To avoid food scarcity as the human population increases and climate change impacts crop growth, we collectively need to rethink what we eat and how we obtain our food. Consuming sustainably farmed seafoods that are low on the ocean food chain, like kelp and shellfish, is a planet-friendly way to expand our culinary options and access alternative sources of nutrition. 

Oysters and other shellfish are high-protein, low-calorie, and rich in amino acids and other essential vitamins and minerals that are important parts of a healthy diet. Due to their nutrient-density, rapid maturation, and resiliency against the effects of climate change, shellfish are expected to be an important contributor to food security in the coming decades. Seaweed is another humble superfood with high micronutrient and antioxidant content, including iodine, polyphenols, prebiotic fibers, and essential minerals like iron and magnesium.

Farmed shellfish and seaweed are sustainable food powerhouses not only because of their strong nutritional profiles, but also because they require next to no resources to grow. Instead of negatively impacting the environment, kelp and shellfish aquaculture provide various environmental benefits. Kelp removes excess carbon dioxide from the ocean and produces oxygen. And shellfish naturally filter excess nutrients from the water, helping to prevent harmful algal blooms. Additionally, shellfish and kelp both provide habitats for other ocean species and protect shorelines from climate change-fueled erosion. 

Because of their ability to improve ecosystem health and counteract climate change, kelp and shellfish aquaculture are both considered types of regenerative aquaculture. But despite their nutrient profiles and climate-positive characteristics, kelp and shellfish face a knowledge barrier—many people aren’t aware of how nutritious they are and don’t know how to cook them. 

The reality is that there are plenty of delicious ways to incorporate kelp into your diet, as is exemplified in Japanese cuisine. Eating seaweed is a daily part of Japanese culture. Nori, Japan’s most-consumed type of seaweed, is usually dried into thin sheets used in a variety of dishes including sushi rolls, rice balls, snacks, and seasoning. Wakame is a chewy and flavorful seaweed that is typically served in salads and soups or on top of noodles. And kombu, a type of brown kelp, is a key ingredient in Japanese broths. 

While Japan likely has the strongest cultural association with kelp consumption, other types of seaweed are consumed in diverse places worldwide. Dulse, for example, is a red seaweed found around the world, including off the coast of Maine. It adds a smoky, salty flavor as a seasoning. Sea lettuce has become a popular addition to salads, grain bowls, and soups. And kelp noodles, translucent noodles made from kelp extract, serve as a low carb, low calorie alternative to traditional pasta. Additionally, seaweed extracts and other algae-based superfoods like spirulina and chlorella are popular in supplements and smoothie boosters.

Japan has been harvesting both wild and farmed kelp for centuries, with an increasing emphasis on regenerative aquaculture strategies. Other sustainable kelp farms can be found across the globe in coastal communities in Asia, South America, and Nordic countries. In the United States, the kelp industry is small but presents a significant opportunity—aquaculture is the world’s fastest growing food industry, and kelp is marketable not only as a food, but for its applications in cosmetics, biofuels, and pharmaceuticals. That’s why sustainable kelp aquaculture is a primary focus of AltaSea’s blue economy work in the Port of Los Angeles. In 2022, the University of Southern California opened a dedicated seaweed lab on the AltaSea campus. At the lab, known officially as the Nuzhdin Research Laboratory, USC’s Dr. Sergey Nuzhdin and his team conduct research to help improve and expand kelp cultivation in the United States while also protecting the genetic diversity of kelp. 

Dr. Nuzhdin is also the founder of Kelp Ark, a nonprofit that is developing an algal seedbank for aquaculture and biofuel research. Kelp Ark also operates out of the AltaSea campus, and its algal seedbank has found uses beyond kelp aquaculture—this Noah’s Ark of kelp species has also emerged as a vital tool for conservation and restoration. In the wake of 2025’s devastating Los Angeles wildfires, the Kelp Ark team collected seaweed samples from kelp forests off the coast of areas destroyed by the fires. The team’s plan is to preserve the genetic diversity of the local kelp and use the collected samples to restore kelp forests that are damaged by toxic runoff from the fires.

Bivalve aquaculture also has strong economic potential in California, and AltaSea is working to make the Los Angeles region a hub for sustainable shellfish aquaculture. Holdfast Aquaculture, one of AltaSea’s first tenant businesses, is breeding California blue mussels that are optimized for regional aquaculture operations. In addition to its hatchery on the AltaSea campus, Holdfast has now expanded to a commercial-scale sea farm in Morro Bay.

Success stories like Kelp Ark and Holdfast Aquaculture showcase the ability for sustainable blue businesses to serve as vehicles for both economic opportunity and environmental regeneration. Here at AltaSea, we’re dedicated to providing a home base where these aquaculture entrepreneurs and researchers can create the future of food.