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Sustainable seaweed farming could be the way of the future

Seaweed farming could be the sustainable solution the world has been looking for, but new research from Monash University and the University of the Sunshine Coast suggests Australia has a long way to go before it can capitalize on growing global demand.

In a study exploring ways to grow the fledgling industry in Australia in the Journal of Applied Phycology, researchers found key improvements to farming equipment and practices could provide the kick-start it needs.

Lead researcher Dr. Belinda Comerford, from the Marine Evolutionary Ecology Research Group at Monash School of Biological Sciences, said seaweed cultivation could be a gamechanger to meet Australia's net zero targets and transition to greener industries.

"We have seen global production of algal aquaculture like seaweed increase 4.3 times in the past 20 years," Dr. Comerford said.

"This is an industry with huge potential, and something a country like Australia is well positioned to leverage, with an abundance of coastal land that is suited to seaweed cultivation.

"Our work focuses on giving industry the tools and expertise to produce yields that will make their operations commercially viable on a large scale."

Seaweed can be cultivated on land, in tanks where it is rotated around using seawater and air pumps, requiring fewer resources and generating fewer emissions than other Western farming practices.

It has a variety of uses, including food, pharmaceuticals, building materials and an energy source.

Dr. Comerford and her team conducted their study at the Bribie Island Research Center in Queensland, where the plants were grown free-floating in 1,000 liter tanks.

She said a key finding was that the tanks needed to better mimic underwater light conditions, with the study showing the seaweed experienced periods of under- and over-exposure to light as the seaweed rotated around the tank.

"What we were able to do was discover just how different the patterns of light exposure between seaweed growing naturally and seaweed growing in our culture tanks were," she said.

"This is really important because it allows us to provide advice to industry about optimum conditions.

"We can then provide recommendations to the industry that will help set the standards for best practice, such as stocking density, or lead to the development of new equipment, like different size tanks.

"As with any commercial venture, maximizing yields is critical to the viability of the operation, which in turn will help develop and sustain an Australian industry."