SEAWEED FARMING

1
SEAWEED FARMING
Presented by
EMELITO T. GIBE Regional Seaweed Action
Officer BFAR IV-B (MIMAROPA)
2
STATUS OF SEAWEED INDUSTRY

• Historical Development
• -In early 60s, discovered abundant supply of
  wild red algae (seaweeds) in Phil. Waters.
• -In 70s, mariculture technology was
  successfully developed.
• -Since then, extensive farming became a major
  livelihood of seafarmers.
• Present Status, Prospects Global Demands
• -tremendous continuous demand of Phil.
  Seaweed for export market
• -generates employment, provides alternative
  livelihood improves family income (esp. in
  coastal communities)
• -2nd top export commodity after Tuna w/export
  value at
• Php 4,229,719,946.00
• -World 2nd largest producer of aquatic plants
  2006 production was 1,468,906.01 MT (wet), 70.21
  of total aquaculture production

3
BIOLOGY AND IMPORTANCE OF SEAWEEDS

• Biology of Seaweeds
• macrobenthic (large attached) forms of marine
  algae
• primitive, simplified structure
• has no true roots, stems leaves (is generally
  called thallus)
• photosynthetic
• red, green, yellow-green, light tan to dark red
  to brown in color
• naturally grow in coral reef areas

4

• Importance of Seaweeds
• Ecological - serves as primary producers in
  marine ecosystem
• - serves as habitat breeding ground
• Economic - source of human food
• - utilized as fodder fertilizer
• -Source of raw material for phycocoloid
  production
• a.) carrageenan for milk, candy, lotion,
  toothpaste, shampoo, beer, soap CARRAGEENAN
• b.) agar used as thickener, emulsifier, gel,
• forming agent, lubricant, bacteriological
• culture media
• c.) algin used in medicine as antibacterial
  and ointment

5

• SITE SELECTION METHODS OF FARMING
• Site Selection
• Free from fresh water run-off
• Clear and clean water
• gt30 ppt salinity
• Moderate water movement/current
• Sandy or rocky bottom to corally substrates
• Should not be exposed during low tide
• Protected bays
• Presence of wild stocks
• Methods of Farming
• Broadcast method
• Tubular method
• Spider Web method
• Bamboo Raft method (floating)
• Fixed Monoline method (stake)
• Multiple Longline method (floating)

6

• SEAWEED DISEASES HEALTH MANAGEMENT
• Seaweed Diseases
• 1.) ice-ice thallus becomes whitish in
  color, eventually
• causing affected parts to break off.
• 2.) pitting occurs at cortical layer wherein
  cavity is formed due to mechanical wound
• 3.)tip darkening due to senescence (old age)
  cold weather which result to loss of color
• 4.) tip discoloration due to aerial
  exposure intolerance
• 5.) epiphytism algal parasitism larval
  mollusk attached hinges to the thallus,
  presence of pigmented algae
• (Rhodophytes), presence due to slow water
  movement/
• turbid water.
• 6.) Presence of micrograzers and macrograzers

COMMON DISEASES OF SEAWEEDS
MICROGRAZERS MACROGAZERS
7

• General Health Farm Management
• 1.) Visit farm daily
• 2.) Keep cultured seaweeds always clean
• 3.) Check prune ice-ice infected portion of
  cultured seaweeds
• 4.) Tighten loose lines and tie-ties
• 5.) Repair or replace all broken/damaged
  materials (bamboo,monolin)
• 6.) Adjust monolines if necessary
• 7.) Keep a record of daily observation (weather
  condition, growth data, abnormalities)

8
PREPARATION OF MATERIALS SEAWEED PLOT

• Preparation of planting materials
• 1.) Cultivation Rope monfilament 110 test
  lbs, polyethylene
• rope (PER 6-7), flat binder
• 2.) Tying Matls soft plastic rope
  (tie-tie), monofilament
• 160 test lbs
• 3.) Support Matls bamboo, mangrove post,
  steel bar, PE rope 12/Polypropelene rope 14
• 4.) Floater styrofoam (square or round shape),
  empty plastic
• bottles
• Preparation of Seedlings
• - select young branches using sharp edge knife
• - tie individual plant using soft plastic rope
• - immerse plant in seawater to prevent
  desiccation
• - Seedlings 100-150 per cutting

