Avsnitt
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Today, we’re talking with Angie Bowers. Professor Bowers teaches at the University of Alaska Southeast, Sitka–Angie teaches all about salmon, seaweed and shellfish. And before entering the halls of academia, Angie had a rich career working at Salmon hatcheries.
Hatchery work is a mix of science, labor and maritime skills. All fascinating things to talk about on their own, but some hatcheries are pretty remote. And that’s what I want to talk about–what’s it like to work in the thick of the wild, the middle of nowhere. Is it scary? What do you do when you’re not working?
The Shell Notes!
Angela Bowers | University of Alaska Southeast
Angie’s e-mail: [email protected]
More information on aquaculture and mariculture courses at UAS Sitka:
* UAS Applied Fisheries program offers new class on Alaska aquaculture - KCAW
* Alaska Mariculture Cluster offers a pearl of hope for supporting coastal communities - KCAW
* University of Alaska Southeast Alaska Aquaculture Semester - AMRTC
* UAS Applied Fisheries | Sitka AK
Info on Sitka and Baranof Island
* Baranof Island - Wikipedia
* Living & Working in Alaska - Sitka
Vocab!
Salmon Enhancement - here’s a link to a recent report on Alaska’s Salmon Enhancement (Alaska Fish and Game):
* Alaska Salmon Fisheries Enhancement Annual Report, 2025 https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/FedAidPDFs/RIR.5J.2026.04.pdf
NSRRA
* https://www.nsraa.org/
* Hidden Falls Hatchery | NSRAA
* Employment | NSRAA
Float Plane
Net Pen
Ponding
Bears on Baranof Island!
* Baranof Island bears get first-ever state count (Alaska Public Media)
* Here’s a video of bears at Hidden Falls.
Here’s some photos Hidden Falls!
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We’re talking space aquaculture. Raising sea bass in lunar waters, growing spirulina on Mars, and maybe even farming oysters in the depths of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. Oh and also, did you know seaweed could be used to shield space explorers from cosmic rays?
We’ll be scouring current research and scientific writing. And attempt to go where no one’s gone before, behind a paywall to read an article. Kelp Trek!
SHELL NOTES!
Space Aquaculture: Prospects for Raising Aquatic Vertebrates in a Bioregenerative Life-Support System on a Lunar Base
Aquatic invertebrate protein sources for long-duration space travel - ScienceDirect
SpaceGenFish will study aquaculture to produce fresh food for long-duration space missions | Institut de Ciències del Mar
SpaceGenFish: Spain’s new bet to put farmed fish on the space menu
https://www.alphagalileo.org/en-gb/Item-Display/ItemId/270105?returnurl=https://www.alphagalileo.org/en-gb/Item-Display/ItemId/270105
‘The ultimate setting’: Why Japan wants to grow fish in space - Responsible Seafood Advocate
Could astronauts farm fish in space? - BBC Newsround
Beyond Earth: Harnessing Marine Resources for Sustainable Space Colonization - PMC
Algae ‘Bioreactor’ on Space Station Could Make Oxygen, Food for Astronauts - May 8, 2019
Sci-fi bioreactor can make food and water in space from... algae - May 13, 2019
What happened to Photobioreactor - PBR@LSR: the Algae-based Photobioreactor Experiment at the ISS – Operations and Results
This wild bioplastic made of algae just aced a Mars pressure test. Can astronauts use it to build on the Red Planet? | Space
Redditor articulates argument for space seaweed - Crops on Mars : r/Colonizemars
Star Oysters - Harrisburg University Students Design System to Feed Astronauts Headed to Mars
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/shell-we-go-to-space-prototype-system-to-study-oyster-biology-in-microgravity/
Sea bass in space: why fish farms on the moon may be closer than you think | Fish | The Guardian (April 2025)
There’s Water on the Moon? - NASA Science
Extraterrestrial liquid water - Wikipedia
List of extrasolar candidates for liquid water - Wikipedia
Lunar Hatch programme - Space Aquaculture - YouTube
Stand-Alone Monoculture and Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) | Home
IN SITU Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
LUNAR HATCH Program: One small swim for fish, a giant leap for human space exploration
Bioreactor - Wikipedia
Tubular Bioreactor Algae Skyscraper: Transalpine Energy Network- eVolo | Architecture Magazine
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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A mystery begins! In an old 1956 report on Paralytic Shellfish Poison—some interesting information on PSP field test kits is crossed out with a pen. What happened? I don’t have all the answers, but we get some leads. Are you a chemist or biomedical scientist? Maybe you could help piece together some clues and help us find out what happened to public health researcher Mary L. Schafer. Check out the shell notes below, the podcast above and below the shell notes—I’ll pop in this show’s script.
