Welcome to the first newsletter for Seaweeds

Australia, a networking forum for research,

development, marketing and commercialisation

of seaweed in Australia. A year on since the

first strategic R&D and industry meetings in

Hobart and Nowra respectively, Seaweeds

Australia is at last formalised and hosted by the

Shoalhaven Marine and Freshwater Centre at

the University of Wollongong, Shoalhaven

Campus. The initiative is currently sponsored in

partnership by the

Australian Govern-

ment Rural Industries

Research & Develop-

ment Corporation

(RIRDC) and the

Fisheries Research &

Development Corpo-

ration (FRDC). The

RIRDC have stimu-

lated and funded R&D in the field of applied

seaweed research for over a decade and have

a history of reports that can be found on their

website (www.rirdc.gov.au). The FRDC are the

lead funding agency for Aquaculture R&D

within which seaweed can have an important

role into the future (www.frdc.gov.au).

Since the original networking meetings, signifi-

cant events, interest and the national network

have grown. Already, Seaweeds Australia has

represented research and industry at national

and international conferences, and the vertical

links between research and industry that were

the intention of Seaweeds Australia have al-

ready started to connect. Now with the estab-

lishment of the newsletter, an initial mailing list

of close to 100 stakeholders and soon a web-

site, it is envisaged that the interest and enthu-

siasm evident at the initial strategic meetings in

2009/2010 will be built on significantly and ini-

tiatives will have the opportunity to flourish.

Communication through Seaweeds Australia

can help to strategically align interests, skills,

capacity and investment in the development of

vibrant and sustainable seaweed industries.

A primary purpose of Seaweeds Australia is the

vertical integration of R&D, commercialisation &

production, marketing and distribution through

communication and promotion of seaweed initia-

tives to end users and governance agencies. To

achieve this a five pronged approach to catego-

rising research and applied themes was devel-

oped; Cultivation, Biotechnology (nutraceuticals,

pharmaceuticals and

other technology appli-

cations), Aquaculture,

Agricultural applica-

tions, Food and Nutri-

tional applications and

Natural Resource

Management. The

Seaweeds Australia

newsletter information

will be categorised according to these themes in

each newsletter, and showcase developments

within each theme. There is however always

overlap between themes so keep your eye

across them all as species, technology or appli-

cations will be common to members across

many themes.

Seaweeds Australia aims to complement, not

replicate, already existing networks in Australia.

Such networks and industry organisations exist

for example in basic phycology and micro algal

applications. Similarly Seaweeds Australia has

international counterparts that extend our net-

works even further.

I hope you find this first issue informative and

realise that an industry and research sector is

only as strong as the sum of it’s parts—and that

includes you. Your confirmation of interest in

this newsletter will secure you in the distribution

for 2011—please see last page. Please contact

us and contribute to the featured themes.

Pia Winberg

(Executive Officer Seaweeds Australia)

Seaweeds Australia Issue 1:1

April 2011

Seaweed

Species Profi le

Petalonia fasciata. A

brown, ephemeral

seaweed from the

family Scytosiphona-

ceae, and commonly

known as “petal weed”

or “false kelp”. It is

distributed in temper-

ate intertidal rocky

shores in both the

northern and southern

hemispheres and is

recorded from all

southern states in

Australia. P. fasciata

was historically used

as a food source in

Europe during the

cooler months when

vegetable production

was low, and is regis-

tered in the U.S. as a

flavour enhancer.

Through a communication network,

vertically integrate the research & de-

velopment, investment, industry, and

market opportunities for sustainable

seaweed industries in Australia.

