In 2023, Shinnecock Kelp Farmers took a significant step forward in their mission to restore Shinnecock Bay with the support of a $75,000 grant from The Nature Conservancy. Nearly three years later, the expansion of their kelp farm and hatchery continues to stand as an important example of Indigenous-led environmental stewardship on the East End.
Founded in 2020 by a multi-generational group of six Shinnecock women, Shinnecock Kelp Farmers is the first Indigenous-owned and operated seaweed farm on the East Coast. The farm was created with a clear purpose: to improve water quality and restore marine habitats in the bay the Shinnecock Nation has fished for more than 13,000 years.
Kelp plays a critical role in this work. As a native species to Long Island, it naturally absorbs excess nitrogen and carbon from polluted waters while creating habitat for marine life. As the kelp grows, it helps improve biodiversity and overall water health throughout Shinnecock Bay.
The Nature Conservancy grant supported the expansion of the kelp hatchery, allowing it to grow from 18 spools of kelp seed to 48 larger spools capable of holding more than five times the original capacity. The funding also helped support staffing, equipment, and additional kelp lines in the bay, increasing the farm’s environmental impact. At full expansion, the farm is estimated to remove thousands of pounds of carbon and hundreds of pounds of nitrogen from the water each year.
Shinnecock Kelp Farmers continues to collaborate with partners including GreenWave, the Sisters of Saint Joseph, and researchers at Stony Brook University’s School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences. Harvested kelp is processed into an organic soil amendment, offering a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers used by landowners around the bay.
Supported by The Nature Conservancy’s New York Common Ground Fund, the project reflects a broader commitment to conservation efforts that advance equity, justice, and land sovereignty. Today, the work of Shinnecock Kelp Farmers remains a powerful model for how environmental restoration, climate resilience, and cultural heritage can move forward together.
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