SHELL NOTES!
The Public Health Significance of Paralytic Shellfish Poison: A Review of Literature and Unpublished Research, published in 1956; I made a copy with my camera – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LQUhnpy_G16i8iXsTq_gHNaEJgYBdMpt/view?usp=drive_link
It’s also at Public Health Significance of Paralytic Shellfish Poison - ScienceDirect
The Haptenic Properties of Paralytic Shellfish Poison
First quarterly report: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/AD0263130.pdf
Third quarterly report: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/AD0263132.pdf
Seventh quarterly report: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/AD0276708.pdf
Past Mariculture Minute PST episode: https://thekelpshow.substack.com/p/spies-mice-and-shellfish
I found this article about more recent research on PST field kits in Japan - Immunochromatography Test Kit for Paralytic Shellfish Toxins (PSTs) and Transition of PSTs in Scallops - PMC
Mary Schafer’s Obituary (Princeton Clarion) - https://www.pdclarion.com/obituaries/mary-louise-schafer/article_4ed449b4-4c82-5043-bb2b-f235350bd4ec.html
More Mary Schafer Science!
Pesticides in blood | Springer Nature Link
Gas chromatographic detection of D-(-)-2,3-butanediol and butyric acid produced by sporeformers in cream-style corn and canned beef noodle soup: Collaborative study
https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0022374960
Mercury in chicken eggs | Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (1976)
Pesticides in drinking water. Waters from the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers | Environmental Science & Technology
An Assessment of Some Public Health Problems Resulting from Feeding Poultry Litter to Animals.: Microbiological and Chemical Parameters - ScienceDirect
Purified Shellfish Poison for Bioassay Standardization | Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL | Oxford Academic (1958)
The Robert A Taft Sanitary Engineering Center
Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center, Cincinnati, Ohio - Cincinnati Enquirer Photo Archive - Digital Library
Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center | The Online Books Page
EPISODE SCRIPT!
Welcome to Mariculture Minute. A podcast about seaweed, shellfish and salmon in Alaska. I’m Jeremiah Murphy. And today, a mystery. You guys, whatever happened to Mary L. Schafer?
Back in the episode list you’ll see three Mariculture MInuter episodes devoted to Paralytic Shellfish Toxins. It’s a natural toxin that can sometimes get in shellfish, and it can be deadly, but we have all sorts cool ways test for it. And all commercial shellfish, in Alaska are tested for it. But in those episodes, I refer to an old type written report I found at the library.
The Public Health Significance of Paralytic Shellfish Poison: A Review of Literature and Unpublished Research, published in 1956, with five authors from the the Robert A. Taft Sanitary ENgineering Center in Cincinatti, Ohio, the Milk and Food Program and the military’s Chemical Corps. The report has 37 pages packed with history, science and proposed tools for prevent of paralytic shellfish toxins–lab testing methods to find the nasty toxins in shellfish. Today, we have a few different tests. The state Alaska uses mice for commercial testing, I think they’ve also approved a new chemical test, the local tribe in Sitka uses a receptor binding assay. These are tests in a lab, scientists perform them, these are effective but not very portable. In my research, I’ve been curious if there was ever a portable test, that say an oyster farmer or someone harvesting clams could perform on the spot. Kind of like the old covid tests, remember those? Like a field a test, is there a field test for paralytic shellfish toxin?
Well, in the back of this 1954 report, on page 37, the final paragraph before the bibliography, you might call this last word of these five scientists. That final paragraph is crossed out in blue pen with a big X! It’s crossed out twice. But you can still read it. It says:
“Another method which offers some promise of being useful as a field test is the chromate color test.” OK, I’m going to keep reading but bare in mind I’m no chemist, and it’s going get extremely science-y now.
“Another method which offers some promise of being useful as a field test is the chromate color test. A brief description of this test is as follows: when an aqueous solution containing microgram quantities of shellfish poison and milligram quantitities of chromium (VI) (H2CRO4) is made acidic, a blue color develops which is proportional to the amount of poison present. It has been possible to use a modification of this test in an assay of the acid extract of some species of clams.”
