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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