Mariculture Minute

Today we’re talking to Matt Schultz, an Anchorage pastor running for congress. Alaska has only one seat in the House of Representatives, which is currently held by Nick Begich. Kelp the Vote! Mariculture Minute is committed to providing Alaskan voters with information on how our politicians view mariculture.

Matt, as he prefers to be called, answers my questions about mariculture and even drops a recipe.

Matt Schultz’s Salmon Glaze

The quantities of each ingredient vary per your tastes

*Honey

*Garlic

*Soy Sauce

*Ginger

The glazed salmon is served with rice and broccoli, but I’d suggest substituting the broccoli with some sea greens–like Ulva sea lettuce or maybe even some home made bull kelp pickles.

Matt Schultz’s favorite mariculture food?

Barnacle Salsa (mild)More information on Matt:

His campaign site: Matt Schultz for Alaska

An interview with more details about Matt’s campaign (from Alaska Public Media): 15 minutes with Matt Schultz, new Democratic candidate for U.S. House

Vocab Words:In this episode congressional candidate Matt Schultz let loose three vocab words that relate to mariculture:

Cold Storage - like the name implies, it’s when something is kept at a low temperature. Cold Storage is important in seaweed farming as seaweed begins to lose quality as soon as its removed from the ocean. Matt talked about helping ocean farmers with more infrastructure for cold storage. Here’s science-tastic article that gets into the weeds! “The Effect Of Post-Harvest Storage Temperature And Drying Method On Th” by Jessica Vorse

Outmigration - when people leave an area. Outmigration in Alaska is often referred to more people leaving than are arriving, causing a decrease in the state’s population (among other things like number of workers). Matt talked about supporting mariculture as a way to increase the workforce and reverse outmigration. News article! Alaska population rises slightly, but more people continue to move out than move in

Subsistence - I hear this a lot in Alaska, in the lower 48 I might have heard the term “living off the land”--subsistence defines the act of hunting, fishing or harvesting food from the local environment to feed yourself and your community. Subsistence can be an issue in terms of residents competing with commercial interests. Here’s an article from a few months back: AFN alarmed by proposed review of Alaska’s system of subsistence hunting and fishing

Voting Links!

Register to vote! https://voterregistration.alaska.gov/

Here’s some basic info about who’s running - 2026 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska - WikipediaUnited States

More basic information! I find it helpful to check multiple sources on election facts because the number of candidates changes frequently - House of Representatives election in Alaska, 2026 - Ballotpedia

Information how Alaska’s non-partisan primary works–the top four candidates move on to the general election… Election Information - Division of Elections

Alaska only has one rep in congress and we’re not alone! Number of U.S. House of Representatives Seats by State | Britannica

Weather Monitoring and DOGEMatt mentioned cuts to federal programs for weather monitoring, here’s more details:

Lawsuit aims to stop Trump administration from dissolving largest climate and weather research lab in the US - ABC News

How politics is weakening America’s weather service | Brookings

Kelp Cement! In the episode I briefly mentioned Jessica McKay’s presentation at this year’s Mariculture Conference in Anchorage. Here’s a link to McKay’s work: https://www.alaska.edu/news/did-you-know/McKay_INE_Poster_kelp-cement.pdf

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thekelpshow.substack.com

We hear from Edna DeVries, Shelley Hughes and Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins—as the three run for Alaska Governor. What do they think of Alaskan Mariculture?

The Shell Notes!

Edna DeVries’ website: Edna DeVries for Alaskan Governor

A couple articles about DeVries:

* Mat-Su mayor files to run as a Republican for Alaska governor - Anchorage Daily News

* Mat-Su Borough Mayor Edna DeVries joins 2026 governor’s race

Some info on where DeVries is from:

* Palmer, Alaska - Wikipedia

* Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska - Wikipedia

* How to Pronounce Matanuska, Alaska (River, Glacier)

Some info on agriculture in Alaska: Agriculture in Alaska

Here’s some cool research going on in Palmer about kelp being used as a fertilizer:

* Researcher to discuss benefits of using kelp as fertilizer | UAF news and information

Shelley Hughes information:

* Home - Shelley Hughes

* Election 2026: Shelley Hughes hoping legislative achievements elevate her among a dozen Republicans seeking to be governor

* Shelley Hughes - Wikipedia

Information on Alaska’s possible Department of Agriculture:

* A push to create a new Alaska Department of Agriculture could cause a showdown over executive power | Alaska Beacon

* Division of Agriculture

* On the Menu 4.4.2025 - Alaska Food Policy Council

* Alaska State Legislature

What is Shellfish (I forgot they included crabs!)?