Why was this crossed out? That’s my question. But in the paragraph, there is a citation, number 40. Let’s hit up that bibliography that starts on the next page.
There’s number 40, oh no it’s crossed out, with thick inky lines. But if I take a picture with my phone and zoom it up--I can make out the letters, Schafer, Mary Unpublished Data of SEC.
Why was it crossed out? I mean, my initial impulse was maybe someone was embarrassed the report contained a reference to unpublished data. But there were five authors and it’s typed into the bibliography–it seems like it could been excluded in an early draft. And also the paragraph that’s crossed out doesn’t seem definitive–it seems to suggest something that would benefit from future study. But anyway, I wanted to find out who this Mary Schafer is and I’ll admit. It took me a while I found not a whole lot on the internet. It’s a fairly common name. Until I looked back on the cover report realized the answer was right there in front of me. One of the authors is written as M. L. Schafer from the Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center in Cincinatti Ohio. Sanitary Engineering Center, abbreviates as SEC. The crossed out reference–number 40 in the bibliography, cites Schafer, Mary Unpublished data of SEC. I think this is that same person, this unpublished data was from one of the reports authors–Mary L. Schafer. But why was it crossed out and whatever to this promising chromate color field test.
Well, with this new knowledge, I’ve been able to somewhat Mary L. Schafer’s prolific career in public health. She wrote papers on mercury in chicken eggs, Schafer researched the presence of that pesticide DDT in human blood, an earlier paper about preparing paralytic shellfish toxins for testing, and then in 1960 it looks like Schafer was part of a research team working for the U.S. Army Chemical Corps on the Haptenic Properties of Paralytic Shellfish Poison. There’s a couple declassified progress reports online. I tried looking up the definition of Haptenic–and my college education fails me on this one. I think it has something to do with antigens and immunology. Which makes sense because according to the report one of the purposes of the project was “to lay the ground work for immunization of humans against the poison.” And the poison is paralytic shellfish poison. That was 1960, over 60 years ago. I’ll post the reports in the shell notes –from my reading it looks like they were having trouble immunizing test animals for PSP, but it looks like they were on to something.
Maybe it didn’t pan out, maybe funding stopped, maybe I’m not very good at reading scientific papers from 1960. But I’m curious where that work led.
But in terms of Schafer, I found some of her papers going into the 80s. It looks like she did some research into food poisoning of canned goods.
And I found her obituary, in the Princeton Clarion. She passed away at 87 years old in 2003. I’ll read some of her obituary:
“She retired in 1984 from working in the Food and Drug Administration at Cincinnati in the Division of Microbial Biochemistry. She also was in the U.S. Army from 1941 until 1946 and was sent to England just before D-Day. She worked as a dietitian prior to joining the Army. She was a member of Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church in Cincinnati.”
“She graduated from Purdue University in 1938 with a B.S. in nutrition. She completed her internship and received her R.D. in 1939 in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1946, she attended Columbia University and obtained her M.S. in nutrition in 1949. She later received her Ph.D. in chemistry from Purdue in 1955 and began her job with the Food and Drug Administration in Cincinnati. During her career, she developed a method for finding contaminants in food and water using gas chromatography.”
It sounds like Mary Schafer was a real public health hero. But I’m still curious why the field test stuff was crossed out from that 1954 report. And her work into immunizing people from PSP–doing that for the army–I wonder where that research led. Mary Schafer sounds fascinating. I’ll add links to her research in the shell notes. But if any chemists out there can shed some light on this chromate color test or the haptenic properties of paralytic shellfish poison–I’d be curious what you have to say. Feel free to contact me at kelpshow dot com or on instagram at kelpshow. Perhaps it all led nowhere. Or maybe there’s some valuable research sitting in some old typewritten report, shelved in a rlibrary somewhere. The mystery continues.
Special thanks to the Sitka Public Library and Google Scholar for this episode. And special thanks to W for providing the music. Check out the shell notes at kelpshow dot com. You can find Mariculture Minute on all the usual podcast places and on Instagram at kelpshow.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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/
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How practical is the mouse bio assay for shellfish? It’s saved some human lives. But in this episode we take a look at its practicality and future in the state of Alaska.
