Australian trails on farmed seaweed grows

In the past Australia has been importing around AU$ 20 million dollars worth of seaweed every year, however in the future they could be exporting seaweed world wide. Trails in South Australia have started on farmed seaweed and if successful it could see Australia become a major international exporter of seaweed.

The South Australian Research and Development Institute is looking at how seaweed could be farmed, similar to finfish aquaculture, such as tuna. SARDI marine environment and ecology program project leader Dr Jason Tanner says it will be important to work with the finfish industries to make sure this trial is successful.

"One of the potential uses is as a feed for abalone aquaculture. "We are also interested in looking at kelp, which is used a lot in the pharmaceutical industry and there's a lot used in the human foods and industrial chemicals and that kind of thing." Read more...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Aquaculturists, published and supported by the International Aquafeed Magazine from Perendale Publishers.