If you missed it, we introduced our Grow Line initiative on our forums a few weeks ago and we’re ready to share more Grow Line content! This time, we’re focusing on our partner, Ocean Rainforest. As we mentioned earlier, they operate the only offshore kelp farm in U.S. federal waters, located approximately 4.4 miles offshore of Santa Barbara, California.
The Ocean Rainforest farm is located between Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands in Southern California.
Founded in 2007, Ocean Rainforest is a Faroe Islands-based company at the forefront of sustainable seaweed cultivation. Their approach to kelp farming and commitment to sustainability make them the perfect partner for our Grow Line initiative, where we aim to advance the aquaculture industry through marine technology.
Ocean Rainforest's Santa Barbara headquarters.
We are excited to introduce the dedicated team members from Ocean Rainforest we are working with: Javier Infante, who has over 15 years of experience in marine and environmental projects, including seaweed culture for biofuels and phycocolloids industries; Sam Reeves, who leads activities at the Santa Barbara farm and has a background in marine biology and offshore aquaculture systems from his work in the Scottish finfish industry; and Brendan Cox, who supports hatchery, offshore, and production operations, with a strong interest in sustainable food systems and a background in oyster aquaculture and marine biology.
The Ocean Rainforest team on-site. From left to right: Eliza, Sam, Brendan, and Javier.
The Ocean Rainforest kelp farm is an 86-acre offshore facility dedicated to the cultivation of Macrocystis pyrifera AKA giant kelp. This cutting-edge initiative leverages innovative technologies and strict monitoring protocols to ensure environmental sustainability and economic viability. The farm spans horizontally over 378 meters with a vertical depth range of 73 to 75 meters. It features multiple longlines arranged in parallel rows for kelp cultivation. Each longline is securely anchored to the seafloor using drag-embedment anchors and mooring chains, with end mooring lines providing additional stability.
A cross-section diagram of the Ocean Rainforest kelp farm, illustrating the complex rigging used in kelp cultivation.
Corner and side surface floats support the structure, maintaining its stability by keeping the longlines suspended at the desired depth. Grow lines, attached to backbone lines and suspended 15 meters below the surface, provide the main structure for kelp growth.
This hydro/structural model by Kelson Marine illustrates how the farm performs under stress.
To ensure the farm operates sustainably and minimizes its impact on the marine environment, a comprehensive monitoring program is in place. For marine wildlife protection, grow line ropes have a breakaway strength of 1,700 lbs., and the structure is under high tension to prevent entanglement. Qualified marine wildlife observers are present during all construction activities to monitor and halt operations if marine wildlife is detected near the work area. Regular inspections, conducted once per month using ROVs, ensure no entanglements have occurred and that all lines and equipment are in good working condition.
At Ocean Rainforest, the focus is not just on growing kelp but on fostering sustainable and ecologically beneficial aquaculture practices. Through the Grow Line initiative, we are exploring ways to make kelp farming more efficient – this includes developing an ROV Field Guide to support farm operations and utilizing the BlueBoat as a platform for sensors to monitor wildlife, water quality, and noninvasively measure kelp growth. More on this in upcoming posts 😎
We are proud to support Ocean Rainforest in their mission and excited to be part of their work in regenerative aquaculture. Stay tuned for more updates on our collaborative efforts and the exciting advancements we are making together!