Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
d
Year [a]
Fig. 22.1
Global production of seaweeds over time according to FAO (
2011a
). (
a
) Overview of
the three groups of seaweeds. (
b
) Global aquaculture production of brown seaweeds with the most
important crops used for food and production of alginate. (
c
) Global aquaculture production of red
seaweeds comprising the most important agarophyte
Gracilaria
, the carageenophytes
Eucheuma
and
Kappaphycus
, and the high value food algae of the genus
Porphyra.
(
d
) Global aquaculture
production of green seaweeds showing “green nori” as a relatively new crop among the most
important algae sold for food
22.1.2.1 Species Variety
In 2009, the greatest biomass of cultured species (Fig.
22.2
) were the popular food
kelps
Saccharina japonica
(formerly
Laminaria japonica
), named “Kombu,” with
4.9 million tons annually, and
Undaria pinnatifida,
also known as “Wakame,” with
1.7 million annual tons. Among the rhodophytes that are produced the carragee-
nophytes
Kappaphycus alvarezii
and
Eucheuma
spp., both known as “Cottonii,”
(4.8 million tons), the red agarophytes of the genus
Gracilaria
, called “Ogonori”
in Japan (296,000 tons), and the red
Porphyra
spp. valuable as food alga “Nori”
(1.6 million tons) are particularly important. Other species like
Palmaria
,
Chondrus
, or the green
Ulva
, etc. are produced to a minor extent (FAO
2011a
).
22.1.2.2 Biomass Yield and Value
To date and worldwide more than 14.7 million tons of seaweeds (miscellaneous
vascular flowering plants like Zostera spp. or eel grass etc. not included) are
commercially produced, 6% collected from wild stock, 94% farmed. The seven
top seaweed farming countries deliver 99.95% of the global farmed volume and are
all situated within Asia: Most productive is most productive is China with 54%
followed by Indonesia with 20% and the Philippines with 12%. Chile is the most
important seaweed farming country outside Asia having produced 88,147 tons
in 2009, which is more than 99.9% of America's (north and south) total volume.
