A thriving seaweed sector could yield massive benefits for New Zealand

A new report shows Aotearoa (New Zealand) could reap economic, environmental, social and cultural benefits – both nationally and locally – from seaweed aquaculture. “The potential for Aotearoa as a whole and for local communities is massive. Seaweed makes up almost a third of global aquaculture production volume. Seaweed production has tripled over the last 20 years with a growth rate of 7 percent per year on average over the last decade. Global value of seaweed aquaculture in 2019 was approximately US$14 billion”, explains Project Leader Serean Adams, Aquaculture Group Manager at Cawthron Institute. “Right now, New Zealand’s seaweed sector is in its infancy. There are pockets of product innovation happening at small scale. But the sector is constrained by regulation and supply – we have an under-developed local seaweed supply-chain”, Adams says. “We need to identify what unique characteristics our native species have and develop these native species into high value products and ...