Experimental cultivation of Gracilaria edulis at Valinokkam Bay

Experimental field cultivation of the agar yielding red alga Gracilaria edulis was carried out at Valinokkam Bay from May 1992 to April 1994 at 1.5 to 3.0 m depths using 2x2 m size coir rope nets fabricated with 1" thick coir ropes and 1" thick long line coir ropes. The seedlings cultured on nets and long line ropes during May to December in 1992 and 1993 degenerated due to sedimentation and low light intensity. The growth of G. edulis seedlings from January to April during 1993 and 1994 was good and reached harvestable size of 14.4 cm and 22.9 cm (mean length) after 45 and 90 days respectively. Harvest could not be made, as many of the grown up plants were grazed by fishes. Data collected on environmental and hydrological parameters from the culture site at fortnightly interval were correlated with the growth of cultured seaweed. The result obtained in this experiment is compared with the results on the experimental field cultivation of G.edulis carried out in the near shore areas of Mandapam and lagoon of Minicoy and Lakshadweep.