Hosted at Serendipity Arts Festival 2024
Led by The Good Ocean

Goa’s vibrant coastline is known for its seafood and spice-laden cuisine — but beneath the surface lies an extraordinary, lesser-known ecosystem: the seaweed forests of Goa. In this immersive Seaweed Tidepool Walk, the team from The Good Ocean guided participants through the tidepools of Dona Paula, introducing them to the fascinating marine flora that forms an essential part of Goa’s coastal ecology.

With over 140 native species of seaweed found along the Goan coast, these aquatic forests are critical habitats for marine life and hold untapped culinary, ecological, and medicinal potential. Over the past two years, The Good Ocean team has been carefully wild-harvesting small batches of edible seaweed for chefs and restaurants, while documenting these vital ecosystems.

Key highlights included:

• A guided tidepool exploration identifying native seaweed species and learning about their roles within the local marine ecology.

• Insights into sustainable wild harvesting practices, culinary uses, and the challenges of introducing seaweed into local and restaurant kitchens.

• Stories about documenting the seaweed forests of Goa, their seasonal cycles, and the communities who traditionally engage with these coastal resources.

• Conversations on coastal biodiversity conservation and the importance of protecting these fragile ecosystems in the face of rapid environmental change.

The walk offered participants a rare opportunity to see the rich underwater worlds of Goa’s rocky shores up close, deepening their relationship with the region’s edible landscapes and marine heritage.

About The Good Ocean:
The Good Ocean is a Goa-based initiative dedicated to promoting sustainable coastal food practices, conserving marine biodiversity, and reintroducing native seaweeds into local and contemporary food cultures through foraging, education, and chef collaborations.