9

• CONTINUATION
• Installation of monolines, bamboo raft stakes
• - install needed structures whether staking or
  floating method prior to planting
• - in fixed off-bottom longline, bull hammer is
  used to
• pegged stakes to bottom
• HARVESTING POST-HANDLING OF SEAWEED
• Harvesting
• - seaweeds are harvested for drying after 40-60
  days of culture
• - 3 ways of harvesting
• 1.) individual plant is untied/cut
• 2.) both ends of cultivation rope is untied
• 3.) whole single bamboo raft is brought to
  shoreline

10

• CONTINUATION
• Post-Harvest
• Cleaning clean thoroughly from foreign
  materials the
• newly harvested seaweeds
• Drying ground solar drying hanging method
• 71 (kilos) wet to dry ratio
• DOs in drying
• - dry immediately after harvest
• - keep seaweed always clean
• - sun-dry for 2-3 days
• - maintain moisture content at 35-39
• DONTs in initial drying
• - avoid contact w/sand, dust and dirt
• - avoid steaming
• - avoid contact w/freshwater
• Storage
• - stored in shortest time possible in clean,
  cool, dry

11

• COST RETURN ANALYSIS
• (Multiple Longline/Floating Rope Method, 25m x
  100m)
• Material Cost
• 2 rolls P.E. Rope, 18 (9mm) _at_Php
  1,100.00/roll Php 2,200.00
• 15 rolls P.E. Rope, 8 (4mm) _at_Php 240.00/roll
  3,600.00
• 4 pcs. Styrofoam Floats (16 dia.)_at_Php
  600.00/pc 2,400.00
• 12 pcs. Round Styrofoam Floats (8 diameter)
• _at_Php 210.00/pc 2,520.00
• 5 kilos used styrofoam floats _at_Php 20.00/kilo
  100.00
• 10 rolls soft-tie plastic twine _at_Php 60.00/roll
  600.00
• 30 pcs. Empty Sacks _at_Php 8.00/sack
  240.00
• 980 kilos seaweed seedling _at_Php 15.00/kilo
  14,700.00
• TOTAL Php 26,360.00

12

• Basic Assumptions
• Days of Culture ---------------------------------
  75 days
• Croppings Per Year -----------------------------
  -- 4
• Length of Cultivation --------------------------
  -- 25 meters
• No. of Lines Per ¼ Hectare ----------------------
  -- 100 lines
• Distance Per Seedlings --------------------------
  -- 10 inches
• Distance Per Cultivation Line -------------------
  -- 1 meter
• No. of Seaweed Seedlings Per Line
  ----------------- 98
• No. of Seaweed Seedlings Per ¼ Hectare
  ------------ 9,800
• Initial Weight Per Seedlings --------------------
  -- 100 grams
• Total Weight Per Seedlings ----------------------
  -- 980 kilos
• Daily Growth Rate ------------------------------
  -- 5
• Total Harvest (net wt.) after 75 days
  ------------- 4,655 kls
• Seedlings for next Cropping ---------------------
  -- 980 kls
• 2 Biological Loss ------------------------------
  -- 93.1 kls
• Wet to Dry Ratio --------------------------------
  -- 71
• Net Dry Weight Yield ----------------------------
  -- 511.70 kls

13

• CONTINUATION
• LESS
• Cost of Materials ---------------- Php
  26,360.00
• Depreciation Cost (20 of matls cost)-
  5,272.00
• Php 31,632.00
• NET INCOME Php 44,099.00
• Return On Investment 139.41
• Payback Period 0.71 year

14

• REFERENCES
• HURTADO, A.Q. and R.F. 2000 Agbayani. The Farming
  of Seaweed Kappaphycus. Ext. Manual 32. SEAFDEC
  Aquaculture Department. Iloilo, Philippines
• Seaweed Farming. Extension, Training
  Communication Division (ETCD). Bureau of
  Fisheries and Aquatic Resources IV-B (MIMAROPA).
  Quezon City, Philippines.
• GALICIA, A.M., Jr., et al. Introduction to
  Seaweed Farming.
• Seaweed Development Program (SDP). Inland
  Fisheries and Aquaculture Division. Bureau of
  Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Quezon City,
  Philippines.

15
THAT'S ALL FOLKS!