MycoBuoys®
Sue’s strong ties to the Maine coast led her to growing the first mushroom buoys using agricultural crop waste and fungal mycelium in 2011 to offer a biologically compatible alternative to Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) buoys. Dozens of buoys were tested using various agricultural byproducts and different fungal species between 2012 and 2016.
After a hiatus, Sue was invited by oyster farmers in 2022 to teach GIY workshops to grow cylindrical buoys to float oyster cages for a first successful season. After testing various buoy shapes at a dozen oyster farms during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, momentum for MycoBuoys is growing among aquaculturists who wish to replace plastic components of their oyster and kelp gear with non-toxic materials.
Hemp, a marine resistant fiber traditionally used to make the sails, sheet lines and caulk for schooners, outperformed buoys made from other plants in ocean trials held in 2015. The longevity of untreated hemp/mushroom buoys ranged from 3-5 months in the ocean trials. Addition of one of half a dozen sealants tested, prolonged the life of the buoys to 5- 8 months.
