TRENDS IN THE CHILEAN SEAWEED CULTURE

Hector Romo
Department of Oceanography

University of Concepcion
Chile
FONDEF D00 / I 1109

Some Suitable
Conditions

W
E
Variety and quantity of
Chilean commercial seaweed
S
are explained by its location
in the southeastern Pacific
Humboldt
shores.
The
area
is
influenced by an active upCurrent
welling system which fertilize
the upper inshore coastal
water and as a result, high
primary
production
and
subsequent high secondary West Wind
production occurs. Large
Drift
fisheries,
(e.g.
mollusks,
fishes, sea urchins and
seaweed) are the final result
of the interaction between Cape Horn
Current
both
oceanographic
and
atmospheric conditions.

Up welling

Pacific Ocean

20

40

USE OF SEAWEED IN CHILE

Unlike Korea, the culinary use of algae
in Chile is very restricted. The items
eaten, mostly by people of coastal
localities, are only the laver Porphyra
columbina and the bull kelp Durvillaea
antarctica
The use of luche (Porphyra) and
cochayuyo (Durvillaea) as food began
in the prehistory by the ancient Indian
people in pre Hispanic times. But in
general, firstly the Spanish and after
Chilean people did not incorporate this
kind of foods in their current meals.
Other restricted use is found In Chiloe
District, where land farmers use several
species of drifted Ulva and Enteromorpha
as fertilizers for potatoes and garlic
culture.

The Evolution of the Chilean

Seaweed Production

CHILEAN SEAWEED LANDINGS

Sarcothalia+Gigartina
Other
Lessonia
150
Tons (x 1000)

The harvest of industrial seaweed

began only in the fifties (XX
century) with the initial harvest of
Gracilaria to be exported to Japan.
Now there are 21 wild species which
have been currently or sporadically
collected and exported. In 1996 the
total harvest was over a 400,000
metric tons, being the maximal
landing from the last twenty years.

Gracilaria

100

50

80

85

90

The more important harvested species in Chile are:

Gracilaria chilensis (pelillo). Rhodophyta, Gracilariales
Lessonia nigrescens & L. trabeculata (chasca), Phaeophyta,
Laminariales
Sarcothalia crispata (luga negra)
Gigartina skottsbergii (luga roja), Rhodophyta, Gigartinales

95

00

AGAROPHYTE RED ALGAE

Gracilaria chilensis

Agar-agar
Food grade

Gelidium
G. lingulatum
G. rex
G. chilense

Bactoagar

Local factories and raw

material for export

Raw material for export

CARRAGEENOPHYTE RED ALGAE

Gigartina skottsbergii

K&
Carrageenan

Sarcothalia crispata

K&
Carrageenan

Mazzaella laminarioides

K&
Carrageenan

Chondracanthus chamissoii

K&
Carrageenan

Local factories and raw

material for export

Raw material for export

Other commercial species are: Ahnfeltiopsis furcellata & A. disciplinalis (ICarrageenan), Mastocarpus papillatus (K-Carrageenan) and Chondrus
canaliculatus (K & -Carrageenan).

ALGINOPHYTE BROWN ALGAE

Lessonia nigrescens
& L. trabeculata

Alginate

Macrocystis pyrifera
& M. integrifolia

Alginate

Local factories and as

raw material for export

Raw material for export

Durvillaea antarctica

Alginate

EDIBLE RED AND BROWN ALGAE

Chondracanthus chamissoi

chicorea (red)
Food for export

Callophyllis spp.

Porphyra columbina

carola (red)

luche (red)

Food for local

consumption

Durvillaea antarctica

cochayuyo
(brown)

Food for export and

local consumption

Since about 1990 Chondracanthus and Callophyllis have been actively exported to Japan under
several processed dried forms. The product must be entirely devoid of reproductive structures as an
essential requisite to be accepted by Asian markets. On the other hand, due to these species are
harvested from natural populations, a lot of labor must be spent to clean it and to select non
cystocarpic fronds.
Durvillaea has been sold since about 1985 to Taiwan being actually a consolidated market. It is
processed as dried products under the form of pieces, noodles and meal.

CHILEAN HYDROCOLLOID PRODUCCION

Hydrocolloid Production

2,4
Tons (x 1000)

The
Chilean
hydrocolloid
production began in the sixties by
one factory which manufactured
agar
agar
from
Gracilaria
chilensis. In the eighties other
three agar factories began to
operate enhanced by the huge
production from both wild and
cultured grounds.

2,8

2,0
1,6
1,2
0,8
0,4
0,0

90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00
agar-agar
carrageenan
alginate

From 1990 both alginate and carrageenan were added to the Chilean
hydrocolloid industry. Actually Chile produce about 20% world consumption of
carrageenan and about 25 % of agar agar demand.
Raw materials for the production of carrageenan are Sarcothalia, Gigartina and
lesser quantities of Eucheuma which is imported from Indonesia or Philippines
and raw materials for alginates are mainly two species of the brown algae
Lessonia.
On the other hand all Chilean factories operate in joint ventures with
enterprises of Spain, Denmark, Japan and France.

