026 as part of the 2026 Ocean Biodiversity Program Regional Engagement Grants – Chesapeake Bay, Mobile Bay, and Puget Sound.
