Seaweeds Australia
Issue 1:1 April 2011
Seaweed Species Profile
Petalonia fasciata. A brown, ephemeral seaweed from the family Scytosiphonaceae, and commonly known as “petal weed” or “false kelp”. It is distributed in temperate 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 registered in the U.S. as a flavour enhancer.
Seaweeds Australia Editorial Development of Seaweeds Australia Theme: Cultivation Theme: Biotechnology Theme: Food & Nutrition
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Theme: Aquaculture & Agricultural Theme: Natural Resource Management Australian Events 2010 ISAP 2011 and bid for 2014 Events 2011 and Network Notice Board
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Welcome to the first newsletter for Seaweeds vibrant and sustainable seaweed industries. Australia, a networking forum for research, A primary purpose of Seaweeds Australia is the development, marketing and commercialisation vertical integration of R&D, commercialisation & of seaweed in Australia. A year on since the production, marketing and distribution through first strategic R&D and industry meetings in communication and promotion of seaweed initiaHobart and Nowra respectively, Seaweeds tives to end users and governance agencies. To Australia is at last formalised and hosted by the achieve this a five pronged approach to categoShoalhaven Marine and Freshwater Centre at rising research and applied themes was develthe University of Wollongong, Shoalhaven oped; Cultivation, Biotechnology (nutraceuticals, Campus. The initiative is currently sponsored in pharmaceuticals and partnership by the SEAWEEDS AUSTRALIA MISSION other technology appliAustralian Governcations), Aquaculture, Through a communication network, ment Rural Industries Agricultural applicaResearch & Develop- vertically integrate the research & detions, Food and Nutriment Corporation velopment, investment, industry, and tional applications and (RIRDC) and the Natural Resource Fisheries Research & market opportunities for sustainable Management. The Development Corpo- seaweed industries in Australia. Seaweeds Australia ration (FRDC). The newsletter information RIRDC have stimuwill be categorised according to these themes in lated and funded R&D in the field of applied each newsletter, and showcase developments seaweed research for over a decade and have within each theme. There is however always a history of reports that can be found on their overlap between themes so keep your eye website (www.rirdc.gov.au). The FRDC are the across them all as species, technology or applilead funding agency for Aquaculture R&D cations will be common to members across within which seaweed can have an important many themes. role into the future (www.frdc.gov.au). Seaweeds Australia aims to complement, not Since the original networking meetings, signifireplicate, already existing networks in Australia. cant events, interest and the national network Such networks and industry organisations exist have grown. Already, Seaweeds Australia has for example in basic phycology and micro algal represented research and industry at national applications. Similarly Seaweeds Australia has and international conferences, and the vertical international counterparts that extend our netlinks between research and industry that were works even further. the intention of Seaweeds Australia have already started to connect. Now with the estab- I hope you find this first issue informative and lishment of the newsletter, an initial mailing list realise that an industry and research sector is of close to 100 stakeholders and soon a web- only as strong as the sum of it’s parts—and that site, it is envisaged that the interest and enthu- includes you. Your confirmation of interest in siasm evident at the initial strategic meetings in this newsletter will secure you in the distribution 2009/2010 will be built on significantly and ini- for 2011—please see last page. Please contact tiatives will have the opportunity to flourish. us and contribute to the featured themes. Communication through Seaweeds Australia Pia Winberg can help to strategically align interests, skills, (Executive Officer Seaweeds Australia) capacity and investment in the development of
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applications, research skills and markets, there were common interests across the stakeholders and a recognition that a united approach to seaweed industry development could only serve to benefit all at the new and emerging status of the industry, as well as in In 2009-10, The Rural Industries Research & 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 organisations 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
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 concurrent challenges such as species selection, propagation and cultivation 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 potential for future markets within each of the strategic themes of Seaweeds Australia. Despite the current challenges, 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 stakeholders to source information and learn from past experiences. One of the earlier trials between 2002-2005 (Cordover, 2007) focussed on the commercial genus Gracilaria (rhodophyta). The stimulation for this project was the existence 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 markets and an assumption that this crop would be technically more feasible than cultivation of marine animals in inland Australia. However there are huge water chemistry challenges and salinity (Na+ and Cl- ion concentrations) is not the only prerequisite of water for seaweed cultivation. Inland waters are quite different to seawater; most notably high ratios of carbonate to sulfate were found to persist in four inland saline areas, high sodium to potassium ion ratios were also consistently high as were metals such as iron.
the longer term. A full report summarising this process (Lee, 2010) is available on the RIRDC website at:
https:// rirdc.infoservices.com.au.
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 challenges of the project. Seaweeds Australia stakeholders have discussed these and other findings and identified that for Australia, with limited cultural and technical knowledge of seaweed cultivation, it is strategic to target species selection and cultivation technology using the abundant, natural and clean marine waters along our coastlines before adding to the challenge with variable inland water chemistry. Oceanic water chemistry is relatively more consistent than inland saline water, and is more forgiving of the difficulty in achieving adequate water parameters for seaweed growth and survival. This does not exclude the potential to achieve inland seaweed cultivation in the future, but it reduces the risks by targeting smaller challenges, and therefore increases the potential for success of seaweed cultivation development in Australia.