We continue our chat with Shannon Cellan the Environmental Lab Manager at the Sitka Tribe of Alaska about the mouse bioassay and shellfish. I also go off on some tangents—sifting through legislative documents, taking a peek into some old spycraft and looking back at some old reports on portable tests for paralytic shellfish toxin.
Vocab!
Microgram
Mouse Unit
Litmus
ADEC
High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography-Post Column Oxidation (HPLC-PCOX) method
Links!
Sitka Tribe of Alaska Environmental Research Labhttps://sitkatribe.org/our-services/resource-protection-programs/sta-environmental-research-lab/
Vintage PST Reports Mentioned in Episode (I scanned them—they’re all public documents so I don’t think there’s any copyright issues)
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15sGFa7apQQR2bk40QXLM8wEJ4kLwczVO?usp=drive_link
From the CIA Reading Room…https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP90-00806R000201180060-3.pdf
Government Budget & Agency Resources (Alaska)
* Alaska Legislature — DEC Budget Comparison (Senate Enacted)
https://www.legfin.akleg.gov/BudgetReports/LY2025/Operating/Enacted//DEC-TransactionCompare-Senate-Enacted-wD.pdf?1757971239
* State of Alaska FY2025 Governor’s Operating Budget: Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Health RDU/Component Budget Summary
https://omb.alaska.gov/ombfiles/25_budget/DEC/Proposed/7_comp3202.pdf
Shellfish Safety & Monitoring (Public Health / DEC)
* DEC Shellfish Biotoxin Monitoring Planhttps://dec.alaska.gov/eh/fss/shellfish/resources/bivalve-shellfish-biotoxin-monitoring-plan/
* DEC Shellfish Permitting Guidehttps://dec.alaska.gov/eh/fss/shellfish/resources/permit-guide/
Scientific Methods & Research
* PubMed: High Pressure Liquid Chromatography–Post Column Oxidationhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21919349/
* NOAA Coastal Science — Receptor Binding Assay for Paralytic Shellfish Poisoninghttps://coastalscience.noaa.gov/project/advancing-the-receptor-binding-assay-for-multi-species-monitoring-of-paralytic-shellfish-poisoning/
Health & Toxicology
* EMRA — Shellfish Poisoning Overviewhttps://www.emra.org/emresident/article/shellfish-poisoning
* UAA Fact Sheet — Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP)https://accscatalog.uaa.alaska.edu/sites/default/files/Fact%20sheet%20PSP%20-%20Public%20Health.pdf
* Alaska Epidemiology Bulletin Newsletter - Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Update ― Alaska, 1993–2021https://epi.alaska.gov/bulletins/docs/b2022_05.pdf
Other / Contextual
* Alaska Public — Article on Spy Stuff and Shellfishhttps://alaskapublic.org/news/2021-04-26/alaskas-secret-cold-war-export-shellfish-toxin-for-the-cia
* Reddit Discussion — Source of MilliporeSigma’s Porcine Productshttps://www.reddit.com/r/labrats/comments/1pfymyt/what_is_the_source_of_milliporesigmas_porcine/
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In this episode we talk about the details of testing shellfish for paralytic shellfish toxin. We continue our discussion with Shannon Cellan, the environmental lab manager for the Sitka Tribe of Alaska.
For more information visit: seator.org
The Sitka Tribe of Alaska Environmental Research Lab: https://seator.org/lab/
Vocab, Links and More!
Bioassay - https://www2.latech.edu/~wakeman/biomon/bioassay.htm
Functional Groups - https://kids.kiddle.co/Functional_group
Homogenize - https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homogenize
High Pressure Liquid Chromatography - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-performance_liquid_chromatography
Microbeta Scintillation Counter - https://biotech.ug.edu.pl/sites/default/files/_nodes/strona-biotechnologia/62586/files/instrukcja_-_mikrobeta_instrument_manual.pdf
Ninety Six Well Plate - https://www.azerscientific.com/96-Well-Plate-PS-U-Bottom-Clear-Non-Sterile-300-l?quantity=1&custcol_azer_ts=0.09
Receptor Binding Assay - https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/project/advancing-the-receptor-binding-assay-for-multi-species-monitoring-of-paralytic-shellfish-poisoning/
Radioactive Content of Banana- https://livinglfs.org/mutants-vs-radiation-trying-to-understand-radiation-in-lfs/
Saxitoxin - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12300590/
Shuck - https://mvmagazine.com/news/2007/05/01/shucking-shellfish
Sodium Ion Channel - https://www.bme.jhu.edu/news-events/news/all-in-the-family-sodium-and-calcium-ion-channels-share-common-roots/
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - https://archive.org/details/turtlescomicsscene
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In this episode I talk with Shannon Cellan about paralytic shellfish toxins and her work at the Sitka Tribe of Alaska.