* Ep2-shownotes.pdf

* Shellfish - Etymology, Origin & Meaning

Alaska’s huge coastline:

* Alaska’s Coastline is Longer Than All the Other 49 States Combined - Geography Realm

* Sorry, Florida: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_coastline

Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins information:

* Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (JKT) for Governor | Alaska Campaign

Link JKT provided in responses about DEC’s newly purchased toxin testing equipment: https://alaskamariculturecluster.org/announcements/dec-pst-dst-testing-equipment/

More information on DST

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diarrheic_shellfish_poisoning

* https://grist.org/food/climate-change-is-turning-shellfish-toxic-and-threatening-alaska-natives/

For your files… links regarding Weird Al’s concert in Palmer, Alaska this summer.

The concert’s set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/weird-al-yankovic/2025/borealis-theatre-palmer-ak-7b536ab0.html

Fans talking about it on reddit: Weird Al in Alaska : r/weirdal

Here’s a YouTube video of Weird Al in Alaska in the 90s:

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In this episode, we hear from two Republican Candidates for Alaska Governor: Matt Heilala and Hank Kroll.

Vocab Words and Terms!

* Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Blooms

* Native Corporations

* Paella

* Food Security

Links!

Matt Heilala for Governor – Campaign Websitehttps://matt4governor.com/

Hank Kroll – Official Websitehttps://hankkroll.com/

ACLU of Alaska – Voter Registration Deadline Informationhttps://www.acluak.org/registration-deadline/

Alaska Division of Elections – Election Informationhttps://www.elections.alaska.gov/election-information/

Wikipedia – 2026 Alaska Gubernatorial Electionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Alaska_gubernatorial_election

Alaska Division of Elections – General Election Informationhttps://www.elections.alaska.gov/election-information/#GENR

Alaska Economic Report – “That figure you’ve heard on how much food Alaska imports? It’s not real”https://alaskapublic.org/programs/alaska-economic-report/2025-11-20/that-figure-youve-heard-on-how-much-food-alaska-imports-its-not-real

Sitka Sentinel – Cruise Passengershttps://sitkasentinel.com/stories/cruise-passengers,36437

High Country News – The Terrible Toll of the Cruise Ship Industryhttps://www.hcn.org/articles/ocean-the-terrible-toll-of-the-cruise-ship-industry/

KCAW – Sitka at a Tipping Point as Residents Grapple with Impact of Tourismhttps://www.kcaw.org/2024/08/02/sitka-at-a-tipping-point-as-residents-grapple-with-impact-of-tourism/

Juneau Empire – Sitka Voters Reject Cruise Ship Limitshttps://www.juneauempire.com/2025/05/28/sitka-voters-reject-cruise-ship-limits/

Alaska Business Magazine – Alaska’s Shipshaped Economyhttps://digital.akbizmag.com/issue/april-2019/alaskas-shipshaped-economy/

ASMI – Economic Impacts Reporthttps://www.alaskaseafood.org/wp-content/uploads/MRG_ASMI-Economic-Impacts-Report_final.pdf

Friends of the Earth – What Is Blackwater?https://foe.org/blog/what-is-blackwater/

Cruise Lines International Association – Wastewater Managementhttps://cruising.org/wastewater

Alaska Department of Fish & Game – Wildlife News Articlehttps://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=286

Ballotpedia – Alaska Gubernatorial and Lieutenant Gubernatorial Election, 2026https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_gubernatorial_and_lieutenant_gubernatorial_election,_2026

Alaska Department of Fish & Game – Hardshell Clams of Alaskahttps://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static-sf/Region2/pdfpubs/HardshellClams.pdf

USDA Climate Hubs – Food Security and Climate Change in Alaskahttps://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/northwest/topic/food-security-and-climate-change-alaska

Wikipedia – Patrick Swayzehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Swayze

Wikipedia – Seldovia, Alaskahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seldovia,_Alaska

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thekelpshow.substack.com

In this episode, we hop into our time traveling oysters and visit 1830s Boston, Shakespeare’s England, Ancient Rome and the coast of North America thousands of years ago!

The article that kicks off this episode is an op-ed essay from the New York Times, “Why Kids Became Picky Eaters” by Helen Zoe Veithttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/15/opinion/junk-food-picky-eaters.html?searchResultPosition=1

And here’s the source I tracked down for kids eating oysters in the 1830s:

* A New England Boyhood (Edward Everett Hale, 1900) — HathiTrusthttps://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000021390012&seq=112&q1=oysters

I also found this cool story about kids (safely) working on a modern oyster farm:

* “Kids Become Oyster Farmers” — East Hampton Starhttps://www.easthamptonstar.com/education/2022113/kids-become-oyster-farmers

I didn’t mention this one in the podcast, but here’s a recipe for an ancient Roman oyster dish:

* Ancient Roman Oysters and Shellfish with Cumin Sauce — Historical Italian Cookinghttps://historicalitaliancooking.home.blog/english/recipes/ancient-roman-oysters-and-shellfish-with-cumin-sauce/

Here’s a good article about immigrants and children working in oyster canneries:

* “A Forgotten People: Bohemian Oyster Shuckers on the NC Coast”https://ncoystertrail.org/a-forgotten-people-bohemian-oyster-shuckers-on-nc-coast

Vocab words!

