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Sustainable Seaweed Harvest Management

Sustainable Seaweed Harvest Management. Erick Ask FMC BioPolymer. About FMC. Diversified Chemical Company. Traded on NYSE, ticker symbol FMC Ag Chem, Industrial, Specialty Chemicals. #1 in carrageenan and alginate. Based in Philadelphia. Red seaweed resource Brown seaweed resource.

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Sustainable Seaweed Harvest Management

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  1. Sustainable Seaweed Harvest Management Erick Ask FMC BioPolymer

  2. About FMC • Diversified Chemical Company. • Traded on NYSE, ticker symbol FMC • Ag Chem, Industrial, Specialty Chemicals. • #1 in carrageenan and alginate. • Based in Philadelphia

  3. Red seaweed resource Brown seaweed resource

  4. Commercial Algae and Uses • Hydrocolloids • Fertilizer/Plant Food • Human Food • Nutraceuticals • Spa/Beauty • Medicinal uses • BioFuel? M. Indergaard (1983). The aquatic resource. I. The wild marine plants: a global bioresource. In Cote, W. A. Biomass utilization. Vol. Plenum Publishing Corporation, 137-168 From www.seaweed.ie

  5. Commercial Algae and Uses Seaweed Industry in the Caribbean Seaweed Industry in the Caribbean Potential markets? Spa/beauty product for tourisms industry (cruise ships). Seaweed (Gracilaria or Eucheuma isiforme) for salad in Asian fusion restaurants in U.S. Live Rock • CANARI • Irish Moss drink

  6. Define Sustainable Harvest • Reproduction and biomass – assure future supply • Ecosystem – Beds continue to fulfill their role of habitat, food, competition… even with harvest. • Economic – cost and quality • Employment – how many jobs? how much income?

  7. Case Study – Norwegian Laminariahyperborea • Started in 1960’s • Company initiated plan. • Based on understanding biology, ecology, substrate and ecosystem… • Pronova (now FMC BioPolymer) is the only harvester. • 5 year cycle so 5 zones.

  8. Vormedal Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

  9. Case Study – Norwegian Laminariahyperborea • Government approved management plan in 2002. • Must stay engaged with politicians and environment/fisheries agencies.

  10. Case Study – Chilean Sarcothaliacrispata • When started, in 1970’s, based on collecting beach material. • Mature plants, completed life cycle, harvested by wave action. • Carrageenan yield and gel strength/viscosity were very attractive.

  11. Case Study – Chilean Sarcothaliacrispata • Increased demand led to diver harvesting in 1990’s and more buyers. • Removing younger plants and substrate. • Lower carrageenan yield and extract quality. • Lower populations? • Poor post harvest handling. • Chile trying community based management plan.

  12. Case StudyAustralian Durvillaeapotatorum • Kelp Industries Ltd. is only buyer. • Harvested as storm toss on beach. • Sustainable since 1976.

  13. Summary of Case Studies • One buyer/harvester with active harvesting (Norway). • Many buyers/harvesters with active harvesting (Chile). • One buyer/harvester with passive harvesting (Australia).

  14. Lessons from Fisheries Management • One buyer/harvester and passive harvesting are easily sustainable. • Numerous buyers/harvesters with active harvesting needs good manageemnt and enforcement. How?

  15. Lessons from Fisheries Management • Concessions? • Education? • Buyer based management (diver protocol, fishing season)? • Co-Management? • Hatchery seeded beds and leasing production areas. • Quota? • Community based management? • Permits? • Shares? • Purchase right to harvest?

  16. Conclusion • Ownership = responsibility • No shortcuts • Corruption attitude leads to shortcuts which ultimately destroy populations and ecosystems. • Approach can depend on level of quality governance, cultural attitudes, financial resources… • With limited Government resources, probably best to be self policed within biological constraints.

  17. Conclusions • Learn from other natural resource management plans… not just seaweed. • Each situation is unique due to biology, culture of residents, government resources… • Need communication and “work in progress” attitude. No one will get all they want and not every initiative will work. But “nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

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