Links!Shellfish Testing Data: https://seator.org/data/
Shellfish Testing Map: https://ahab.portal.aoos.org/#map
Sitka Tribe of Alaska Environmental Research Lab (how to submit shellfish for testing): https://seator.org/lab/
Vocab!
Action Potential - https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/ap.html
Alexandrium - https://accs.uaa.alaska.edu/wp-content/uploads/NOAA-PMN-Factsheet-Alexandrium_spp..pdf
Cyanobacteria - https://asm.org/articles/2021/september/cyanobacteria-blankets-of-doom-causes-and-effects
Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) - https://www.noaa.gov/what-is-harmful-algal-bloom
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning - https://dec.alaska.gov/eh/fss/shellfish/paralytic-shellfish-poisoning/
Poison vs. Toxin - https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/364-poisons-and-toxins
Phytoplankton - https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/phyto.html
Saxitoxin - https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Saxitoxin
Sodium Ion Channel - https://kids.kiddle.co/Ion_channel
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At a talk on Whale Entanglement—that’s where whales get caught in fishing gear—I asked researcher Michelle Dutro, during the audience Q&A, if kelp farms pose a risk to whales.
Spoiler Alert: there have been no issues with whales and Alaska kelp farms.
Resources Mentioned
Michelle Dutro’s Page on Whalefesthttps://sitkawhalefest.org/speakers/3927/
Report Marine Mammal Entanglements in Alaska (phone numbers)https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/contact/alaska-marine-mammal-stranding-network-24-hour-hotline
Journal article about using fiberglass rods in seaweed farm gearhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0144860924000244
From Michelle Dupro’s Lecture – a story about rescuing a humpback from entanglement in Alaskahttps://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/successful-effort-rescue-entangled-humpback-whale-alaska
Also from Michelle Dupro’s Lecture (contains info on how to respond to an entanglement)https://alaska-training.whaledisentanglement.org
Sitka WhaleFest – Official Websitehttps://sitkawhalefest.org/
NOAA: Approved Weak Inserts for Large Whale Take Reductionhttps://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/marine-mammal-protection/approved-weak-inserts-atlantic-large-whale-take
Study of Fish Farm Entanglements in British Columbia https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10954164/
Sitka WhaleFest 2024 Lecture Videos (the theme was climate change) https://www.youtube.com/@sitkascience/videos
World Wildlife Fund: Seaweed Farming and Whale Entanglement Riskshttps://www.worldwildlife.org/our-work/oceans/sustainable-seafood/farmed-seafood/farmed-seaweed/seaweed-farming-avoiding-the-potential-risk-of-entanglement/
Ropes vs. Lines – Explainedhttps://www.boatingwithdawsons.com/blog/difference-rope-line/
TheFishSite.com article about preventing entanglements with mussel farmshttps://thefishsite.com/articles/aquaculture-2016-preventing-entrapments-in-mussel-farming-gear
Explanation of Wood Stock Referencehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodstock
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In this episode Josie talks to us about her summer internship at an Oyster Farm. Josie is a student at the University of Alaska Southeast’s Alaska Aquaculture program.
Here’s a video of the FlipFarm baskets in action.
Here some links referenced in the show:
FlipFarm — Josie talks about working with this gear: https://www.flipfarmusa.com/
Listen to a podcast with Eric Wyatt, Josie’s Boss: Oyster-ology, Episode 24.
Some information on Oyster Farming from Alaska Department of Fish and Game:
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingaquaticfarming.mariculturefaq
Blue Starr Oyster’s website: https://bluestarroysters.com
More information from NOAA Fisheries: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/sustainable-pacific-oyster-farming
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We talk about product development, marketing, employment and other kelp things. I really appreciate Kathryn taking the time to talk to Mariculture Minute!
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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 - Visa fler