* Kelp Highway Hypothesis

* “The Kelp Highway Hypothesis” — Academia.eduhttps://www.academia.edu/17182299/The_Kelp_Highway_Hypothesis_Marine_Ecology_the_Coastal_Migration_Theory_and_the_Peopling_of_the_Americas

* Beringia

Links!

Indigenous Seaweed Knowledge and Harvest Practices

* “Native Voices: Traditional Uses for Seaweed” — The Cordova Timeshttps://thecordovatimescom/2023/12/13/native-voices-traditional-uses-for-seaweed/

Children, Oysters, and Early American Foodways

A New England Boyhood (PDF) — Internet Archivehttps://dn790000.ca.archive.org/0/items/newenglandboyhoo0000hale/newenglandboyhoo0000hale.pdf

Food Timeline — American Food History Resourcehttps://www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq5.html

Historical Economics Context

US Inflation Calculator (Value of $1 in 1830)https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation/1830?amount=1

Constant Dollars — Defense Acquisition University Glossaryhttps://www.dau.edu/glossary/constant-dollars

Children Working at Maggioni Canning Company in 1912

Historic Oyster Cannery Child Labor Photo Story — Beaufort, North Carolinahttps://www.eatstayplaybeaufort.com/youve-probably-seen-this-photo-but-do-you-know-the-story-behind-it/

Maggioni Canning Company — Library of Congress Collectionhttps://www.loc.gov/search/?in=&q=Maggioni+Canning+Co&new=true

Maggioni Cannery Photograph — Library of Congresshttps://www.loc.gov/item/2018677425/

Maggioni Cannery Photograph — Library of Congresshttps://www.loc.gov/item/2018677430/

Oyster Ecology and Sustainability

“Oysters Capture Carbon and Support Sustainable Food Systems” — Phys.orghttps://phys.org/news/2025-09-oysters-carbon-ocean-sustainable-food.html

Oysters in Culture and Social History

“Oysters: The Tudor Version of Cinema Popcorn” — Reutershttps://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyle/oysters-the-tudor-version-of-cinema-popcorn-idUSTRE60S4JO/

“From Peasant Fodder to Posh Fare” — The Conversationhttps://theconversation.com/from-peasant-fodder-to-posh-fare-how-snails-and-oysters-became-luxury-foods-254299

Ancient Roman Oyster Culture

“Oyster Culture of the Ancient Romans” — Cambridge University Presshttps://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-marine-biological-association-of-the-united-kingdom/article/abs/oyster-culture-of-the-ancient-romans/EDB5C165BB46EDD3FA22C95C855325EB

Indigenous Oyster Harvest and Deep-Time Fisheries

“Indigenous Oyster Harvest Through Time” — Nature Communicationshttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-29818-z

Neanderthals and Early Human Seafood Diets

“Neanderthals Had ‘Surfer’s Ear’” — Smithsonian Magazinehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthals-had-lots-surfers-ear-suggesting-they-were-seafood-180972917/

“Neanderthals Ate Crabs and Seafood” — Popular Sciencehttps://www.popsci.com/science/neanderthals-seafood-crabs/

“Neanderthals Were Fishing the Ocean” — New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/science/neanderthals-fishing-ocean.html

Seaweed and Early Human Diets

“Early Europeans Ate Seaweed and Aquatic Plants” — Smithsonian Magazinehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/early-europeans-ate-seaweed-and-aquatic-plants-180983102/

“First Americans Thrived on Seaweed” — New Scientisthttps://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13861-first-americans-thrived-on-seaweed/

“Eating Seaweed in the Americas” — JSTOR Dailyhttps://daily.jstor.org/eating-seaweed-in-the-americas/

The Kelp Highway Hypothesis

Coastal Migration and Kelp Highway Research — USGShttps://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70029934

“Ecology of the Kelp Highway” — Gill et al. (PDF)https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kristina-Gill-2/publication/273509712_Ecology_of_the_Kelp_Highway_Did_Marine_Resources_Facilitate_Human_Dispersal_From_Northeast_Asia_to_the_Americas/links/55074dfa0cf26ff55f7cdadf/Ecology-of-the-Kelp-Highway-Did-Marine-Resources-Facilitate-Human-Dispersal-From-Northeast-Asia-to-the-Americas.pdf

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thekelpshow.substack.com

In this episode, we talk to Josie about her fall internship, collecting stones from fish ears—otoliths! And then we travel down stream and explore otolith folklore and even get some answers to what exactly fish hear.

You might remember Josie’s Oyster Farm. Summer chronicled in a previous episode—Link all the way at the end of the show notes!