SEAWEEDS AUSTRALIA MISSION

Seaweeds Australia Editorial P.1

Development of Seaweeds Australia P.2

Theme: Cultivation P.2

Theme: Biotechnology P.3

Theme: Food & Nutrition P.3

Theme: Aquaculture & Agricultural P.4

Theme: Natural Resource Management P.4

Australian Events 2010 P.5

ISAP 2011 and bid for 2014 P.5

Events 2011 and Network Notice Board P.6

In 2009-10, The Rural Industries Re-

search & Development Corporation

sponsored three seaweeds industry

stakeholder meetings that were held in

Nowra, Hobart and Canberra. These

meetings included representatives from

the seaweed industry, research organi-

sations and government departments

respectively. Following these meetings,

delegates endorsed the formation of

Seaweeds Australia as an industry body

to represent the existing, emerging and

future Australian seaweed research,

development and industries.

It was evident that despite a diversity of

Page 2

applications, research skills and mar-

kets, there were common interests

across the stakeholders and a recog-

nition that a united approach to sea-

weed industry development could only

serve to benefit all at the new and

emerging status of the industry, as

well as in

the longer term.

A full report sum-

marising this

process (Lee,

2010) is avail-

able on the

RIRDC web-

site at:

https://

rirdc.infoservices.com.au.

Cultivation of seaweed species in

Australia is very much in its infancy.

Only one cultivated product to our

knowledge is currently close to

commercial production as concur-

rent challenges such as species

selection, propagation and cultiva-

tion technology, the logistics of

scaling up, value adding processes

and vertical integration to markets

will take time to coordinate, align

and deliver reliable production.

However once these challenges are

addressed, Australian conditions

and local species hold great poten-

tial for future markets within each of

the strategic themes of Seaweeds

Australia. Despite the current chal-

lenges, a few species have been

trialled at pilot commercial scales

(i.e. larger than laboratory scales),

and this section of the newsletter

will feature the lessons learned and

the initiatives underway with the

purpose of setting the scene and

providing the opportunity for stake-

holders to source information and

learn from past experiences.

One of the earlier trials between

2002-2005 (Cordover, 2007) focus-

sed on the commercial genus

Gracilaria (rhodophyta). The stimu-

lation for this project was the exis-

tence of 6250 hectares of salt wa-

ter interception and evaporation basins

throughout saline affected areas of South

Eastern Australia, disposing of 50,000

Mega-litres of salt water each year. The

basic concept of utilising saline tolerant

crops and livestock in such areas is logical

and a stakeholder meeting convened in

1997 to discuss a suite of options.

Gracilaria was targeted for its agar mar-

kets and an assumption that this crop

would be technically more feasible than

cultivation of marine animals in inland Aus-

tralia. However there are huge water

chemistry challenges and salinity (Na+ and

Cl- ion concentrations) is not the only pre-

requisite of water for seaweed cultivation.

Inland waters are quite different to sea-

water; most notably high ratios of carbon-

ate to sulfate were found to persist in four

inland saline areas, high sodium to potas-

sium ion ratios were also consistently high

as were metals such as iron.

These water chemistry challenges resulted

in highly variable growth rates and survival

of the Gracilaria species under trial, and

although the study did

not provide for the next

stage of realising com-

mercial production, it

did establish the key

challenges and profile

the condition of inland

saline water for future

reference. A report on

this project is provided by Cordover (2007)

and is available from the RIRDC website

(Publication No. 07/033). It provides valuable

information on the achievements and chal-

lenges of the project.

Seaweeds Australia stakeholders have dis-

cussed these and other findings and identi-

fied that for Australia, with limited cultural

and technical knowledge of seaweed cultiva-

tion, it is strategic to target species selection

and cultivation technology using the abun-

dant, natural and clean marine waters along

our coastlines before adding to the challenge

with variable inland water chemistry. Oce-

anic water chemistry is relatively more con-

sistent than inland saline water, and is more

forgiving of the difficulty in achieving ade-

quate water parameters for seaweed growth

and survival. This does not exclude the po-

tential to achieve inland seaweed cultivation

in the future, but it reduces the risks by tar-

geting smaller challenges, and therefore

increases the potential for success of sea-

weed cultivation development in Australia.

