Shinnecock Kelp Farmers Blast Suffolk for SCALP Program Name

Shinnecock Kelp Farmers criticized Suffolk County officials for referring to its aquaculture leasing program as SCALP for short — an acronym that invokes violent acts perpetrated against Native Americans centuries ago.

The acronym appeared on a county invitation for the public to attend an open house on April 10 at the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Riverhead to discuss plans to add seaweed cultivation to lease sites in Gardiners Bay and Peconic Bay.

“The use of such a term is deeply offensive to Native Americans because it refers to a practice that was used against them during conflicts with European settlers,” the Shinnecock Kelp Farmers said in a statement. “It invokes memories of violence, genocide and cultural trauma inflicted upon our communities. Additionally, the commodification of scalps as bounties contributed to the dehumanization and marginalization of Indigenous peoples. The term is disrespectful and insensitive.”

The Shinnecock Kelp Farmers is a group of six Shinneock Nation members that continue the tribe’s long-standing tradition of cultivating seaweed for use as food and fertilizer.

The aquaculture lease program is the process in which the county leases publicly owned underwater lands to private commercial shell-fishing and related operations.

County officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment in response to the criticism but the name of the meeting was renamed ALP — officials dropped the SC — on the county website after the Shinnecock issued their statement.

Members of the tribe also called for the county to halt the New York State-authorized aquaculture lease program in local waters.

“It is deeply concerning that Suffolk County is attempting to lease land and underwater areas that they have no rightful claim over, particularly without consultation or consent from Indigenous communities whose ancestral lands these areas belong to,” the farmers stated. “We demand comanagement of lease areas with Shinnecock Kelp Farmers, acknowledgment of Shinnecock underwater land rights, and meaningful consultation with tribal nations.

“It is imperative that the voices and rights of Indigenous peoples are respected and upheld in all matters concerning our lands and resources,” the statement continued. “Shinnecock Kelp Farmers call on Suffolk County to immediately halt the SCALP program and engage in genuine dialogue and partnership with Indigenous communities for the proper stewardship of these lands.”