VOCAB WORDS

* Otolith

* Indian River

* Pink Salmon

* Chum Salmon (Keta)

* NSRAA

* Salmon Enhancement

* Sympathetic Magic

* Strontium

* Nephropathy

* Otolith Thermal Marking

* Swim Bladder

* Lateral Line

* Cortisol

LINKS

ALASKA & REGIONAL CONTEXT

Indian River – Fishing Opportunities (ADF&G)https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=ByAreaSoutheastSitka.fishingOpps&fishery=Indian+River

Alaska’s Private Non-Profit Hatchery Program, ADF&G Wildlife News – Article 775https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=775

How Old is That Fish? Fish Aging: The Art of ScienceADF&G Wildlife News – Article 627https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=627

How Salmon DO We Fish? 2025 Alaska Commercial Salmon Preliminary Season Summary Tables (ADF&G)https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/fishing/pdfs/commercial/2025_preliminary_season_summary_tables.pdf

Fun with Otoliths! Rockfish Lifespan (ADF&G Sport Fish PDF)https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/fishing/pdfs/sport/lifespanrockfish.pdf

More information Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association (NSRAA)https://www.nsraa.org/?page_id=22

Visit the sites mentioned in this podcast! Sitka Trail Works – Indian River Trailhttps://www.sitkatrailworks.org/indian-river-trail/

OTOLITH SCIENCE & FISHERIES BIOLOGY

The Importance of Otoliths in Fisheries Biology (American Fisheries Society)https://habitat.fisheries.org/the-importance-of-otoliths-in-fisheries-biology/

Fish Scales and Ear Bones: A Roadmap to the Fish Life Journey (WDFW Medium)https://wdfw.medium.com/fish-scales-and-ear-bones-a-roadmap-to-the-fish-life-journey-637a046a8d53

How Salmon Hatcheries Mark Their Fish (Peninsula Clarion)https://www.peninsulaclarion.com/news/a-look-into-how-salmon-hatcheries-mark-their-fish/

USGS – Otolith Microchemistry Studyhttps://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/sir20045023

Wiley Review – Otolith Researchhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/brv.12162

CDFW: Otoliths – Listening to the Life Histories of Fisheshttps://cdfwmarine.wordpress.com/2025/05/20/otoliths-listening-to-the-life-histories-of-fishes/

Fish Otoliths and Folklore – Survey (ResearchGatehttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/240533616_Fish_Otoliths_and_Folklore_A_Survey

ScienceDirect – Otolith Research Articlehttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667122001719

Canadian Museum of Nature – The Rocks in Fish Heads Tell Amazing Storieshttps://nature.ca/en/the-rocks-in-fishes-heads-tell-amazing-stories/

NOAA Fisheries – Fish Otolith Collection Databasehttps://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/data/fish-otolith-collection-database

FISH AGE & LONGEVITY

The 230-Year-Old Fish – New Zealand Geographichttps://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-230-year-old-fish/

FISH HEARING & ACOUSTICS

How Do Fish Hear? (Ask Dr. Universe – WSU)https://askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2023/10/06/how-do-fish-hear/

Acoustic Particle Motion in Fishes (Wiley PDF)https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00132.x

Salmon Facts – Pacific Salmon Foundationhttps://psf.ca/learn/salmon-facts/

Sounds Produced by Atlantic Salmon (Journal of the Acoustical Society of America)https://pubs.aip.org/asa/jasa/article-abstract/154/4/2665/2918407/Preliminary-examination-of-sounds-produced-by?redirectedFrom=fulltext

MUSIC, NOISE & FISH STRESS

Ultra Music Festival Increased Stress Hormones in Fish (University of Miami Shark Research)https://sharkresearch.earth.miami.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Cartolano-et-al.-2020.pdf

Environmental Noise & Fish Welfare (MDPI Fishes Journal)https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/11/565

Music and Growth in Rainbow Trout (ScienceDirect)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0144860913000046

Music Tempo & Fish Welfare – Zebrafish & Guppies (ScienceDirect)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352513425003369

CULTURAL & FOLKLORE CONTEXT

Tooth Amulet (Oxford Museum of Natural History)https://web.prm.ox.ac.uk/amulets/index.php/tooth-amulet4/index.html

UWA Research Repository – Cultural/Otolith Reference PDFhttps://api.research-repository.uwa.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/331772650/11160_2018_9515_ReferencePDF.pdf

SciELO – Brazilian Academy of Sciences Articlehttps://www.scielo.br/j/aabc/a/fXwTXNSQxQBH7hrKFgj4dGq/?format=html&lang=en

Josie’s Previous Episode!

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This is the second episode in our Kelp the Vote series, about Alaska politics and ocean farming. In this episode I’ll read responses I got from a couple current incumbents, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan and Rebecca Himschoot who represents my town, Sitka in the Alaska legislature.

Register to Vote!

https://voterregistration.alaska.gov/

Episode Links & Shell Notes

U.S. Senator Dan SullivanVoting RecordNewburg Recipe

Alaska Rep. Rebecca HimschootVoting Record

Education!

