Alternative Materials in Aquaculture
2020-2021
Alternative materials in aquaculture identified and prototyped building materials for aquaculture uses outside of the realm of plastics. It sought to confront plastic’s saturation in marine space alongside calls towards a restorative shellfish aquaculture fishery by focusing on the ubiquity of pastics in waterways. In doing so, it encountered difficult realities throughout multiple materials and supply chains as it sought alternatives to plastics. Cork bark is being over-harvested, the resins required to coast the basalt mesh were synthetic, basalt itself is mined, etc.
Materials: cedar wood, stainless steel mesh, cork, rubber bungee, plant-fiber line, oysters
Collaborators and funding: Long Cove Oyster Farm, Smithereen Farm, Dan Hawkins and Marcus Mamourian with the support of SARE funding.
Books recommendations: Pollution is Colonialism by Max Liborion, Discard Studies by Max Liborion and Josh Lepawsky, and Plastic Matter by Heather Davis.
