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Survey of commercial seaweeds in South-East Viti Levu (Fiji Islands)

A preliminary study on farming potential of seaweed species present in Fiji

Year of publication 1999

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages p.53

Author Pickering, T.,Mario, S.

Product type Project

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) Several seaweed species found in Fiji have economic potential as sources of industrial phycocolloids, judging from reports for closely-related species in overseas countries. Some of these species are already used as food in Fiji and are a commodity traded in municipal markets. This survey was planned to determine, in preliminary fashion, the distribution, abundance and seasonality of economic seaweeds in South-East Viti Levu, and find out whether there would be any demand for them as sources of phycocolloids. The most common economic seaweeds found in Suva Harbour and Tailevu during this survey were Gracilaria maramae, Gracilaria edulis, Hypnea pannosa and Caulerpa racemosa. Other common seaweeds found in the localities visited included Acanthophora spicifera, Laurencia spp., Gelidiella sp., Enteromorpha spp., and Sargassum sp. Occasionally plants of Solieria (an edible seaweed) and Kappaphycus alvarezii (an exotic species introduced from Phillipines that was farmed in Tailevu up unt il 1993) were also found, but were not common. Gelidium pusillum has been previously reported as present in Suva Harbour in small quantities. Hypnea nidulans is common on some back-reef areas. Near Serua Island four types of Gracilaria were found; G. maramae, G. edulis, G. arcuata var. snackeyi, and a possibly new, undescribed species.

Language English

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