Seaweeds (a plant group of the sea) in botanical terms "Algae" form an important food item in many countries of the East as well as West. In China, marine algae bears the name sea-vegetable and it is not uncommon for coastal inhabitants of Japan, Malaya, China and Phillippines to be seen on the seashore during low tide collecting these sea-vegetables. Korea and Japan are the two ceuntries where algae are farmed but only in Japan extensive seaweed cultivation is done.