Alaska Aquaculture Program at UAS — https://aquaculturesemester.alaska.edu/index.html

Ocean Farming & Environmental Impact

Environmental Impact Statement (American Bar Association) —https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/publications/teaching-legal-docs/teaching-legal-docs--what-is-an-environmental-impact-statement/

Environmental Impacts Study (ScienceDirect) —https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969719355561

USDA Aquaculture Overview — https://www.usda.gov/farming-and-ranching/aquaculture

Seaweed Genetics Workshop (Alaska Sea Grant) —https://alaskaseagrant.org/2024/04/seaweed-genetics-workshop-draws-scientists/

Understanding Aquatic Farming in Alaska (ADF&G) —https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/fishing/PDFs/aquaticfarming/2021_understanding_aquatic_farming.pdf

Alaska DNR Aquatic Farming Regulation Revisions —https://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/aquatic/regrevision/

Otters

Sea Otters & Economics (NPR) —https://www.npr.org/2020/06/11/873885445/sea-otters-can-be-money-makers-but-not-everyone-benefits

Sea Otters & Kelp (World Wildlife Fund) —https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/wildlife-climate-heroes/sea-otters-and-kelp-a-tale-of-cute-charisma-and-otterly-amazing-climate-heroism/

Sea Otters & Kelp Forests (Smithsonian) —https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/sea-otters-have-helped-bolster-californias-kelp-forest-180984042/

Policy & Politics

Senate Bill 93 (119th Congress) —https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/93/text

Southeast Alaska Legislative Map (2023) —https://www.elections.alaska.gov/doc/maps/area/2023-May-Southeast.pdf

Alaska District Maps — https://www.elections.alaska.gov/research/district-maps/

Alaska Mariculture Cluster —

https://alaskamariculturecluster.org/

Build Back Better Regional Challenge (EDA) —https://www.eda.gov/funding/programs/american-rescue-plan/build-back-better

NOAA Aquaculture Opportunity Areas —https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/aquaculture/aquaculture-opportunity-areas

BBB Southeast Finalists —https://www.eda.gov/funding/programs/american-rescue-plan/build-back-better/finalists/southeast-conference

Alaska Mariculture Cluster (About) —https://alaskamariculturecluster.org/about/

Featured Product

Barnacle Foods – Sweet Licorice Swedish Fish —https://www.barnaclefoods.com/products/sweet-licorice-swedish-fish?_pos=1&_sid=3af7de45b&_ss=r

Alaska District 2

District 2 Profile —https://censusreporter.org/profiles/62000US02002-state-house-district-2-ak/

Oyster Farm Summer (The Kelp Show) —https://thekelpshow.substack.com/p/oyster-farm-summer

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thekelpshow.substack.com

In this episode we explore mariculture and politics with a focus on the 2026 Alaska Governor’s race. I get perspectives from three candidates (out of the 12? currently running): Tom Begich, Click Bishop and James Parkin.

CORRECTION: WHOOPS! In the podcast I mentioned there are two Democrats in the race so far, as I was editing the episode another one joined the race. https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/02/04/alaskas-governor-race-picks-up-16th-candidate-a-former-state-legislator-from-sitka/

Vocab words!

* Mariculture - farming in the ocean, uually pertaining to seaweed and shellfish farming.

* Kelp - a type of seaweed, such as bull kelp, sugar kelp or macrocystis (giant kelp).

* King Salmon (aka Chinook) - the largest Pacific Salmon.

* Seaweed - large algae that grows in the ocean.

* Serreptitious Recording - I jokingly refer to this in the intro, it means a secret recording that not all parties in a conversation know about.

* Subsistence Lifestyle - living off food one harvests on their own from the land and sea.

Alaskan Shellfish

* Cockles

* Clam

* Scallop

PSP Terms

* Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB)

* Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning

Links!

Register to Votehttps://www.elections.alaska.gov/voter-information/#Reg

Alaska Governor CandidatesTom Begich

* In local news: https://www.kcaw.org/2025/11/10/gubernatorial-candidate-tom-begich-tours-southeast-for-community-conversations/

* Campaign website: https://www.tombegichforalaska.com/

Click Bishop

* In local news: https://sitkasentinel.com/stories/candidate-click-bishop-says-schools-priority,84238

* Campaign website: https://www.clickbishopforgovernor.com/

James Parkin

* In local news: https://www.ktoo.org/2025/07/16/angoon-resident-and-former-teacher-launches-bid-for-alaska-governor/

* Campaign website: https://www.jp4gov.org/

Alaska Aquaculture Semester at University of Alaska Southeast Sitka Campus

* Program and Application Info: https://aquaculturesemester.alaska.edu/index.html

* Local news story: https://www.kcaw.org/2026/01/06/uas-applied-fisheries-program-offers-new-class-focusing-on-alaska-aquaculture/

Alaska Politics

https://alaskapublic.org/news/politics/alaska-legislature/2025-11-11/anchorage-state-sen-matt-claman-is-second-democrat-in-alaska-governors-race

Alaska Permanent Fund

* https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/alaska-permanent-fund.asp

