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With growing seafood demand the SEAfood System uses Nature's design to produce food for the future. Support our SEA Vision: it's Good for Nature & Good for You!
With growing seafood demand the SEAfood System uses Nature's design to produce food for the future. Support our SEA Vision: it's Good for Nature & Good for You!
With growing seafood demand the SEAfood System uses Nature's design to produce food for the future. Support our SEA Vision: it's Good for Nature & Good for You!
With growing seafood demand the SEAfood System uses Nature's design to produce food for the future. Support our SEA Vision: it's Good for Nature & Good for You!
With growing seafood demand the SEAfood System uses Nature's design to produce food for the future. Support our SEA Vision: it's Good for Nature & Good for You!
With over 1.0 billion people now relying entirely on our oceans for their only source of protein, there is substantial and increasing pressure on wild fisheries – many have been depleted and others are near collapse. Aquaculture, or aquatic farming, is now seen as an approach that can contribute significantly to global seafood production and thereby protect many of these impacted natural resources.
However, like any other human activity, aquaculture too has its operational issues and impacts – many originating from the agricultural models of food production. While aquaculture facilities are efficient in terms of production volume, there has been little in the way of process innovation that concurrently addresses the inherent environmental issues associated with these operations. An opportunity exists to improve how we produce the seafood needed to satisfy the increasing global seafood demand – yet one that ensures both environmental and socio-economic sustainability of the industry … our SEA Vision. It's Good for Nature and Good for You!
The Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture (SEAfood) System uses ecological design, system innovation, and best organic practices to meet the challenges of attaining environmental and socio-economic sustainability – that is, being able to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations from meeting their needs. Technically, the SEAfood System considers three major aspects in its design: (i) nutrient, or waste removal and use; (ii) reduction of the operational carbon foot-print; and (iii) integration of certified organic management practices.
Nutrients released into the environment are a significant impact of aquatic farming today. Using Nature’s (ecological) design, the innovative SEAfood System uses an integrated, multi-species approach as the foundation of the production model – rather than the single species approach used in most operations. With only a single ‘fed’ component to the system, the organic wastes from the fish species, which would otherwise be lost to the environment, are intercepted by three groups of species that can use those wastes: shellfish (example: scallops, oysters) which filter the water, sea cucumbers or sea urchins which vacuum the seafloor, and kelp/seaweed that remove and use the dissolved nutrients like fertilizer. As a result, and very simply, the waste nutrients from the fed fish are intercepted, extracted and then converted into a number of other high-valued SEAfood products – species that also fill these roles in nature!
Carbon Reduction is widely seen as the most critical environmental issue today. In addition to our nutrient removal design, our green SEAfood production system promotes a Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture approach using Sustainable Energy Alternatives (SEA-Power) - the latter focused on the integration of wind, solar, and ocean thermal to reduce the costly reliance on fossil fuels. Winch systems, farm accommodation, and even the work boats use SEA-Power!
Certified Organic management practices for the SEAfood system operation address many of the other environmental issues associated with aquatic farming, including food formulations, use of antibiotics and other chemicals, and animal welfare. Integrating these practices within our ecologically designed system further supports our goal of achieving a sustainable SEAfood production model.
The environmental benefits associated with our SEAfood System approach are clear – effective reduction in the nutrient and carbon foot-prints of the farm, and elimination of all operational chemicals through organic practises. This innovative production model also provides significant socio-economic benefits and incentives to future commercialization efforts. Specifically, these benefits include:
(i) Product diversification (via farming of multiple species) and hence supply of multiple products to market;
(ii) Reduction in the potential operational and/or financial risks associated with single species production;
(iii) Increased employment (coastal community benefits) offered through a multi-species approach;
(iv) Reduced Cost-of-Production, resulting from an efficient (shared) labour pool, integrated infrastructure, and lower per-unit production operational expenditures among the SEAfood System components; and
(v) Extension of the design to other species and aquatic environments (global applications and growth potential) - and simplification for regions impacted by poverty.
There has been considerable interest in our ecological aquaculture model – particularly with respect to the variety of environmental benefits offered from this sustainable approach. Media outlets have provided numerous, positive stories on our system development that have included print (e.g., featured articles in Globe & Mail Earth Day edition, Food in Canada Magazine, International Aquaculture, and Northern Aquaculture), radio interviews, and HD educational video for public displays on Innovations in Aquaculture for the Vancouver Public Aquarium (videos presented in this campaign provided by the VPA).
Our unique approach to aquatic food production will also be highlighted in an upcoming story being developed by National Geographic magazine. An underwater photography team (www.BrianSkerry.com) visited our current research facility and spent 7 days doing underwater photography and story development – publication is anticipated in July 2014. You won’t believe the photos!!
