The Propagule Collection Project brings together two companies with a shared mission to strengthen coastal ecosystems through innovative, sustainable practices. Pictured: Pine Island Redfish CEO Megan Sorby with some of the mangrove seedlings.
Photo: Pine Island Redfish.
Florida-based regenerative aquaculture company Pine Island Redfish is embarking on a new collaboration aimed at restoring Florida's coastal mangrove ecosystems.
The project will see the red drum farming company, led by founder Megan Sorby, work with environmental clothing company MANG on its "Buy One. Plant One.®" initiative, with the aim of restoring Florida's coastal ecosystems by collecting and planting mangrove propagules along the state’s Gulf coastline.
Through the Propagule Collection Project, volunteers will gather mangrove seeds that will be grown in Pine Island Redfish’s nursery before being transplanted along Florida’s west coast.
“What a fantastic project to kick off our collaborative work with MANG, another Florida-based company with a shared vision for strengthening our coastal community ecosystems,” said Pine Island Redfish Co-Founder and CEO Megan Sorby, in a press release announcing the collaboration.
“MANG’s amazing gear supports their core mission to restore our mangrove ecosystems. And at Pine Island Redfish, we are passionate about producing our fish in a way that also supports restorative improvements to our coastal ecosystems and communities," she added.
Pine Island Redfish uses recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) technology to farm redfish and also repurposes fish waste to cultivate nutrient-rich and climate stabilizing plants. These salt tolerant plants include mangroves, which sequester carbon at a rate ten times greater than mature tropical forests, Sorby explains.
Meanwhile, MANG, founded in 2015 by twin brothers Keith and Kye Rossin, is an outdoor apparel company that funds mangrove restoration to protect coastal ecosystems. Public outreach and education are central to MANG's success: volunteers participate in every part of the process from collecting and planting mangrove seeds (propagules) to the transplanting of mangroves out into coastal areas.
“We cultivate our mangroves for two years or more before planting in the wild and water them using fresh salt water to ensure our MANGs are ready for whatever nature throws at them,” explained MANG Co-Founder Keith Rossin.
“We launched a Buy One. Plant One.® initiative to support mangrove restoration, not only in Florida but internationally. It’s all made possible by our volunteers and key collaborations with like-minded, innovative companies such as Pine Island Redfish," he added.
This collaboration, the partners say, will allow MANG the opportunity to expand their initiatives on the west coast and likewise provide Pine Island Redfish the opportunity to continue scaling mangrove production with several project outlets.
"This type of community engagement is critical to the success of environmental initiatives - everyone has to be in on it,” added Sorby. “We find this in aquaculture as well; we are the business neighbor that is providing healthy, beautiful seafood while supporting ecosystem health and community resilience.”