Gracilaria cultivation trials in inland saline affected ponds. Source Cordover 2007.

Page 3 Issue 1:1

Although, food standards for Sea-

weed Products in Australia are lack-

ing due to the limited domestic pro-

duction, it is important that a seaweed

industry in Australia develops with

potential national standards in mind,

best practices and consumer safety

and perception. One foul player in an

industry can cause havoc for all as is

well documented throughout different

produce sectors. Producers must pre-

empts such standards and also con-

tribute to the discussion and develop-

ment of them.

It is also surprising to note that al-

though seaweed is one of the largest

aquaculture products globally, the

regional and international standards

have not been well established either.

The recent proposal to establish inter-

national standards for laver products,

i.e. “nori” or the species Porphyra,

provides some insight into the issues

that Australia may face in adhering to

quality and safety standards of sea-

weed products.

At the recent 17th session of FAO/

Marinova was one of the companies

attending the International Confer-

ence for Seafood and Health in Mel-

bourne during November 2010. The

company presented research findings

at the conference as well as partici-

pated as part of the Seaweeds Aus-

tralia booth. Marinova is one of Aus-

tralia’s few biotechnology companies

with a clear focus on seaweed ex-

tracts and undertakes human clinical

trial research using their extracts. This

includes the effect of their extracts on

the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Arthritis affects approximately 15% of

the Australian population. In Western

herbal medicine tradition, bladder-

wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) and other

seaweeds in the form of topically ap-

plied liniments have been used as

treatment of sore knees. Seaweed

extracts have been shown to contain

at least two major components with

anti-inflammatory activity; fucoidans

and polyphloroglucinols (algal poly-

phenols). Fucoidans are one of the

main therapeutic components of

brown algae and may constitute up to

25-30% of the algal dry weight, de-

WHO Coordinating Committee for Asia,

it was proposed that a regional standard

for laver products, be developed as pro-

duction is moving towards 1.4M tons per

annum. The proposal then further devel-

oped to address a global Codex stan-

dard as laver products are a large export

industry. The resolution was that the

Republic of Korea develop a submission

for the 31st Session of the committee on

Fish and Fishery Products (CCFFP) for

consideration as this organisation was

most likely to have the technical compe-

tence for sea products.

There are many factors which directly

affect the quality and safety of laver

products such as size, moisture, density,

contamination, acid value and more.

Such variability in quality and national

standards if any have caused confusion

in international trade. This could be rele-

vant to those companies who import

laver in bulk and further process the

product in Australia. It is proposed that a

draft standard be prepared by April 2013

for consideration by Codex, with the in-

tent that a final standard adoption is

achieved in 2015. This seems like a slow

process but it is the standard time scale

for the development of seafood standards

with Codex.

Considering seaweeds beyond laver,

some countries have adopted national

standards for quality and safety control.

For example in France, 16 seaweeds have

been classified as acceptable “non-native

foods” (Sassi, 2008). Within these species

there are limits for metal content, microbi-

ological criteria, recommended consump-

tion guidelines for species high in iodine,

and essential consumer information on the

packaging.

It is also worth noting that the Australian

Centre of Excellence Science, Seafood

and Health (CESSH) has produced a

document outlining how health claims can

or can’t be delivered on seafood packag-

ing. Although not specific to or even de-

veloped with consideration of seaweed,

these best practices are an important con-

sideration for seaweed marketers, proces-

sors and consumers (see: http://

cessh.curt in.edu.au/docs/ Industry%

20Guidelines.pdf).

pending on the specific seaweed spe-

cies. Fucoidan has also been demon-

strated to have a potent selectin block-

ing effect and has been used experi-

mentally to prevent inflammatory dam-

age.

Marinova recently investigated the ef-

fects of a seaweed nutrient on the

symptoms of osteoarthritis. The Mari-

tech® extract used was a fucoidan-rich

preparation of brown seaweeds manu-

factured using a novel proprietary aque-

ous process.

