Our Greenwave Aotearoa seaweed seed bank at SEALIFE Kelly Tarlton’s in Auckland forms a critical part of the seaweed aquaculture supply chain and kelp forest restoration efforts. Here we are bulking seed stock from Hauraki Gulf, Bay of Plenty, Marlborough Sounds, Akaroa, and Stewart Island.
By joining forces, our partnership with SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium supports endangered biodiversity, empowers rangatahi (youth) through marine education, and helping to grow New Zealand’s regenerative ocean economy.
“From injured turtles and endangered penguins to ecosystem regeneration, this partnership is about the big picture,” said Daniel Henderson, General Manager of SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s.
“Kelly Tarlton’s Marine Wildlife Trust, a registered charity, has ramped up its work over the past year. In 2024-2025 a record number of injured turtles arrived to us needing care, and in March this year nine rehabilitated sea turtles were released, five of them fitted with satellite trackers through a research partnership with DOC and Auckland Zoo.
“The Trust has also supported hand-rearing of critically endangered Hoiho chicks in collaboration with the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital and annual kōura (crayfish) reef surveys with Ngāti Paoa and the Waiheke Marine Project. We foster future changemakers with the Trust’s Ocean Youth programme - an immersive 8-day journey for students aged 13–16, to educate and inspire ocean action.
“We are pleased to support Greenwave Aotearoa with a location for their work restoring oceans using seaweed. The partnership will also see benefits to Kelly Tarlton's Marine Wildlife Trust and other charitable groups which support marine life that’s in need of our help,” he said.
Greenwave Aotearoa’s national seaweed seed bank provides income to Kelly Tarlton's Marine Wildlife Trust and operates under Greenwave’s commercial fish farm license.
The seaweed seed bank is a ‘living library’ of native kelp species like Ecklonia radiata, Macrocystis, and Lessonia sourced from regions including the Hauraki Gulf, Marlborough, Bluff, Akaroa and Rakiura, with support from iwi.
“Think of it like ecosourcing - but for seaweed,” said Ryan Marchington, Greenwave Aotearoa’s aquaculture lead. “Rather than waiting for natural fertility cycles, this seed bank allows us to access kelp material on demand, which is critical for both commercial growing and safeguarding wild populations.”
Previously managed a commercial seaweed hatchery and biobank at the Scottish Association for Marine Science, bringing international expertise to Greenwave Aotearoa’s local solutions.
New Zealand has more than 1100 species of native seaweeds. However, while brown kelps adapt well to seed banking, Marchington says red seaweeds have more complex life cycles that limit current hatchery methods.
The seed bank is expanding with a hatchery that grows juvenile seaweed on spools. Some equipment is being relocated from a Greenwave Aotearoa seaweed hatchery in Coromandel Town, where a trial seaweed farm was established and has continued beyond its pilot phase.
ORA/EnviroStrat has another successful Greenwave Aotearoa seaweed hatchery staffed by two of our team members, in Tauranga.
To help share the science with the public, Greenwave Aotearoa and SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s plan to create an educational display that highlights the role of seaweed in climate action, coastal protection, and ocean biodiversity.
“This partnership is an exciting example of collaboration across sectors of wildlife care, youth education, and restorative aquaculture,” says Rebecca Barclay-Cameron, who leads our ventures.
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“It’s helping to share the story of the ecosystem benefits of a marine environment with healthy seaweed while also ensuring a secure store of unique ecological seed stock from different regions of New Zealand.”