Gracilaria Culture

The culture experimented a

successful increasing until
1997 when it reached the
maximal
production
of
110,000 metric tons.

HARVEST OF GRACILARIA FROM CULTURED

GROUNDS AND WILD BEDS
150

Tons (x 1000)

The culture of Chilean

seaweed began in 1981 when
the
Gracilaria
chilensis
crops suffered an abrupt
falling off caused by heavy
overexploitation
of
wild
grounds along the country.

100

50

80

85

Culture

90

Wild beds

95

00

Total

Now, in the official records , cultured Gracilaria appear abruptly decreasing

during the last three years, but what happen in reality is that Fisheries Office,
the governmental entity in charge to check the landings and cultured
production has omitted this action. It is known that actually only less than 10 %
of the yearly production is contributed by wild grounds.

Gracilaria Culture by Thalli Fragmentation

(began in 1981)
Initial stock
Thalli fragmentation
Intertidal
Subtidal
Re-seeding

Bottom anchorage
(500 g- 1000 g / m2)
Growth
( 6 8 months)
Harvest
Drying
Sale

Polyethylene tubes
filled with sand
Stone attachment
Thalli directly buried
into soft bottom

Gracilaria Culture by Spores

(began in 1995)
Initial stock: mature tetrasporic or
cistocarpic thalli
Spore settlement on polypropylene ropes

Residual thalli
remains on
ropes

Microthalli growth in greenhouse (until 1-2

mm length). 1st to 2 nd months, nutrients,
filtered seawater, 10-15 C

Final growth 10 th-12th

months
(until over 5 Kg / m 2 )

Out planting to the estuary (ropes are

fixed between poles 70 cm above bottom

Harvest

Growth 6 th to 8th months

(until 40-60cm length)

Drying
(sun or industrial dryer)

Pre-harvest
Harvested thalli are entwined in
ropes or buried into the bottom

Sale

Spore attachment on
polypropylene ropes

Mature algae

Attached spores

Microthalli on ropes in
greenhouse

Harvest

Estuary
outplanting

Growth

 Like happened with Gracilaria in the eighties, the

interest for culturing Gigartina skottsbergii (Red Luga)

was triggered by a continue shortage of wild crops in the
northern areas of its distribution. Precisely near of Puerto
Montt City and Chiloe Archipelagoes whose wild bed
supplied seaweed to important carrageenan factories
settled there.
Consequently with this, the harvest done by artisan

fishermen, rapidly was extended to more southern

localities, reaching to southern Magellan Strait, about
1200 km from the initial harvested places. The demand by
local factories and by raw material to be exported
continues increasing.
So a Pilot Program to cultivate Gigartina is being

conducted by Instituto de Fomento Pesquero and

University of Concepcin. On the other hand a study on
the commercial culture of Sarcothalia crispata (Black
Luga) as been also developed by both institutions but it
has not been yet applied to industrial scale. However,
the know how exists.

CULTIVATING TECHNOLOGY

Selection of mature fronds

Filtered spore solution

with plankton net
Desiccation of fronds
for 15 at 12-17C

Harvest

Re- Immersion
in filtered
seawater ( 500 g
seaweed / 20 l
FSW )

IN THE SEA
Vertical hanging
type double line

HATCHERY

Seed substrate with

spore solution in
fiberglass tanks

Rope
attachment
at 5 cm
diameter
After 4 weeks
transplant to the
sea

Growth
Shells with young thalli

Development of
young thalli on
shells (10-15C
add nutrients)

Gigartina skottsbergii

Sarcothalia crispata

Local and foreign carrageenan supply

FUTURE CULTURES
Macrocystis pyrifera

Chondracanthus
chamissoii

Local abalone fodder

Food for export

Durvillaea antarctica.
Macrocystis sp.

Callophyllis spp.

THE FUTURE:
Next steps in the culture of Chilean seaweed necessarily must to consider:
Although initial pilot studies on culture exist, a major understanding on the basic biology of
edible species such as Chondracanthus, Callophyllis, and Durvillaea are required. These
species have a definitive acceptance in Asian markets. On the other hand, more research on
Porphyra spp. culture, similar to edible Oriental species must be done.
Quality of cultured Gracilaria such as: genetic selection and genetic handling in order to
select more productive and more resistant strains to epiphyte attack should be emphasized .
Biothechnological approaches on all cultured species should be developed in order to
enhance the production of useful secondary metabolites.
Understanding of biological mechanisms on commercial species that exhibit low growth
rates such as Gelidium, Ahnfeltiopsis and Chondracanthus as hydrocolloid and food
sources must be improved.
Companies involved in seaweed business, as well as artisan fishermen should to negotiate
with State institutions the feasibility to authorize and regulate the introduction of economical
foreign species for culture purposes.
To explore and to culture other sources of edible suitable species to Asian markets. Such
is the case of an edible Macrocystis species, which has been recently assayed for culturing.

Thanks,

Seoul

we ll hope to see you again!

Chile

Condorito from Chile Busan Victory from Korea