* https://apfc.org/

King Salmon

* https://www.uaf.edu/news/salmon-body-size-linked-to-declines.php

* https://alaskapublic.org/news/2024-05-10/southeast-alaska-not-ready-for-a-hatchery-only-king-fishery-study-finds

* https://alaskabeacon.com/briefs/another-bust-year-for-yukon-river-king-salmon-returns-sonar-counters-show/

* https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=chinook.printerfriendly

* https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/heat-stress-alaskas-pacific-salmon

* https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/01/27/southeast-alaska-trollers-question-federal-courts-award-to-plaintiffs-in-chinook-suit/

Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP)

https://ahab.aoos.org/ahab-network/

Previous Mariculture Minutes on PSP

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In this episode I talk with Mathew Bate, the author of With a Little Kelp from Our Friends talks to Mariculture Minute. We get into social licensing seaweed, writing about climate change for kids and how Mat got interested in seaweed.

Notable People Mentioned in Episode!

* Mat Bate - https://www.matbate.com/with-a-little-kelp-from-our-friends

* Liz Rowland - https://lizrowlandillustration.myportfolio.com/projects

* Paul Hawken (Drawdown)

* Julie Decker - https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/aquaculture/julie-decker-explains-mariculture-initiatives-in-alaska-emphasizing-sustainable-efforts

* Bren Smith

* Rob Kinley (methane & seaweed research)

Vocab!

* Kelp / Seaweed

* Sea Grass

* Golden Kelp

* 3-D Ocean Farming

* Mariculture

* Regenerative Agriculture

* Sustainability

* Social License or Social License to Operate (SLO) - https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-license-slo.asp

* Greenhouse Gas

* Methane

Links!

This was Mat’s original article on Seaweed farming (with illustrations from Liz Rowland) that started it all! From Matters Journalhttps://mattersjournal.com/stories/seaweedfarming

Here’s a link to With a Little Kelp from Our Friends on the Alaska Digital Library.

Seaweed, Kelp & Climate

* Seaweed & sustainability research (ScienceDirect)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301420725000303

* Seaweed farms as climate solutions (Australian Museum)https://australian.museum/learn/climate-change/climate-solutions/seaweed-farms/

* World Wildlife Fund article: Why seaweed is a climate “jack of all trades”https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/wildlife-climate-heroes/why-seaweed-is-a-jack-of-all-trades-in-the-fight-against-climate-change/

* This link helps explain the difference between seaweed and kelp (UNEP)https://www.unep.org/topics/ocean-seas-and-coasts/blue-ecosystems/seaweeds-kelp

* IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report (PDF) - The IPCC is the world’s authority on global climate change—you can find some stuff on seaweed and climate change here!https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_SYR_FullVolume.pdf

Kelp Farming & Mariculture

* Seaweed Central (Australia) – permitshttps://seaweedcentral.com.au/permit-portal/

* AusKelphttps://www.auskelp.net/about

* Moonrise Seaweed Co. (WWF)https://www.innovatetoregenerate.wwf.org.au/project/moonrise-seaweed-co

* Maine Aquaculture Association – kelp curriculumhttps://www.maineaquaculture.org/kelp_curriculum/

* 3-D Ocean Farming (NOAA Ocean Today)https://oceantoday.noaa.gov/fullmoon-3doceanfarming/welcome.html

* 3-D Ocean Farming research (OSTI)https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1902759

* 3-D Ocean Farming & global food security (PDF)https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Abhishek-Chaudhary-28/publication/394467222_3D_Ocean_Farming_-A_Key_to_Challenge_Global_Food_Security_and_Environment_Sustainability/links/689cb8f2fc368579b82fb428/3D-Ocean-Farming-A-Key-to-Challenge-Global-Food-Security-and-Environment-Sustainability.pdf

Articles, Essays & Media

* With a Little Kelp From Our Friends – Mat Batehttps://www.matbate.com/with-a-little-kelp-from-our-friends

* With a Little Kelp From Our Friends – GMRIhttps://gmri.org/projects/with-a-little-kelp-from-our-friends/

* A Cry for Kelp – MAD Agriculturehttps://madagriculture.org/journal/a-cry-for-kelp

* Little Big Stories – Climate Councilhttps://www.climatecouncil.org.au/little-big-stories-little-big-people/

* Algae vs. seagrass – Smithsonianhttps://ocean.si.edu/holding-tank/images-hide/algae-vs-seagrass

Sustainability, Policy & Social Context

* Regenerative agriculture (Wikipedia)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regenerative_agriculture

* Sustainability (Investopedia)https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sustainability.asp

* Social License to Operate (SLO)https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-license-slo.asp

* Social license & kelp farming (UW SMEA)https://smea.uw.edu/currents/a-farm-next-to-a-campground-an-exploration-of-social-license-and-kelp-farming/

* United Nations – Sustainabilityhttps://www.un.org/en/academic-impact/sustainability

