Seaweed farming technologies

Johnson, B and Ranjith, L and Divu, D and Mojjada, Suresh Kumar and Koya, Mohammed and Tamilmani, G and Ignatius, Boby and Suresh, V V R and Gopalakrishnan, A (2023) Seaweed farming technologies. In: International Workshop cum Training on Fisheries and Aquaculture: African-Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO). CMFRI Training Manual Series No. 35/2023 (35). ICAR- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi, pp. 210-216. ISBN 978-93-82263-62-3

Text AARDO_2023_Johnson B.pdf Download (372kB)

Abstract

Seaweed farming is a climate-resilient aquaculture practice. This cultivation does not need land, freshwater and fertilizers. It is a sustainable, diversified livelihood option for coastal communities. It reduces the effects of oceanic eutrophication and acidification and oxygenates the seawater for a healthy ecosystem. Seaweeds are valued commercially for their cell wall polysaccharides, such as agar, algin, carrageenan etc. and for their bioactive metabolites, manure and fodder. They have a variety of commercial applications in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and mining industries. Some seaweeds are also gaining importance as healthy food for human consumption. World seaweed production was 35.1 million tonnes of wet weight with the first sale value estimated at 16.5 billion USD (FAO, 2022). In India, nearly 47,000 tonnes wet weight of seaweeds are being harvested from natural seaweed beds (species of Sargassum, Turbinaria, Gracilaria and Gelidiella by nearly 5,000 families in Tamil Nadu) (FRAD, CMFRI, 2023). In India, seaweed farming is being carried out with Kappaphycus alvarezii. It is one of the economically important red algae, which yields carrageenan, a commercially important polysaccharide. Carrageenan is used in a variety of commercial applications as gelling, thickening, and stabilizing agent, especially in food products such as frozen desserts, chocolate milk, cottage cheese, whipped cream, instant products, yoghurt, jellies, pet foods, and sauces. Aside from these functions, carrageenan is also used in pharmaceutical formulations, cosmetics, and industrial applications such as mining. Farming of Kappaphycus alvarezii by the fisherfolk of the Tamil Nadu coast touched the highest yield of 1,500 tonnes of dry weight in 2012-13. However, production sharply declined after 2013 due to mass mortality. Around 400-500 tonnes of dry weight per year is being produced. More than 2000 families are involved in seaweed farming on the Tamil Nadu coast.

Item Type:	Book Section
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Seaweed; Farming
Subjects:	Aquaculture > Farming/Culture Algae > Seaweed Aquaculture > Mariculture
Divisions:	CMFRI-Kochi > Marine Capture > Fishery Resources Assessment, Economics and Extension Division Subject Area > CMFRI > CMFRI-Kochi > Marine Capture > Fishery Resources Assessment, Economics and Extension Division CMFRI-Kochi > Marine Capture > Fishery Resources Assessment, Economics and Extension Division Subject Area > CMFRI-Kochi > Marine Capture > Fishery Resources Assessment, Economics and Extension Division CMFRI-Kochi > Mariculture Division Subject Area > CMFRI > CMFRI-Kochi > Mariculture Division CMFRI-Kochi > Mariculture Division Subject Area > CMFRI-Kochi > Mariculture Division
Depositing User:	Arun Surendran
Date Deposited:	01 Jan 2024 06:16
Last Modified:	01 Jan 2024 06:16
URI:	http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/id/eprint/17847

Actions (login required)

View Item