Seaweed Aquaculture (2024)

FAQs

Why is seaweed important in aquaculture? ›

Seaweed Restoration Aquaculture

The seaweeds create forage and refuge habitat for commercially important fish and diversity of marine life. Seaweeds also act as a sponge soaking up what's in the water. These marine plants could potentially be cultivated to reduce heavy metals and other coastal pollutants.

Seaweed Innovation Challenge: calling all startups, SMEs and innovators with innovative seaweed-based packaging or food products. Access to new markets, network and funding opportunities. 30 April 2023.

Seaweed plays a vital role in producing oxygen and absorbing carbon, making it a valuable resource in our changing climate. It produces 70% more oxygen than land plants and absorbs carbon more effectively than trees, storing an estimated 175 million tonnes of carbon each year.

Seaweed aquaculture contributes to climate change adaptation by damping wave energy and protecting shorelines, and by elevating pH and supplying oxygen to the waters, thereby locally reducing the effects of ocean acidification and de-oxygenation.

Seaweeds are rich in nutrients, such as fibre, iodine and vitamin K, and have been an important source of food, animal feed and fertiliser for coastal communities for thousands of years.

The seaweed growth rate is influenced by many factors such as salinity, water temperature, pH, radiation, water oxygen content, sedimentation rate, nutrition, seed size and genetic material, epiphytes, fish, and disease infection (Ateweberhan et al., 2014) . ...

Impacts of warmer water temperatures and nutrient availability both from human-derived (deforestation and fertilizer) and natural sources (upwelling of deep-water nutrients to the surface) also cause the accumulation of sargassum.

Seaweed removes fats and toxins from the body and helps protect the liver from toxic damage. The sodium alginate in seaweed, especially kelp, absorbs toxins from the digestive tract.

But also unseen, these critical habitats are vanishing due to warming ocean currents, pollution, overharvesting and other human impacts.

Combating the Climate Crisis

As it grows, seaweed absorbs carbon from the water around it. When used in animal feed, some seaweeds have helped to reduce methane produced by livestock.

How much carbon can seaweed absorb? ›

The Ocean Panel estimates that seaweed farming could absorb anything from 50 to 290 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per year.

Bamboo: THE solution against greenhouse gases

Indeed, thee bamboo absorbs 5 times more greenhouse gases and produces 35% more oxygen than an equivalent volume of trees! It has a very important CO2 retention capacity since one hectare of bamboo grove can capture up to 60 tons of CO2 each year.

“Fishermen are better seaweed farmers than any of us will ever be,” Warner says. The company's current contract rate is 60 cents per wet pound, so most growers earn between $40,000 and $110,000 a season as supplemental income, she says.

Seaweed is a completely sustainable future food

Seaweed doesn't need fresh water. Seaweed doesn't need fertiliser. Seaweed absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen. Seaweed is fast-growing and nutrient-dense.

Seaweed plays many important roles in coastal ecosystems. Seaweed provides food and habitat for other marine species, cleans coastal waters by removing excess nutrients from runoff, and absorbs carbon dioxide from the water which protects shelled animals (like oysters) from ocean acidification.

Reported anthropogenic threats to seaweed health include global warming, shifts in water quality, and increased loading of sediment, contaminants, and nutrients (Kemp et al. 2005; Orth et al. 2006; Walker et al. 2006).

It also contains other vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin K, B vitamins, zinc, and iron, along with antioxidants that help protect your cells from damage. However, too much iodine from seaweed could harm your thyroid function. For optimum health benefits, enjoy this ancient ingredient in regular but small amounts.

Well, simply put, without kelp forests many species would be left without a habitat and shelter. This could lead to extremely low populations of many species of fish, invertebrates, birds, and even large mammals. What is this? If these marine animals were to go extinct, their entire food chain would be unbalanced.

Because these seaweeds are farmed in open systems, there is always the risk of breakage and spread of farmed seaweed fronds into surrounding habitats. Introduction of foreign species that might become invasive has been described as a major threat to marine biodiversity (Bax et al.