The two arm (100 mg and 1000 mg) open

label Phase I and II human clinical trial

showed a clear dose dependent effect of

symptoms of osteoarthritis as assessed

using the comprehensive osteoarthritis

test (COAT) index. This index is com-

prised of four subscales: pain, stiffness,

difficulty with physical activity and overall

symptom severity. After 12 weeks, the

100 mg dose reduced the average COAT

score by 18% and the 1000 mg dose by

52%. (ANZCTR: ACTRN12607000229471)

The COAT index decrease (reduction in symptoms of osteoarthritis) between groups in an open label study using different doses of a new fucoidan rich preparation.

In Jervis Bay on the south coast of NSW,

an unusual seaweed bloom event oc-

curred in late 2010 resulting in extreme

comments in the media such as “Callala

Beach has disappeared”, “the stench is

mind boggling” and “it’s a health hazard”.

The cause of this emotional response

was the green seaweed Microdictyon

umbilicatum, a common and occasionally

blooming species which had not bloomed

in Jervis Bay previously according to

records. The difficulty with this event was

that unlike the more common red sea-

weed blooms, the event lasted for over a

year and created an amenity conflict in a

high tourism area.

As an unusual event, it was difficult for

management agencies to respond, espe-

cially as the management crossed multi-

ple jurisdictional boundaries and respon-

sibilities. The option of removing the sea-

weed from the beach was also difficult to

make as the Bay is highly valued for it’s

biodiversity and fishing. The effects of a

potential massive scale removal of a

nutrient source in the Bay was difficult to

evaluate as such an event was unprece-

dented. However, as Jervis Bay has a

high rate of turnover of water from the

sea, it is unlikely that removal of bloom

biomass from beaches is significantly

detrimental to the ecology of the bay in

one off and rare responses to extreme

events. However the cost of removal is

also an issue, as is the disposal of

such biomass.

If cost effective removal can be

achieved through the identification of a

waste recovery opportunity then this is

potentially a desirable option for man-

agement of M. umbilicatum blooms.

The use of beach wrack biomass from

large blooms as a compost enhancer

for local agricultural lands holds good

potential for waste recovery, however

not much research has been con-

ducted on M. umbilicatum relative to

other green seaweed species such as

Ulva spp., with only 2 published arti-

cles found on it’s biology in the leading

phycological journals. It was not until

2002 that the first evidence of repro-

duction for this species was published

(Kim et al. 2002). Although there is

evidence of M. umbilicatum blooming

elsewhere in calmer water environ-

ments similar to Jervis Bay (Great

Lakes Council 2005; Vroom Timmers

2009), it is not known what key trig-

gers might cause M. umbilicatum

James Cook University researchers de-

livered two presentations at Australasian

Aquaculture 2010 in Hobart, within the

Seaweeds Australia chaired session on

Integrated Multi-trophic Aquaculture. The

de Nys lab have a strong history in the

early development of integrated aquacul-

ture systems for tropical Australia and in

particular linked to seaweed cultivation.

One research project with links to both

aquaculture and agriculture follows a

simple principle of sustainable environ-

mental engineering, integrating seaweed

culture with animal production systems,

both prawns and terrestrial livestock.

Australian tropical aquaculture is heavily

pond-based with a focus on euryhaline

fish and crustacean species that tolerate

the fluctuating environmental conditions

associated with the tropical (monsoonal)

environment. Aquaculture ponds in

Queensland must adhere to stringent

nutrient discharge regulations and the

adoption of extensive settlement ponds

has resulted in a high standard of envi-

ronmental stewardship by many Queen-

sland prawn farms. However the cost to

production of managing these settle-

range of salinity from 5—45 ppt, and

total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) up

to700µmol/L.

