PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON SEAWEED CULTURE AND MARKETING

Eucheuma seaweed culture was initiated and developed in the Philippines in the late 1960's by Dr.Maxwell Doty's team. Today, Eucheuma industry has become one of the most important fishery export industries of the Philippines. Contrary to the Philippines where seaweed farming is widespread and well developed, the Pacific island countries have experienced great difficulties, both of social and economic nature in establishing the cultivation of carrageenophytes. However, the great potential of seaweed farming in rural development has motivated Pacific countries to look at the seaweed industry very seriously.

The first trial of Eucheuma culture in the South Pacific was carried out in Fiji in the mid 1970's with imported seedstock from the Philippines though this trial was not successful. In 1977 another trial of Eucheuma culture was carried out by Dr. M. Doty at Christmas Island, Kiribati. The seedstock of Eucheuma was brought from Hawaii, originally having come from the Philippines. The seed was afterward introduced to Tarawa from Christmas Island in 1981. Then, to Tonga from Tarawa in 1982, to Fiji from Tonga in 1984 and to Solomon Islands from Fiji in 1987. The first commercial shipment of 2 mt dried Eucheuma from the region was made in 1984 from Tarawa. In the region Eucheuma is currently exported from Fiji, Kiribati and Federated States of Micronesia. Culture trials are being or have been undertaken in Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and French Polynesia.

In 1986, Fiji became the major Eucheuma growing country in the region, with 200 mt of dried Eucheuma exported in 1986 and 277 mt in 1987. However, in 1988, Eucheuma culture was totally deteriorated because of the political change that happened in the country and the sudden withdrawal of the sole Eucheuma buyer from New Zealand.

In order to overcome the marketing crisis in Fiji, most of Eucheuma buyers were contacted world-wide through the FAO network. As a result, the FMC Corporation Marine Colloids Division visited Fiji in the late 1988 and showed interest in trading the Fiji Eucheuma.

In the Pacific island context, the culture of seaweed could be beneficial for rural development. Owing to the low technology involved in farming and the small initial capital investment required, seaweed culture holds considerable promise for developing exports, providing employment, as an alternative source of income for rural fisherman and for exploiting extensive reef and lagoon areas suitable for mariculture purposes. Fiji started an arrangement of restoration programme of Eucheuma culture in 1989.

During the Second Technical Sub-committee Meeting of the Forum Fisheries Committee 16th Meeting held at Majuro in April 1989, a special meeting on seaweed culture development was organized among the Eucheuma growing and interested countries. In this meeting the countries emphasized the need for studies on marketing of dried Eucheuma, production economics and development of other potential seaweeds culture.

In response to this regional need together with aiming at promotion of Eucheuma culture in Fiji, the SPADP organized a workshop on seaweed culture and marketing for both the region and the country of Fiji, in association with the Marine Colloids Division and the Fiji Fisheries Division. The main objectives of this workshop were to:

Encourage Eucheuma seaweed culture in the Pacific region by describing and practically demonstrating appropriate culture techniques including introduction of a newly developed culture practice;

• Demonstrate baling processes and explain product quality control for the export market;

• Provide opportunities for the exchange of up-dated information, and discussion on the present situation, trends and constraints of international seaweed culture and marketing with international experts and marketing authorities.

We wish to thank the regional participants who prepared country reports, all the people of Kiuva village who accepted our field tour, for the warm-hearted and unforgettable hospitality shown to the participants, the staff of the Fiji Fisheries Division who arranged for the installation of the baling machine, the University of the South Pacific who kindly hosted the workshop, and the Marine Colloids Division's staff and the invited experts for their invaluable contribution.

It is the workshop organizer and the editor's hope that the proceedings of this workshop will be a valuable resource for both those interested in setting up seaweed farms and government officials who need to assess the prospects for seaweed farming in their countries.