Alaska Aquaculture at University of Alaska Southeast

* UAS Applied Fisheries & Alaska aquaculture on the radio! (from KCAW)https://www.kcaw.org/2026/01/06/uas-applied-fisheries-program-offers-new-class-focusing-on-alaska-aquaculture/

Additional Cool Stuff

* Irish Seaweed Associationhttps://www.c-faarer.eu/irish-seaweed-association

* Why “sick” means “great” (linguistics aside)https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/75017/origin-of-current-slang-usage-of-the-word-sick-to-mean-great

* Seaweed Evolution Gamehttps://docs.google.com/document/d/185--5ihFA5a_u27K0A9nrhLTpB6uuv-FrwkrSfAzsEI/edit?tab=t.0

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thekelpshow.substack.com

First check out these Northern Lights in Sitka! It’s usually too cloudy—but we got the full experience this week.

In this episode we explore if oysters—those cuddly, delicious bivalves—are vegan. It’s an interesting debate which teaches us about oyster anatomy, oyster farming and more.

Here are some vocab words and links!Vocab!

* Animal liberation (Peter Singer)

* Dead Zones

* Nitrogen

* Oyster dredging

* Oyster sauce (vegan alternatives)

* Ostroveganism

* Phil Collins / Genesis: In Concert

* Phosphorous

* Scallops

* Selenium

* Speciesism / speciesist

* Vegan

* Vitamin B-12

* Zinc

Links!

Oyster Habitat, Farming & Anatomy

Oyster Reef Habitat – NOAA Fisherieshttps://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/oyster-reef-habitat

Sustainable Pacific Oyster Farming – NOAA Fisherieshttps://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/sustainable-pacific-oyster-farming

Oyster Life Cycle & Anatomy – Florida State University Marine Labhttps://marinelab.fsu.edu/absi/community-engagement/aboutoyster/lifecycle_anatomy/

Environmental Benefits of Shellfish Aquaculture – Connecticut Dept. of Agriculturehttps://portal.ct.gov/doag/aquaculture1/aquaculture/environmental-benefits-of-shellfish-aquaculture?language=en_US

Do Oysters Feel Pain? / Sentience & Biology

Do Oysters Feel Pain? – Biology Stack Exchangehttps://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/77246/do-oysters-feel-pain

Somewhere Between (On Animal Sentience)https://metazoan.net/61-somewhere-between/

Do Oysters Feel Pain? – The Naked Scientistshttps://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/questions/do-oysters-feel-pain

Bivalve Nervous Systems & Behavior (Scientific Paper – PMC)https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3040303/

Blurring the Line Between Plants and Animals – Ask A Biologist (ASU)https://askabiologist.asu.edu/plosable/blurring-line-between-plants-and-animals

Psychological Perspectives on Animal Sentience – Frontiers in Psychology (2022)https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.848434/full

Biology of Mollusks – National Academies of Scienceshttps://www.nationalacademies.org/read/10796/chapter/5#63

Veganism, Ostroveganism & Ethics

“Oysters Are Vegan – Change My Mind” (Reddit Debate)https://www.reddit.com/r/DebateAVegan/comments/n3zm6x/oysters_are_vegan_change_my_mind/

Oyster Mushrooms vs Oysters – Ethical Debate (Reddit)https://www.reddit.com/r/DebateAVegan/comments/oxggaq/whats_more_ethical_oyster_mushrooms_or_oysters/

Is It OK to Eat Oysters? (Reddit Discussion)https://www.reddit.com/r/DebateAVegan/comments/zkybd2/i_think_its_ok_to_eat_oysters/

It’s OK for Vegans to Eat Oysters – Slatehttps://slate.com/human-interest/2010/04/it-s-ok-for-vegans-to-eat-oysters.html

Definition of Veganism – The Vegan Societyhttps://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/definition-veganism

Scallops

Are Scallops Vegan? – VICEhttps://www.vice.com/en/article/are-scallops-vegan/

Nutrition: B-12, Zinc, Selenium & Health

Vitamin B12 in Aquatic Foods – ScienceDirect (Aquaculture Journal)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0044848622008298

Vitamin B-12 Content of Foods – USDA (PDF)https://www.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/files/page-files/Vitamin%20B-12.pdf

Are Oysters Good for You? – WebMDhttps://www.webmd.com/diet/oysters-good-for-you

Oysters, Zinc, and Coronavirus – Gothenburg Healthhttps://www.gothenburghealth.org/oysters-zinc-and-coronavirus

Oysters: Nutrition & Health Benefits – APENutritionhttps://apenutrition.co.uk/blogs/blog/oyster-article?srsltid=AfmBOop9GXgcuJF6OC6DuBeFH2YyqbQnG3orTjH_5R-oWp7WtNeIFR_1

Seasonal Selenium Variations in Mussels and Oysters – ResearchGatehttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/279363258_Seasonal_Selenium_Variations_in_Mussels_and_Oysters_from_a_French_Marine_Farm

