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Explore ACIAR's sustainable seaweed projects in the Pacific aimed at diversification and revitalization of industries. Projects include improving production levels, post-harvest quality, and assessing new bioproduct opportunities.
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ACIAR Seaweed Projects in the Pacific: Feasible, Sustainable and Commercial Dr Nicholas Paul Principal Research Fellow, James Cook University ACIAR Project Leader: Diversification of Seaweed Industries in Pacific Island Countries
ACIAR Fisheries Projects • ACIAR Fisheries Program Manager – Dr Chris Barlow • ACIAR Fisheries projects are developed based on priorities identified by partner countries. • Currently ACIAR funds around $3 million per year for Pacific Fisheries projects. • This is added to by in-kind from partner agencies, Australia and overseas. • Project design: ACIAR funds research agencies (universities, SPC, WorldFish) to work in conjunction with agencies (Fisheries Depts, NGOs, USP) in Pacific countries. • Research covers coastal fisheries and aquaculture
Current ACIAR Fisheries Projects • Pearl industry development, health management & livelihoods, Fiji, PNG, Tonga (3 related projects) • Improving technologies for inland aquaculture in PNG • Support for mariculture development in PNG (2 overlapping projects) • Sustainable management of sport fisheries for communities in PNG • Sustainable management of the shark resources of PNG: socioeconomic & biological characteristics of the fishery • Improving community-based aquaculture in Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa & Vanuatu • Improving community-based fisheries management in Solomon Islands, Vanuatu & Kiribati (2 projects) • Evaluating the impacts of improving postharvest processing of sea cucumbers in Fiji, Tonga & Kiribati • Developing inland aquaculture in Solomon Islands • Building research & project management skills in fisheries staff in PNG • Diversification of seaweed industries in Fiji, Kiribati & Samoa
ACIAR Seaweed project Diversification of Seaweed Industries in Pacific Island Countries October 2013 – September 2017
Current ACIAR Seaweed Activities • Aim • The overall aim of this project is to provide the technological basis for diversification and revitalisation of seaweed industries in Pacific Island Countries. • Objectives • improve production levels and post-harvest quality of Kappaphycus in Fiji and Kiribati; • consolidate production and post-harvest strategies for sea grapes in Samoa and Fiji; • assess opportunities for new seaweed bioproducts in PICs.
Fiji Tambalang variety
Fiji Sacol variety
Fiji New “maumere” variety
Fiji Lakeba Labasa Savusavu Naweni Dama Yageta Nadi Sawakasa Gau Gau Suva Kumi
Fiji Environmental monitoring of production sites Post-harvest quality assessment
Samoa Production trials
Samoa Vaisala Asaga Salelologa Faleavu Manono tai Savaia Extension work with villages on Upolu and Savai’i
Samoa Extension work with villages on Upolu and Savai’i
Samoa Extension work with Vaisala village, Savai’i
Samoa New sea grape seedstock facility at existing hatchery
Kiribati MFMRD New seaweed bioproducts Sth Tarawa Tarawa – South Tarawa production sites
Kiribati MFMRD Blooms and beach wrack on South Tarawa
Kiribati MFMRD Compost: Seaweed – Leaf Mix. Start
Kiribati MFMRD Compost: Seaweed – Leaf Mix. Turn and tend
Kiribati MFMRD Compost: Seaweed – Leaf Mix. Finish (3 months)
Kiribati MFMRD Pot trials and tests of seaweed compost ratios
Kiribati MFMRD Production trials of green seaweed in the lagoon (high nutrients)
Kiribati MFMRD New seaweed bioproducts Sth Tarawa
Kiribati MFMRD New seaweed bioproducts Abarao trials Sth Tarawa A single production area of 5 ha (each red line) can produce 100 tonnes of seaweed per annum, removing 2 tonnes of nitrogen (treating >1000ML of coastal water)
Conclusion Feasible Sustainable Commercial ✔ ✔ ✔
Acknowledgements Samoa – Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries (Sapeti Tiitii and Inshore Fisheries Team) Kiribati – Ministry of Fisheries & Marine Resources Development (Karibanang Aram and Aquaculture team) Secretariat of the Pacific Community (Tim Pickering and Ruth Garcia-Gomez) ACIAR Fisheries Program Fiji - Ministry of Fisheries & Forests (Fisheries Department - Jope Kavoa, Richard Veeran) Fiji - University of the South Pacific (Institute of Marine Resources, Colin Shelley, Shirleen Bala, Cherie Morris)