Photo credit: Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Review: Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)
Two seaweed species (Eucheuma alvarezii & Eucheuma spinosum) were first introduced in Kiribati from Hawaii in 1977. Based on farming and marketing trials, only E. alvarezii was concentrated upon due to the very slow growth of E. spinosum.
The common methods for seaweed farming in the Kiribati islands are either the stake-to-stake method, or floating longlines.
Under the overall conditions in the Kiribati Islands, the harvesting of seaweed is done on the 11th week of farming and this involves a total removal of the plants from the line, transferring them to the drying platforms/racks. The inserted photo shows the harvest of seaweed by the farmers.
The main challenges facing the seaweed culture in Kiribati are algal infestation, the whitening, grazing by some fish species (e.g. rabbitfish) and the unpredictable westerly winds destroy.
However, in the light of the accumulated farming experience gained by seaweed farmers, the social acceptance towards seaweed farming as well as the secured overseas markets, it becomes obvious that the seaweed venture in Kiribati proved to be an income generating activity for the Kiribati people.
References:
FAO, 1989, Proceedings of the regional workshop on seaweed culture and marketing, Suva, Fiji
Secretariat of the Pacific Community, 2003, Farming Seaweed in Kiribati, A practical guide for seaweed farmers