In current work towards the development of utilizing the green tide consortia for animal feeds and biochar (see Bird et al., 2011. Bioresource Technology 102, 1886-1891), this work now links trophic levels of production (animal-plant-animal) that facilitate improved environ-mental compliance, increased production of target species, and the opportunity to develop new aquaculture products.

Specific growth rates across the three genera of seaweeds illustrating different salinity tolerance ranges. Source: de Paula Silva et al. 2008. Inte-grating filamentous “green tide” algae into tropi-cal pond-based aquaculture. Aquaculture 284, 74-80.

blooms. This is not the case for more

common blooming genera such as Ulva

spp., which respond rapidly to ammonium

supply through eutrophication (either

natural upwelling, discharge or run off

events). There are records however of

sporadic M. umbilicatum blooms in near

pristine, marine protected environments

without human impacts and with little con-

sequence for the health of the ecosystem

function in the long term (Vroom Timmers

2009).

Eventually, after more than 12 months, the

bloom receded, however considering the

spatial extent and length of the bloom and

effect on beaches, Shoalhaven City Coun-

cil and the Shoalhaven Marine & Freshwa-

ter Centre at the University of Wollongong

are investigating management options for

beach biomass as a compost conditioner .

Page 4

M. umbilicatum. Photo P. Winberg.

ments ponds is considerable and better

use of the waste nutrients as a resource

could be made.

The de Nys lab developed a seaweed

cultivation system by evaluating the

naturally occurring algal assemblages

in pond systems, to manage nutrient

discharge and environmental compli-

ance, but more importantly to provide

value-added production. They have

developed a range of algal bioremedia-

tion options for application to tropical

aquaculture that remove nitrogen while

providing biological fertilizers, biochar

and animal feeds.

A most critical challenge in culture sys-

tems specific to the tropics, is to ensure

resilience to the strong environmental

fluctuations associated with the tropical

monsoonal climate. de Paula Silva, Paul

and de Nys have identified algal biore-

mediation species, and species consor-

tia, to ensure viable integrated aquacul-

ture systems throughout tropical produc-

tion cycles. Three “green tide” seaweeds

of the genera Cladophora, Chaetomor-

pha and Ulva were successfully cultured

as an algal consortia across a wide

The 4th Congress of the International Society for Applied

Phycology is fast approaching and Seaweeds Australia

will have representatives presenting in Halifax, Canada in

June. ISAP is a broad professional society encompassing

microalgal and macroalgal applications; from foods, to

biotechnology, aquaculture and natural resource manage-

ment, just like Seaweeds Australia (S.A.). This is a very

relevant location for this congress with one of the few

large scale land based cultivation industries as well as

large scale sea-based harvesting. Indeed Australia im-

ports many products from this region for agricultural appli-

cations.

2014 — Seaweeds Australia and the Shoalhaven Marine

& Freshwater Centre have been approached to bid for the

International Society for Applied Phycology 12th Confer-

ence and 5th Congress in 2014. A successful bid would

result in a congress to be held in Sydney, potentially Dar-

ling Harbour, hosting an entourage of 100’s of internation-

ally recognised scientists, industries and emerging talent

and technology in these fields.

A bidding process is currently underway and will be deliv-

ered at ISAP 2011 in Halifax, Canada in June, 2011. S.A.

is seeking interested stakeholders to participate in the

organising committee that will initially support the bid as

identified members of a 2014 conference organising com-

mittee.

The Australasian Aquaculture 2010

Conference was held in Hobart in May

2010, the International Conference for

Seafood & Health in Melbourne during

November 7-10, and the New Rural In-

dustries Australia Conference (NRIA)

at the Gold Coast from November 28-30.

At all of these conferences, Seaweeds

Australia members delivered oral presen-

tations, chaired a session in Hobart and

hosted booth exhibitions in Melbourne

and the Gold Coast. All three confer-

ences covered multiple themes, exhibi-

tions, and presentations that were of high

relevance to all five themes of Seaweeds

Australia and it’s members. Both the pub-

lic, industry and research interest was

high, resulting in new recruits to the Sea-

weeds Australia network and new col-

laborations.

