Tropical macroalgae: a sustainable resource for the future

Today, seaweed is a booming industry, practiced in some fifty countries and accounting for almost 50% of mariculture production, with a growing market making a significant contribution to the blue economy. The largest market for seaweed-based products is the human food sector, with phycocolloids for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. However, the properties of seaweed are highly diversified, and the potential uses are remarkable, ranging from anticancer and nutraceutical molecules to fertilizers and biofuels, as well as environmental remediation and bioplastics.

Although large-scale seaweed aquaculture and the seaweed industry is a common practice and a valuable source of income in Asia, it is still in its infancy in other parts of the world, and in particular in many tropical countries, which boast a diversity of seaweeds that remains largely untapped. This diversity represents major economic, innovation and sustainable development opportunities, particularly for improving the livelihoods of tropical coastal communities.

This article presents an overview of the current tropical macroalgae industry and explores the trends, challenges and development opportunities for this industry.