OUR MISSION
A world where ocean regeneration is deployed at scale to every surf-blessed coastline Starting in Nazaré we are cultivating hope to protect the places we love through seaweed farming to bring science, culture and community together. Learn more
Creating a sustainable and regenerative future
Restore Biodiversity and Fish Stocks: Providing a Sustainable Alternative to Overfishing
Our efforts have led us to understand that kelp restoration and seaweed farming in coastal areas around the world are essencial, useful and practical to bring economic innovation to potential and existing Maritime Protected Areas (MPAs)*. Seaweed farms have been shown to greatly improve biodiversity and replenish fish stocks. These farms create a complex structure that provides shelter and food, especially for juvenile fish, leading to healthier and more abundant populations.
Seaweed harvesting was once essential to fishing and land-farming communities, but unregulated harvesting, changing ocean conditions, and inconsistent yields led to the decline of seaweed fields. Our regenerative seaweed farm model promotes biodiversity, restores fish stocks, acts as a carbon sink, and provides an economically viable solution for the local fishing community.
Develop a Commercial Blueprint for Regenerative Seaweed Farms
We are documenting every step of the regenerative seaweed farming process: selecting optimal locations, obtaining licenses, gathering ocean data, building infrastructure, planting seedlings, monitoring growth with satellite imagery, establishing harvesting schedules and defining impactful end products like organic fertilizer and animal feed that reduce CO2 emissions. The goal is to create a replicable, commercial blueprint for regenerative seaweed farms, particularly within offshore wind park zones being developed along the Atlantic coast. Hope Zones Foundation regenerative seaweed farms open the door to new revenue streams, such as blue carbon credits, as seaweed gains recognition from CO2 off-setting certification bodies.
To further explore these benefits, Hope Zones Foundation uses advanced buoy monitoring with sensors to track ocean currents, water temperature changes, and their effects on seaweed growth, biodiversity, and fish populations. This data-driven approach helps optimize the positive impact of seaweed farms on marine ecosystems and carbon capturing potential of kelp and seaweed.
Develop and Spread Knowledge and Activism
We are communicating through Hope Zones documentaries, organizing conferences, environmental film festivals, roundtables, beach and harbor clean ups, sharing ocean literacy activities, and building impact through social media.
By Making the Ocean Experiencable we are creatively working on sharing the unique surf experiences of these coastal locations. We are actively contributing to the existence of more belief in the positive actions and outcomes of communities and governments - local and national – we give people hope in the ability to adapt and save our leadership position on the Planet.
