Sustainability is the fundamental operating principle of this company. It's based on our belief that these gifts from the sea come with the responsibility to maintain sustainable practices in harvesting, processing and merchandising...leaving more than we harvest, producing more than we consume, and giving back more than we take. Our wild sea vegetables are harvested from the Gulf of Maine by hand: a simple and ancient technology that encourages mindful practice. The beds are lightly harvested to ensure regeneration; some of the same beds have been tended by harvesters for over 30 years. At times, market demand for some of our sea vegetables, such as dulse, exceeds the amount that's been harvested.  When that happens, we prefer rationing our sales as opposed to putting more pressure on the resource.  See the FAQ "Where's the dulse" for more on this topic.