Kelp is coming for the BC Seafood Expo 2019
Seaweed
business leaders from Maine, New Brunswick and British Colombia to share their
success stories at the B.C. Seafood Expo
By SeaWestNews
British Columbia boasts some of the best
coastlines in the world where there is a diverse abundance of seaweed.
More than 600 species of aquatic plants can
be found along the B.C. coast, including the greatest diversity of kelps found
anywhere in the world.
In addition to a food source for people, aquatic plants are used for herbal remedies, cosmetics and medical uses, and as a fertiliser for gardens.
Here, First Nations have relied on seaweed
as a means of sustenance for thousands of years, a trend which continues to
this day in the region.
To explore the potential economic and
environmental benefits of the industry, a variety of seaweed business leaders
from Maine, New Brunswick and British Colombia will be speaking at this year’s
edition of the B.C. Seafood Expo.
The B.C. Seafood Expo 2019, which will be
held in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island on June 12 and 13. is one of the
largest seafood industry trade shows in the Pacific Northwest and part of the
2019 BC Seafood Festival which runs from June 7 to 16.
Some of those presenting at the “B.C.’s Best Weed: Seaweed Commercialization” session are;
Angela
Willard, co-founder Seaweed Gardens – Willard is a
Clinical Herbalist, and has Co-Founded both Harmonic Arts Botanicals and
Seaweed Gardens. Through her work in natural health and providing accessible
plant medicine, she has become passionate about the therapeutic benefits of
seaweeds. For the past 11 years, she has focused her time developing her
understanding of seaweeds, and how they can improve the health of people and
planet. It has become a natural next step to progress into her latest endeavour
cultivating kelp forests with Co-Founder Erik Jakobson. Seaweed Gardens
harvests their first crop this year, and is excited to see the cultivation of
kelp expand in BC;
Amanda
Swinimer, owner Dakini Tidal Wilds – Swinimer’s
deep love of the ocean brought her to the west coast of Vancouver Island,
Canada where she started her own business, Dakini Tidal Wilds, in 2003. For
almost two decades, Swinimer has been sustainably harvesting, by hand, wild,
edible seaweeds. She shares her passion for the wild seaweeds of her coastline
and their continued health with a diverse audience. The foundational focus of
Swinimer’s teaching and presenting is sustainability and respect for the rare
coast of the Pacific Northwest. Swinimer has taught at post-secondary
institutions including the University of Victoria, Bamfield Marine Science
Centre and Royal Roads University, public schools, through private venues and
is an international presenter;
Louis
Druehl, co-Founder Canadian Kelp Resources – Druehl
and his wife, Rae Hopkins, have operated CKR since 1982, from their home in
Bamfield. Rae brought 35 years of cooking expertise for athletic teams,
restaurants, and marine stations to CKR. She developed the kelp recipes in the
award-winning Pacific Seaweeds (Harbour Publishing) by Louis and Brigette
Clarkson. Druehl, retired from 36 years of teaching and researching seaweeds at
SFU, writes novels, puts out the local paper (www.bamfielder.ca) with Rae and
participates in Bamfield organizations, responsible for running the village.
Briana
Warner, CEO @ Atlantic Sea Farms – Warner has
dedicated her life to doing well by doing good. She is passionate about our
incredible home state and working with our partner farmers to kelp the earth.
After serving several tours in the U.S. Foreign Service, Warner opened and sold
a wholesale bakery in Portland focused on pies with an international flair and
employing recent refugees resettled in the Portland area. Before taking the
helm at Atlantic Sea Farms (Ocean Approved, Inc.) in 2018, she worked to
diversify coastal incomes as the Economic Development Director at the Island
Institute, a non-profit focused on sustaining island communities both in Maine
and elsewhere.
About BC Seafood Expo Trade
Show 2019
The BC Seafood Expo Trade Show 2019 will
provide businesses the opportunity to meet face-to-face and showcase their
products & services to seafood buyers, exporters, distributors and other
providers from throughout BC and the Pacific Northwest.
For more information and how to register
go to https://bcseafoodexpo.com/
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