Scientists turn to biotech to save ailing seaweed industry

The export-oriented seaweed industry may soon get relief from the anticipated breakthrough in biotechnology researches that would eliminate the menacing "ice-ice" disease spreading in seaweed farms nationwide.

"By next year, we should have enough ice-ice disease-resistant seaweed strains in our seed bank that we could distribute to seaweed farms especially in the major seaweed-producing areas in the country," said Dr. Joebert Toledo, director of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in Tigbauan, Iloilo.

Seaweed experts describe "ice-ice" as a phenomenon caused by low salinity, change in water temperature and light intensity that cause stress to the seaweeds. Under these conditions, seaweed emits a moist organic substance that favors the presence of opportunistic bacteria in the water causing the "whitening" and hardening of the seaweed branches. The whitened part of the seaweed looks like ice, thus the term "ice-ice".

The problem if left unmanaged, could result in serious raw supply deficits that would in turn, disrupt the country’s exports of carrageenan.

Toledo said SEAFDEC has been collecting various seaweed strains in the country and from these, identifying fast growing and disease-resistant cultivars through strain selection. These strains are being assessed for their growth and yield performance in selected seaweed farming areas.

"We are looking at the characteristics of these various strains, and see what qualities they have that are suitable to the existing conditions in seaweed farms. We are already conducting a number of field trials and the results are quite encouraging," said Toledo.

Toledo added that the improved seed stocks would then be multiplied in seedling banks and quality stocks will be distributed and sold to local seaweed farmers.

At SEAFDEC’s algal production facility, ongoing studies to raise the quality of seaweed seedstocks include the strain improvement of farmed carrageenan-producing marine macroalgae, collection and cultivation of microalgae as potential live food and bioremediation, cost-effective culture, harvesting and preservation techniques of green microalgae for crab and fish seed production and propagation and evaluation of nutritive value of locally isolated microalgae.

"Aside from responding to the problem of the industry on the deterioration of seedstocks of cultured seaweed, we are also carrying out studies intended to maximize the use of algal resources for industrial and medical applications. We also hope to come up with pollution control and wastewater measures using algae," noted Toledo.

The identification of new seaweed strains that are fast-growing and disease resistant to "ice-ice" is critical to the survival of the local seaweed industry.

Seaweed farming which used to be an alternative livelihood in the 1980s has emerged as an important and major income earner for coastal communities, raising the socio-economic status of fisherfolk especially in Mindanao. The high profit and fast return on investment for seaweed culture motivates farmers to shift from fishing into farming. The industry employs between 100,000 – 120,000, 90 percent of whom are seaweed farmers and the rest are seaweed processors and traders.

The Philippines is a leading supplier of seaweeds, accounting for more than 50 percent of world seaweed production. Seaweed farming is an export-oriented activity designed to produce carrageenan for the international market. Carrageenan are hydrocolloids that are key ingredients in many products of the modern food, dairy, pharmaceutical sectors as well as the industrial, wellness and cosmetics industries.

Close to 60 percent of total production is processed into semi-refined chips/carrageenan, more than 30 percent is exported raw (dried), and the rest is processed into refined carrageenan.

Over the years though, the increased and continuous production, alongside environmental degradation, shortage in quality seedlings, and occurrence of diseases, have pulled down yield, quality and overall productivity of seaweed farms.