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 Gracilaria cultivation trials in inland saline affected ponds. stage of realising comSource Cordover 2007. mercial production, it did establish the key challenges and profile the condition of inland saline water for future reference. A report on
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Issue 1:1
Marinova was one of the companies attending the International Conference for Seafood and Health in Melbourne during November 2010. The company presented research findings at the conference as well as participated as part of the Seaweeds Australia booth. Marinova is one of Australia’s few biotechnology companies with a clear focus on seaweed extracts 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, bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus) and other seaweeds in the form of topically applied 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 polyphenols). Fucoidans are one of the main therapeutic components of brown algae and may constitute up to 25-30% of the algal dry weight, de-
pending on the specific seaweed species. Fucoidan has also been demonstrated to have a potent selectin blocking effect and has been used experimentally to prevent inflammatory damage. Marinova recently investigated the effects of a seaweed nutrient on the symptoms of osteoarthritis. The Maritech® extract used was a fucoidan-rich preparation of brown seaweeds manufactured using a novel proprietary aque-
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 comprised 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.
Although, food standards for Seaweed Products in Australia are lacking due to the limited domestic production, 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 preempts such standards and also contribute to the discussion and development of them.
WHO Coordinating Committee for Asia, it was proposed that a regional standard for laver products, be developed as production is moving towards 1.4M tons per annum. The proposal then further developed to address a global Codex standard 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 competence for sea products.
It is also surprising to note that although 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 international 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 seaweed 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 relevant 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 intent that a final standard adoption is
At the recent 17th session of FAO/
ous process.
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, microbiological criteria, recommended consumption 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 packaging. Although not specific to or even developed with consideration of seaweed, these best practices are an important consideration for seaweed marketers, processors and consumers (see: http:// cess h.cu rti n.ed u.a u/doc s/ Indu str y% 20Guidelines.pdf).
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James Cook University researchers delivered 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 aquaculture 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 environmental 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 environmental stewardship by many Queensland prawn farms. However the cost to production of managing these settle-
In Jervis Bay on the south coast of NSW, an unusual seaweed bloom event occurred 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 seaweed 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, especially as the management crossed multiple jurisdictional boundaries and responsibilities. The option of removing the seaweed 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 unprecedented. However, as Jervis Bay has a high rate of turnover of water from the sea, it is unlikely that removal of bloom
ments ponds is considerable and better use of the waste nutrients as a resource could be made.
range of salinity from 5—45 ppt, and total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) up to700µmol/L.
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 compliance, but more importantly to provide value-added production. They have developed a range of algal bioremediation options for application to tropical aquaculture that remove nitrogen while providing biological fertilizers, biochar and animal feeds.
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-plantanimal) that facilitate improved environmental compliance, increased production of target species, and the opportunity to develop new aquaculture products.
A most critical challenge in culture systems 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 bioremediation species, and species consortia, to ensure viable integrated aquaculture systems throughout tropical production cycles. Three “green tide” seaweeds of the genera Cladophora, Chaetomorpha and Ulva were successfully cultured as an algal consortia across a wide
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 management 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 conducted on M. umbilicatum relative to other green seaweed species such as Ulva spp., with only 2 published articles found on it’s biology in the leading phycological journals. It was not until 2002 that the first evidence of reproduction for this species was published (Kim et al. 2002). Although there is evidence of M. umbilicatum blooming elsewhere in calmer water environments similar to Jervis Bay (Great Lakes Council 2005; Vroom Timmers 2009), it is not known what key triggers might cause M. umbilicatum
Specific growth rates across the three genera of seaweeds illustrating different salinity tolerance ranges. Source: de Paula Silva et al. 2008. Integrating filamentous “green tide” algae into tropical 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 consequence 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 Council and the Shoalhaven Marine & Freshwater Centre at the University of Wollongong are investigating management options for beach biomass as a compost conditioner .
M. umbilicatum. Photo P. Winberg.
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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 Industries Australia Conference (NRIA) at the Gold Coast from November 28-30. At all of these conferences, Seaweeds Australia members delivered oral presentations, chaired a session in Hobart and hosted booth exhibitions in Melbourne and the Gold Coast. All three conferences covered multiple themes, exhibitions, and presentations that were of high relevance to all five themes of Seaweeds Australia and it’s members. Both the public, industry and research interest was high, resulting in new recruits to the Seaweeds Australia network and new collaborations. Over 15 applied seaweed R&D or industry outcomes by members were on show, including initiatives at the University of Wollongong Shoalhaven Marine & Freshwater Centre, James Cook University, Marinova Pty. Ltd., Abtas Marketing Pty. Ltd., government initiatives by RIRDC and the Department of Primary Industries, 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 investment in outreach to the public, industry, R&D organisations and federal 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, Goldcoast with the crocodile industry representatives; Australian seaweed tuffets with crocodile and ginger sauce amongst the starters at the NRIA conference.
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 management, 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 imports many products from this region for agricultural applications. 2014 — Seaweeds Australia and the Shoalhaven Marine & Freshwater Centre have been approached to bid for the International Society for Applied Phycology 12th Conference and 5th Congress in 2014. A successful bid would result in a congress to be held in Sydney, potentially Darling Harbour, hosting an entourage of 100’s of internationally recognised scientists, industries and emerging talent and technology in these fields. A bidding process is currently underway and will be delivered 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 committee.
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 nominate yourself for the Seaweeds Australia ISAP Congress 2014 bid as well as the potential conference organising committee, please contact Pia Winberg as soon as possible. We would like a diverse, representative and productive group for this committee. Contact: pia@uow.edu.au
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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 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 Australia ask about recipes and how to cook seaweeds, 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
on ! e b ON O ll b S ’ We we e th 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