A seaweed park will be set up in Tamil Nadu once the state government allots the necessary land, said Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying L. Murugan.
- A seaweed park would be set up in Tamil Nadu for the first time in the country to improve the livelihood of fishers.
- According to Murugan, the Tamil Nadu government has been requested to set aside space for a Special Economic Zone for seaweed farming.
- A project would be implemented under the Prime Minister’s Matsya Sampada Yojana to increase fish stocks in Rameswaram and Mandapam areas.
What is Seaweed ?
- “Seaweed” is the common name for countless species of marine plants and algae that grow in the ocean as well as in rivers, lakes, and other water bodies.
- Some seaweeds are microscopic, such as the phytoplankton that live suspended in the water column and provide the base for most marine food chains.
- Some are enormous, like the giant kelp that grow in abundant “forests” and tower like underwater redwoods from their roots at the bottom of the sea.
- Most are medium-sized, come in colors of red, green, brown, and black, and randomly wash up on beaches and shorelines just about everywhere.
Seaweed Mission
- In India, a Seaweed Mission for commercial farming of seaweeds and its processing for value addition towards boosting national economy were launched on the occasion of the 34th Foundation Day celebrations on 10th February 2021.
- The mission is being implemented by Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC).
The Mission envisages the following activities:
- Establishing model demonstration farms over one hectare for cultivation of economically important seaweeds in nearshore and onshore along the Indian coast
- Kappaphycus all over Indian coast
- Gracilaria dura in Gujarat
- Gracilariaverrucosa in Chilka lake (Odhisa)
- Ulva linza or Ulva proliferainChilka lake (Odhisa)
- Ulva lactuca or Ulva fasciata or Ulva indica all over India coast
Seaweed Economic potential
- Out of the global seaweed production of ~ 32 million tons fresh weight valued around 12 billion US dollars. China produces ~57 %, Indonesia ~28% followed by South Korea, whereas India is having a mere share of ~0.01-0.02%.
- Despite several advantages, commercial seaweeds cultivation has not been taken place in the country at an appropriate scale, as being practiced in South-East Asian countries.
- By an estimate, if cultivation is done in ≈10 million hectares or 5% of the EEZ area of India, it can provide employment to ~ 50 million people; set up new seaweed industry; contribute to national GDP; ocean productivity; abates algal blooms, sequesters millions of tons CO2; Healthier ocean; bio-ethanol of 6.6 billion litres
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