(Webinar) Session 1: Aquaculture to Restore!

EVENT OVERVIEW

The Blue + Green 2023 series is a 4 part series taking place in person and virtually in celebrating of Earth Day beginning Thursday April 13, 2023 and concluding on Saturday April 29, 2023.

Session 1: Aquaculture to Restore! (Virtual)

The goal of the project is to shine a spotlight on emerging aquaculture sector in our economy. Aquaculture and the supporting technologies bring together all the key ingredients – future growth opportunities that support our coastal ecosystems, the economy, jobs, and our communities. This webinar hybrid series reimagines partnerships between business, government, universities, and communities through regenerative ocean research, exploration, and equity-based economic development.

Moderator

Janet Kübler, PhD has been studying the biology of seaweeds for more than three decades, since she first snorkeled in the kelp forests of the pacific northwest. She is an expert on the effects of changing climate on seaweeds and is currently working to develop aquaculture of seaweed species that will be resilient to climate change. She lives in Southern California.

California Seaweed Festival

Leslie Booher Co-Founder of Sunken Seaweed

Leslie Booher, a Californian through and through, Leslie loves every inch of her home state’s coastline, and has dedicated a good chunk of her life to ensuring its health. While studying Marine Biology at Humboldt State University, she was able to do research on the rugged North Coast, where she fell in love with the tide pools, seaweed, and fellow researcher, Torre Polizzi. When she’s not on the farm, Leslie enjoys running, watching B-horror movies, and hunting for thrift store treasures.

Speakers

Aaron Eger, Founder and Program Director of Kelp Forest Alliance

Aaron is the Founder and Program Director of the Kelp Forest Alliance, a global community of practice and a research driven not for profit. By bringing data and people together, Aaron works to provide real solutions to wicked problems in our oceans. Through his work, he was the lead author on the first ever kelp restoration guidebook, created the KFA web platform to track global restoration efforts, and facilitated the creation of the Kelp Forest Challenge, a global mission to protect and restore 4 million hectares of kelp forests by 2040. His work spans marine ecology, economics, science communication and practice and he is always happy to chat kelp so please reach out.

Nancy Caruso, Founder of Get Inspired

Nancy Caruso inspired an army of ocean-lovers to jump in and get inspired to restore ocean ecosystems. She and her team of volunteer ocean advocates have rebuilt a decimated kelp forest in Orange county from the ground up, and they’re not stopping there she is also growing green abalone, white seabass, and Pismo clams for restoration. A shining example of one person who saw a problem, and cared enough to take it on, Caruso’s eyes light up as she describes her efforts. Caruso attributes her success to the volunteers that have supported, bolstered and brought life to her vision.

Scientific Publications:

Caruso, Nancy L. (2017). Outplanting large adult green abalone (Haliotis fulgens) as a strategy for population restoration. California Fish and Game 103(4): 183-194

Ebert, T. A., Barr, L. M., Bodkin, J. L., Burcham, D., Bureau, D., Carson, H. S., L. Caruso, N., et al. (2018), Size, growth, and density data for shallow-water sea urchins from Mexico to the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, 1956–2016. Ecology, 99: 761. doi:10.1002/ecy.2123

Burcham, D., Nancy L. Caruso. 2015. Abundance, size, and occurrence of Arbacia stellata in Orange County, California. 2015. California Fish and Game (101)3

Gruenthal, K. M, D. A. Witting, T. Ford, M. J. Neuman, J. P. Williams, D. J. Pondella II, A. Bird, N. Caruso, J. R. Hyde, L. W. Seeb, W. A. Larson. 2014. Development and application of genomic tools to the restoration of green abalone in southern California. Conservation Genetics 15(1): 109-121

EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.