Comments on: Legalize Kelp Farming in our Bays – Let’s Blue-Green Our Economy

By: Robert Wick

Robert Wick — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:20:25 +0000

Kelp farming consists of stringing lines on or very near the surface of public waterways. Kelp farming, as does surface mounted oyster farming gear, can have the effect of essentially privatizing public water and impeding navigation. When properly regulated, this should be no problem.
The way most other state bodies that issue leases for aquaculture handle this is to issue a lease for the bottom or a distinct and separate lease for the “water column” for sites they have vetted as to be safe for floating obstructions. The county refuses to do this and by approving seaweed cultivation on “underwater lands”, they are just creating more potential conflict and they are trying to leave the permitting of gear (for seaweed or oysters) to Army Corps of Engineers.
I would vote to reject the bill until the County agrees to take responsibility for where seaweed is cultivated or gives total control to local towns to approve anything that obstructs navigation.
Kelp farming is a great idea who’s time hopefully has come here on the East End. Let’s do kelp farming legislation correctly, and then let’s eat more kelp.

By: Mary Foster Morgan

Mary Foster Morgan — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:20:25 +0000

Thank you Robert,

It’s good to have a discussion like this to educate the public, especially sailors like me and other boaters, about sharing our bays and the many public benefits of kelp (and oyster) farming — namely, kelp is the basis of a vibrant coastal ecosystem and can benefit not only our water’s health, but our health, our economic health, and climate health.

States all regulate aquaculture differently, as does the US Army Corp of Engineers in federal waters. For the past 35 years New York has required that applicants show rights to the underwater land on which they wish to cultivate shellfish. This applies not only to gear in the bays, but also nursery culture gear deployed off a dock.

Suffolk County has navigational marking requirements for submerged long lines and floating gear which have recently been revised to address local navigational concerns.

Local review is happening. In the next 10 years, new leases will be reviewed by local review committees made up of a variety of stakeholders that have knowledge of the local waters. A good article about this was published in the East End Beacon.

https://www.eastendbeacon.com/suffolk-approves-extension-of-aquaculture-program-in-the-peconics/

By: D. Posnett MD

D. Posnett MD — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:20:25 +0000

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/18/cows-seaweed-methane-emissions-scientists?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Feeding cows seaweed could cut their methane emissions by 82%, scientists say | Greenhouse gas emissions | The Guardian

By: Mary Foster Morgan

Mary Foster Morgan — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:20:25 +0000

Thanks David, This is very good news. We at Drawdown East End have heard about these studies from Project Drawdown. I believe the seaweed they are studying is Asparagopsis taxiformis, a red seaweed grown off Australia. I’ve read that tests with dairy cows reduced methane, with no change in milk taste, and also with beef cattle, no difference in beef taste. The challenge also with cattle and climate change are CAFOs – natural grassland grazing actually sequesters carbon, while CAFOs are feeding cows feed grown in Brazil, where tropical forests are being deforested for cow feed. So I say yes to kelp and no to CAFOs!