Experimental field cultivation of Acanthophora spicifera in the near shore area of Gulf of Mannar

Results of experimental field cultivation of the red alga Acanthophom spicifera (Vahl.) Boergesen, following vegetative-propagation method, sre presented. Vegetative fragments 5 cm in length were tied into clusters with polypropylene straw and were fastened to nylon fishing lines. The weight of seed material thus introduced was 4.85 kg. The algae grew rapidly and reached harvestable size of 15.9 cm mean length in 25 days. The weight of fresh harvested plants was 12.85 kg, having had a 2.6 fold increase over the weight of the seed material, indicating that the nearshore area of Hare Island in Gulf of Mannar, where the experiment was conducted, is suitable for large-scale cultivation of this seaweed.