In general, seaweed production requires areas with sufficient nutrients and light for growth and salinity and temperatures that are not limiting to the species being cultivated. The mesotrophic boreal temperate coastal ocean is ideal for growing many species, of which large brown kelp species are most commonly grown.

What nutrients are needed for seaweed growth? ›

Inorganic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus are the main elements required by seaweeds for photosynthesis and growth.

Excess iodine

Most seaweed contains high levels of iodine, and a person may consume too much if they eat a lot of seaweed over an extended period. While many people can handle high levels of iodine, some are more vulnerable to its effects, which can include hyperthyroidism.

The distribution of seaweeds is commonly thought to mainly depend on abiotic factors, the most important factors being temperature and the availability of hard bottom substrate (Lüning 1990).

The floating brown seaweed known as sargassum has exploded in record-setting mass throughout the region. There is increasing commercial and research interest in developing ways to put it to use.

Overall, the critical conclusion drawn is that algae and seaweed biomass can be used to sustainably eliminate heavy metals from wastewater.

Seaweed contains a high amount of potassium, which can be harmful to individuals with kidney disease. Seaweed also contains vitamin K, which could interfere with blood-thinning medications such as Warfarin. Some varieties may have high levels of heavy metals.

Seaweed can provide an exceptional tool for helping detox your body. Seaweed can bind heavy metals to help eliminate them from the body. In addition, they are powerhouses of minerals and trace minerals.

They are washed up by currents from the Sargasso Sea, a sea between Europe and America, in which many brown algae grow. Due to these currents, brown algae are washed towards Mexico and the Caribbean, especially in the summer months.

The seaweed on Mexico beaches is simply a natural phenomenon. Seaweed, also known as sargassum, tends to arrive far offshore, but ocean currents have brought it to the shores of Mexico's Caribbean coast and the Gulf of Mexico. The seaweed levels vary day by day, and you can follow them by webcam at the major beaches.

The global seaweed market was valued at $6.5 billion in 2021, and is projected to reach $14.6 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 8.7% from 2022 to 2031.

What country produces the most seaweed? ›

Currently, Indonesia is the world's largest carrageenan seaweed producer.

New research published in Nature Sustainability shows that expanding global seaweed farming could offer a sustainable alternative to land-based agricultural expansion and go a long way toward addressing the planet's food security, biodiversity loss, and climate-change challenges.

Seaweed can also be used to recover and recycle excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphates from wastewater. So when you have large human populations, intensive land-based farming or aquaculture facilities releasing nutrients into our coastal systems, can be a very effective way to respond to that.

Seaweeds are green, red, or brown plant-like organisms that grow in the ocean. Like land plants, seaweed produces oxygen, around 70% of the total oxygen on Earth, and is the basis of the ocean food chain.

Most of the world's oxygen comes from seaweed! Researchers say that roughly 70% of the world's oxygen is produced by sea species including phytoplankton, kelp, and algal plankton. In comparison, rainforests make up 28% of oxygen production, while 2% comes from other sources.

Seaweed cultivation refers to the growing of kelp and other macroalgae that uptake carbon dioxide as they grow. Seaweed is grown mostly near the shore, and stores the carbon dioxide it has drawn in principally in its biomass, with some carbon dioxide also stored in the sediment below where it is grown.

What are the Highest Oxygen-Producing Plants? The highest oxygen-producing plants include Boston ferns, weeping figs, aloe vera, spider plants, gerbera daisies, areca palms, peace lilies, golden pathos, money plants, and snake plants.

Best Carbon Capture Plants

Bamboo has been around for millennia, and while it is often blamed for deforestation, bamboo is able to absorb 5 times more GHG emissions and produce around 35% more oxygen than its equivalent in trees.

Seagrass: The plant that removes carbon 30 times faster than a rainforest.

Seaweed prices have been more or less steady over the last decade, hovering about $250 per metric ton (Figure 3), with some downward pressure on prices of temperate species due to increased production in China.

How much seaweed per gallon of water? ›

Gardens / House Plants: Mix 1-2 oz of Organic Liquid Seaweed Formula per gallon of water (1-2 teaspoons per quart of water) in a pump or trigger sprayer.