Oysters & Pollution / Dead Zones

Oysters and Pollution Tolerance – NOAA Coastal Sciencehttps://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/oysters-can-handle-some-but-not-all-pollution-we-dump-into-the-nations-estuaries-al-com/

Dead Zones in the Chesapeake Bay – Chesapeake Bay Foundationhttps://www.cbf.org/issues/dead-zones/

Animal Rights, Speciesism & Key Figures

Save the Animals – Ingrid Newkirk (Archive.org)https://archive.org/details/saveanimals101ea00newk

Peter Singer Renews Fight for Animal Rights – Princetonhttps://paw.princeton.edu/article/bioethics-professor-peter-singer-renews-his-fight-animal-rights

Animal Liberation – Peter Singer (Archive.org)https://archive.org/details/animalliberation00sing/page/n7/mode/2up

A Conversation with Peter Singer – Nautilushttps://nautil.us/a-conversation-with-animal-rights-pioneer-peter-singer-307372/

Ingrid Newkirk – Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingrid_Newkirk

Oyster Sauce (Vegan Context)

Is Oyster Sauce Vegan? – PETAhttps://www.peta.org/living/food/oyster-sauce/

Sound & Music References

Boxing Bell “Ding Ding” Sound Effect – Sample Focushttps://samplefocus.com/samples/harsh-boxing-bell-fx?search_id=186079525

Genesis: In Concert – Wikipedia (Phil Collins era)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis:_In_Concert

Jeremiah’s Investigative Reporting Tip of the Day!

How to Get Around Paywalls – Life Pro Tips (Reddit)https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/3o0m7v/lpt_you_can_get_by_the_paywalls_for_online/

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thekelpshow.substack.com

I just completed the Alaska Aquaculture semester here in Sitka and I wanted to talk to Aldo because he did it all. He drove the vans, managed tons of logistics, taught us boating skills and how to tie knots. He prepared farming gear for both shellfish and seaweed, taught us how to culture algae, made sure our wetsuits were the right size. He even got us ice cream. I wanted to hear more of Aldo’s experience in mariculture. We talk about FLUPSYs, how the smells of mariculture compare and more!

Vocab words!

* Down South - In Alaska “down south” refers to the lower 48 (all states beside Alaska and Hawaii).

* Finfish – Fish with fins (e.g., salmon, cod, halibut) as opposed to shellfish (aquatic animals with exoskeletons—like oysters, lobsters and abalone.

* FLUPSY (Floating Upweller System) – Not a Beatrix Potter character. A floating platform used in oyster nurseries to grow young shellfish using water flowing upwards.

* NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) – Opposition to development in one’s local area. George Carlin had a bit.

* Off the Road System – Communities only accessible by boat or plane (e.g., Sitka)

* On the Road System – Communities accessible by road to the rest of North America.

* Oyster Bags – Mesh bags used to hold and grow oysters in farms.

* Pseudofeces – Rejected food particles expelled by filter feeders like oysters.

LINKS!

Aquaculture & Alaska Programs

* Aquaculture Semester Alaska (highly recommended!)https://aquaculturesemester.alaska.edu/index.html

* Differences Between Fish Farms & Hatcheries (Tanana Chiefs)https://www.tananachiefs.org/the-differences-between-fish-farms-hatcheries/

* Political Economics of U.S. Marine Aquaculture (PDF)https://scholarworks.alaska.edu/bitstream/handle/11122/4167/2010_10-PoliticalEconomicsUSMarineAquaculture.pdf?sequence=1

Oysters & Shellfish Farming

Nursery / Gear / Methods

* Oyster Nursery (FLUPSY info)https://alaska.seaweedinsights.com/oysters/nursery

* Oyster Bags / Farming Methods (NOAA story)https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/hollings-scholarship/stories/shucking-my-way-to-exciting-innovations-my-internship-researching-new-methods-of-oyster-farming-in

* FLUPSY articlehttps://www.fukuina.com/articles/nov_dec97.htm

Environmental Impact & Ecosystem Services

* Oysters as a “Blue Food” climate solutionhttps://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2025/05/more-evidence-that-oysters-are-a-blue-food-win-for-climate-and-coastal-pollution/

* Sustainable Pacific Oyster Farming (NOAA)https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/sustainable-pacific-oyster-farming

* Oyster Filtration Calculatorhttps://oceanwealth.org/tools/oyster-calculator/

* Ecosystem Services – Filtrationhttps://oceanwealth.org/ecosystem-services/filtration/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

* Oysters & Eelgrass + Ocean Acidification (UW)https://fish.uw.edu/2018/07/oysters-and-eelgrass-help-each-other-out-under-increasing-carbon-dioxide-levels/

Scallops!

* Atlantic Sea Scallop Aquaculture Cost Study (University of Maine)https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2025/08/04/umaine-research-compares-most-cost-effective-methods-for-atlantic-sea-scallop-aquaculture/

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thekelpshow.substack.com