Ownership gap
No single accountable route
Applicants still assemble the sequence, dependencies, and handoffs across agencies for themselves.
Known gaps
We mark the blank water. We do not paint it blue.
A trustworthy chart says where the soundings stop. These are the large, cross-cutting gaps Permit Reef is organizing with operators, agencies, Tribal partners, researchers, and funders.
Rule gap
Seaweed food rules remain fragmented
Species, intended use, processing, facility, and buyer requirements can lead to different controls without one California-facing decision tree.
$150K–$500K+ EIR
Evidence is expensive before certainty
Small operators can face major baseline and consultant costs before knowing whether a location or design can advance.
Timeline gap
Published timelines are incomplete
New leases can run 5–10 years and species changes 2–5 years, while many intermediate clocks are not tracked publicly.
System gap
Operational knowledge is scattered
Permits, food safety, seed, processing, finance, and distribution live in separate binders, sites, and conversations.
Bring a source, a question, or a correction.
The private Desk turns gaps into assigned work, evidence, claims, agency questions, and decision records. Nothing becomes “verified” because it sounds right.