Our Team
The Kachemak Kelp Crew
The Kachemak Kelp Innovation Hub is a collaborative initiative established by Kathryn Carovano at Saltwater Inc. and Evie Witten at Regeneration North LLC, and bolstered by our site manager, Lily Westphal, as well as our awesome seasonal crew. Our team has deep ties to Alaska, the ocean, and Kachemak Bay. We have combined experience as entrepreneurs, kelp farmers, ecologists, former commercial fishermen, and people with decades of experience in fishery and ocean monitoring, research, and conservation. We got involved in processing and marketing seaweed as a climate-positive way to support our coastal communities and the small-scale, family businesses that are such an important part of them.
Meet The Farmers
We currently source our kelp from three small family farms in Kachemak Bay and an Alaska Native community farm at Island Passage. They grow native Sugar and Ribbon Kelp using a zero-input, seeded line method requiring no fresh water, no arable land, and no fertilizer.
Spinnaker Sea Farms
Owned and operated by Lindsay and Leah Olsen, this second-generation family farm is nestled in the secluded waters of Jakolof Bay where they grow oysters and seaweed. Visit Spinnaker Sea Farms.
Ebb Tide Ocean Farms
Inspired by the prospect of regenerative farming close to home, Evie Witten & Rand Hagenstein founded their family-run kelp farm in Halibut Cove. They’re also part of the Kachemak Kelp Innovation Hub team.
Snug Harbor Seafoods
Brenda Dale has been involved in commercial fisheries and growing oysters at her site in Halibut Cove for many years. Now she’s diversifying her farm by cultivating native kelp.
Island Passage Farm
A new seaweed farm near Island Passage attained its permit in 2023 and will be run by community members from the Alaska Native villages of Nanwalek and Port Graham. We are working closely with the APMI (Alutiiq Pride Marine Institute) to support this new initiative and look forward to purchasing and processing their kelp.
COMING SOON: In 2024, we hope to also source seaweed from additional established shellfish growers in Kachemak Bay and any other new farms in the area.
Kelp Collaborators
The Kachemak Kelp Innovation Hub is supported in part through a NOAA Saltonstall-Kennedy award, and grants from the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF), Alaska Blue Economy Center, and the Southeast Conference.
We are proud to be part of a collaborative network that also includes:
