Episode 4: Turning Ocean deserts into vibrant algae farms with Victor Smetacek

In this episode we talk to Emeritus Prof. Victor Smetacek, a biological oceanographer by training. Before retiring a few years ago he was leading the Pelagic Biology Section at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven. Victor once picked up a Sargassum fish while swimming in India thinking he was picking up Sargassum. For him Sargassum is an incredible algae that could be farmed in gyres to sequester carbon. Listen to the episode to hear about:

- His encounter with the Sargassum fish (1:30)

- How seaweed can grow without being attached to the bottom (6:00)

- How farming seaweed can revolutionize our society and help us combat climate change (8:15)

- Public opinion on ocean iron fertilization (10:00)

- How algae farming in gyres would work (12:00)

- Why Sargassum is well suited for gyre farming and carbon capture (14:30)

- Will this affect Caribbean shore ? (15:00)

- Could lobsters, crabs be grown in these farms as well ? (17:00)

- Technical aspects of the farms (18:30)

- Bailing Sargassum for deep sea carbon storage (22:30)

- Water exchange between oxygen depleted zone and surface water (25:00)

- How the Caribbean can be involved in gyre farming (25:30)

- How iron fertilization gives you control (28:00)

- The power of ocean based solutions (32:00)

Read some of Victors work:

֍ Smetacek, V. (2017) Beating the retreat of ice. India Today, January 2017.

֍ Smetacek, V. (2020) Mitigating the Impacts of Climate Change by Manipulating the Global Carbon Cycle. Geography and You Special Report 1, LIGHTS, New Delhi

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