Over 15 applied seaweed R&D or indus-

try outcomes by members were on show,

including initiatives at the University of

Wollongong Shoalhaven Marine & Fresh-

water Centre, James Cook University,

Marinova Pty. Ltd., Abtas Marketing Pty.

Ltd., government initiatives by RIRDC

and the Department of Primary Indus-

tries, Fisheries Victoria, a 2010 Nuffield

Scholar Adam Butterworth and an inter-

national collaborator of Seaweeds

Australia, Prannie Rhatigan and her

newly released Irish Seaweed

Kitchen.

The booths were an effective invest-

ment in outreach to the public, in-

dustry, R&D organisations and fed-

eral government representatives

and agricultural departments alike.

A small live seaweed display was

effective in creating interest in the

sector. Representatives of research capacity and technology that is traditionally

employed within agricultural industries was identified and appeared to hold great

potential for biotechnology development of seaweed industries in Australia. Such

technology includes molecular techniques, sensory perception technology and

carbohydrate chemistry that is commonly employed in the well established and

broad-acre cereal industries. These skills and capacity will be mapped alongside

other national industry and research capacity and infrastructure in Australia to

progress the development of high value seaweed products for Australia.

Clockwise from above: S.A. booth at ICS&H, Melbourne; S.A. booth at NRIA, Gold-coast with the crocodile industry representatives; Australian seaweed tuffets with crocodile and ginger sauce amongst the starters at the NRIA conference.

Pending a successful bid, the organising committee will be

reassigned to deliver the conference in 2014, in conjunction

with a conference organiser and venue. At this early stage,

Business Events Sydney is assisting in the bid process,

conference sponsorship and early stages of organisation

for venues in and around Darling Harbour in

Sydney.

If you are keen to nomi-

nate yourself for the

Seaweeds Australia

ISAP Congress 2014

bid as well as the po-

tential conference

organising commit-

tee, please contact

Pia Winberg as

soon as possible.

We would like a

diverse, represen-

tative and pro-

ductive group for

this committee.

Contact:

pia@uow.edu.au

Page 5

M. umbilicatum. Photo P. Winberg.

International Events

The 4th Congress of the International Society for

Applied Phycology (ISAP), Halifax Canada from

June 19-24, 2011:

www.isap2011-halifax.org/

6th Asian Pacific Phycological Forum (APPF)

Yeosu, Korea from 9th - 14th

October, 2011: abstract deadline May 31

www.appf2011.org/sub/invitation.asp

Alg’n’Chem 2011

Algae, new resources for Industry?

France, 7-10 Nov. 2011: abstract deadline May 15

www.appf2011.org/sub/invitation.asp

The Shoalhaven Marine &

Freshwater Centre at the

University of Wollongong is

the host organization for

Seaweeds Australia

Please contact Pia Winberg

for queries:

Seaweeds Australia

c/o Shoalhaven Marine &

Freshwater Centre

Shoalhaven Campus

PO Box 5080 Nowra DC

NSW 2541 Australia

pia@uow.edu.au

This space will be provided in Future

Newsletters for a network notice board.

Please send any contributions and novel notes

related to seaweed to pia@uow.edu.au.

In this issue I have selected to showcase a new

seaweed recipe book from Ireland released last

year. Many stakeholders of Seaweeds Austra-

lia ask about recipes and how to cook sea-

weeds, to which I have to reply that there are

not many recipe books or information about our

edible local seaweed species yet. However

Prannie’s book includes description of some of

the seaweed genera and species that we also

have in Australia, as well as some that we can

source through imported products. Remember

always, that you need to know your species

and the health of the environment in which it

grows for quality and safety. As there is much

to gain from eating more seaweed in our diet,

this book is a great inspiration

Page 6

We’ll be on

the web SOON!