The SEA Vision Group currently owns a small operating company – Kyuquot SEAfoods Ltd. – located on the rugged northwest coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia (Canada). This company has acquired all of the permits/licenses required to fully commercialize the SEAfood System, and has installed a variety of on-site infrastructure that has been used to support initial R&D activities over the past 5 years.
We are looking for your support to construct and operate the new technological components of our SEAfood System, representing an entirely new and exciting infrastructure design for aquatic farming. This first SEAfarm will allow us to prove our design, and its component technologies, and then use this facility as the demonstration (template) for multi-site development and expansion.
But you will not only be helping to kick-start a small company. As a result of a successful campaign it is our intent to dedicate this first SEAfarm to ongoing coastal aquaculture research, innovation and training, and to link this facility to a network of universities and colleges. A business model will be formulated to allow future SEAfarm revenues to support the programs and initiatives of these institutional partners as well as the ongoing corporate R&D of the SEA Vision Group. In essence - a sustainable working partnership for a Sustainable SEAfood future!
The SEA vision Group plans to use contributions to build and trial our new SEAfood System and to provide the platform on which future innovations can be developed and tested. In addition to the dedicated Research & Training facility that will arise from our first SEAfood System development, full commercialization of the approach will be pursued by the SEA Vision Group, using this first “pilot” farm as a demonstration of the approach and our innovative technology. If successful, the SEA Vision Group will consider ways to continue to grow this venture and we hope all of our supports will, in the near future, be able to purchase Sustainable Organic SEAfood in the market places and restaurants that they frequent - Bon Appetit!!
Over the past 10 years many young researchers from around the world have collaborated with us to complete the early stage design, development and initial testing of our SEAfood System. However, as a family operation the transition to a commercial-scale development is not possible without outside assistance – in fact, many are surprised that we have taken it this far!
Any level of contribution to our campaign will be deeply appreciated and will help move our SEA Vision one step closer to reality. If you like our idea and share our SEA Vision, but can't contribute funds at this time, no worries – you can help our campaign by relaying this site link (seavision-fundraiser) to as many folks as possible! Thanks!
And of course there are perks ...
Looking for more information?Check the project
FAQ
Help kick-start the development and testing of our unique SEAfood System. Become a Silver Level supporter and secure your place on our contributors page. Receive updates on project development and links to SEA Vision media events and releases.
Estimated Shipping
January 2014
1 claimed
Supporter - Gold Level
$35 USD
$50 CAD
Take that contribution a step further. As a Gold Level supporter you will be recognized on our Contributors page, receive our project updates and media reports, and in addition receive a deck of SEAfood recipe cards showcasing our favorites. Each card of the Delectable Dozen will provide a color photo of the SEAfood species we grow, its ecological role within the system, and of course a detailed recipe for the product on the back. Cost of shipping included for all contributors.
Estimated Shipping
January 2014
1 claimed
Supporter - Platinum Level
$70 USD
$100 CAD
Top Level supporter. As a Platinum contributor you will receive the Silver/Gold perks plus additional thanks with our stunning SEA-shirt. The SEA-Vision logo on the front with a colorful artists original SEAfood collage and tagline that reflects our philosophy on the back – “Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture - Good for Nature - Good for You". If you choose this perk we’ll contact you at the close of the campaign to acquire your size. Cost of shipping included for all contributors.
Estimated Shipping
January 2014
1 claimed
Limited SEA Species Print
$174 USD
$250 CAD
Receive a Limited Edition print (16x20" - 40x50cm) from a local west coast artist who has been commissioned to create a colorful marine species collage that depicts the animals and plants used within our ecologically designed food production system. If you like color you'll love this!! Shipping included.
Estimated Shipping
February 2014
1 out of 500 of claimed
The SEAfood Taster
$226 USD
$325 CAD
This gift provides a taste of what's to come. A freshly filleted sablefish (Black Cod) or a hot-smoked and candied version that is ready to eat, this taster and our SEAfood Recipe Deck will be sent to you by courier. Enjoy your dinner for 4 – or contribute twice and invite a few friends! If you select this perk we will contact you at the close of the campaign to acquire your product selection – fillet or whole fish! Cost of shipping included for North America, 50% covered for international.
Estimated Shipping
January 2014
2 out of 8500 of claimed
SEA for Yourself
$3,478 USD
$5,000 CAD
Travel from Campbell River (Vancouver Island) to the west coast, take a cruise on a historic coastal freighter to Kyuquot Village (www.GetWest.ca), and then join us for a 2-night stay at the site of our first SEAfarm. Tour the site, enjoy a SEAfood dinner cooked by an Island Chef, and sit around our one-of-a-kind floating campfire for an evening of west coast fun. This all inclusive perk is priced per-person but includes farm site to Campbell River, BC travel only.
Carbon Reduction
The SEA vision Group plans to use contributions
