Dr Nicholas Paul

Principal Research Fellow, James Cook University

ACIAR Project Leader: Diversification of Seaweed Industries in Pacific Island Countries

ACIAR Seaweed Projects in the Pacific: Feasible, Sustainable and Commercial

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

1. improve production levels and post-harvest quality of Kappaphycus in Fiji and Kiribati;

2. consolidate production and post-harvest strategies for sea grapes in Samoa and Fiji;

3. assess opportunities for new seaweed bioproducts in PICs.

Fiji

Tambalang variety

Fiji

Sacol variety

Fiji

New “maumere” variety

Fiji

Gau

Naweni

Lakeba

Labasa

Savusavu

Dama Yageta

Nadi

Suva

Sawakasa

Kumi

Gau

Fiji

Environmental monitoring of

production sites

Post-harvest quality

assessment

Samoa

Samoa

Production trials

Samoa

Vaisala

Asaga

Savaia

Faleavu

Extension work with villages on Upolu and Savai’i

Manono tai

Salelologa

Samoa

Extension work with villages on Upolu and Savai’i

Samoa

Extension work with Vaisala village, Savai’i

Samoa

Samoa

New sea grape seedstock facility at existing hatchery

Kiribati

Tarawa – South Tarawa production sites

New seaweed bioproducts

MFMRD

Sth Tarawa

KiribatiMFMRD

Blooms and beach wrack on South Tarawa

Kiribati

Compost: Seaweed – Leaf Mix. Start

MFMRD

Kiribati

Compost: Seaweed – Leaf Mix. Turn and tend

MFMRD

Kiribati

Compost: Seaweed – Leaf Mix. Finish (3 months)

MFMRD

Kiribati

Pot trials and tests of seaweed compost ratios

MFMRD

Kiribati

Production trials of green seaweed in the lagoon (high nutrients)

MFMRD

Kiribati

New seaweed bioproducts

MFMRD

Sth Tarawa

Kiribati

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)

New seaweed bioproducts

MFMRD

Sth Tarawa

Abarao trials

Conclusion

Feasible Sustainable Commercial✔ ✔ ✔

Acknowledgements

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)

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)