Industry Drivers

Brown Commercial Seaweed Market size valued at USD 16 billion in 2022 and is estimated to expand at over 8.5% CAGR from 2023 to 2032, given the product's ability to improve blood sugar levels, among other health benefits.

During the decomposing process, the seaweed releases a gas called hydrogen sulfide. This is a colorless gas that resembles the smell of rotten eggs. Sargassum's decomposition cycle lasts between 8-16 days.

Seaweed planted in shallow water near the surface (30 to 50 centimeters) receives plenty of sunlight and its growth will be good. Seaweed planted in deep water (more than 1 meter from the sea surface) does not get enough sunlight and its growth will be poor.

Human activity like overfishing, pollution, and climate change can all create deadly obstacles for kelp forests.

Some seaweeds are perennial, living for many years, while are annuals. Annual seaweeds generally begin to grow in the spring, and continue throughout the summer. Some red seaweeds have a life span of 6 to 10 years.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean. Also known as the Pacific trash vortex, the garbage patch is actually two distinct collections of debris bounded by the massive North Pacific Subtropical Gyre.

Seaweed provides food and habitat for other marine species, cleans coastal waters by removing excess nutrients from runoff, and absorbs carbon dioxide from the water which protects shelled animals (like oysters) from ocean acidification.

Fish, shellfish, and other organisms use seaweed as both shelter and as a source of food. These underwater canopies act as nurseries for many fish in their early life stages. It is also an extremely efficient absorber of carbon dioxide and naturally reduces ocean acidification.

Seaweeds play a major role in marine ecosystems. As the first organism in marine food chains, they provide nutrients and energy for animals – either directly when fronds are eaten, or indirectly when decomposing parts break down into fine particles and are taken up by filter-feeding animals.

How does seaweed help the ecosystem? ›

Seaweed works in the same way as land plants

In fact, research shows that seaweed is responsible for producing around 70% of the total oxygen on Earth. [3] Seaweed also plays a crucial role in the broader marine ecosystem, housing fish, invertebrates, marine mammals and more.

You can get many of the same nutrients via eating what some fish eat—seaweed. One study found that algae-oil supplements were nutritionally equal to cooked salmon. Omega-3s from algae don't have toxic chemicals like the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in some sea creatures.

Seaweed is a great alternative to eating fish, as it tends to be rich in iodine, B vitamins, iron, and vitamins A, C, and E. It's also low in fat, making it a heart-healthy food too. Although there is a risk of ingesting too much iodine if you eat a lot of seaweed, the risk from average consumption is very low.

The present uses of seaweeds at present are as human foods, cosmetics, fertilisers, and for the extraction of industrial gums and chemicals. They have the potential to be used as a source of long- and short-chain chemicals with medicinal and industrial uses.

Seaweeds are green, red, or brown plant-like organisms that grow in the ocean. Like land plants, seaweed produces oxygen, around 70% of the total oxygen on Earth, and is the basis of the ocean food chain.

New research from the University of Alaska Fairbanks funded by the Department of Energy's ARPA-E grant shows some species of kelp may be especially effective at taking in nitrogen from the water. In other words, kelp may be able to help clean up polluted waterways.

When seaweed is removed, the beach atmosphere changes, leaving many animals and plants without a place to live and eat. Sargassum is on our beaches; the brown or dark green macroalgae that floats on the surface of the ocean and is carried in with the tide.

Further, seaweed farming minimizes the eutrophication by extracting surplus nutrients from coastal water during cultivation and creates a habitat for specific aquatic species.

Both tropical and marine fish gets benefit from seaweed and other aquatic-based algae, which may enhance the immune system and provide anti-inflammatory benefits. Seaweed is eaten by Koi fish, rainbow goby, and betta fish, for example.

Seaweed is a completely sustainable future food

Seaweed doesn't need fertiliser. Seaweed absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen. Seaweed is fast-growing and nutrient-dense. Seaweed harvesting supports coastal communities.