Sustainable harvesting of wild seaweed resources

Figures & data

Table 1. Global seaweed production from wild stocks 1950–2014 (FAO, 2014).

Total seaweed producedvia capture (tonnes)	Europe	Asia	Africa	North & South America	Oceania
1950–1959	2 467 334	2 708 688	275 000	1 405 962	2500
1960–1969	3 919 564	3 419 110	434 000	2 106 645	40 500
1970–1979	4 017 962	3 232 250	518 138	2 955 364	89 067
1980–1989	4 353 710	3 429 709	265 344	2 866 262	158 372
1990–1999	3 602 827	5 045 122	227 679	3 216 902	244 238
2000–2009	2 823 367	4 321 926	313 290	4 128 532	103 145
2009–2014*	1 286 809	1 928 988	101 158	2 384 646	14 525

Table 2. Global red seaweed production from wild stocks 1950–2014 (FAO, 2014).

Red seaweed produced via capture (tonnes)	EuropeMain genera:Phyllophora crispa; ‘Red’ seaweeds	Asia Main genera: Laver (Nori); Gelidium; Gracilaria	Africa Main genera: Gracilaria; Gelidium	North & South America Main genera: Gigartina; Gelidium; Gracilaria; Carrageen Moss	Oceania Main genera: ‘Red’ seaweeds
1950–1959	528 991	275 387	168 000	192 623	2500
1960–1969	882 274	371 288	258 100	628 926	4500
1970–1979	523 086	416 478	137 258	1 006 275	4108
1980–1989	418 260	785 367	97 878	1 195 122	<100
1990–1999	288 969	1 350 223	160 187	782 804	<600
2000–2009	79 260	286 608	158 524	1 551 301	1077
2009–2014*	10 773	105 886	40 396	657 794	1618

Table 3. Global green seaweed production from wild stocks 1950–2014 (FAO, 2014).

Green seaweed produced via capture (tonnes)	Europe Main genera: Dunaliella salina; Eel grass	Asia Main genera: Fragile codium; Green laver; Lacy sea lettuce	Africa	North & South America Main genera: Spirulina nei	Oceania Main genera: Sea Lettuce
1950–1959	0	120 600	0	200	0
1960–1969	0	23 400	0	700	0
1970–1979	0	13 325	0	839	256
1980–1989	16 521	168 230	0	12 232	1744
1990–1999	21 059	551 911	0	13 802	4378
2000–2009	19 415	76 736	0	0	2704
2009–2014*	6159	4974	0	0	2334

Table 4. Global brown seaweed production from wild stocks 1950–2014 (FAO, 2014).

Brown seaweed produced via capture (tonnes)	Europe Main genera: North Atlantic Rockweed; North European Kelp	Asia Main genera: Japanese Kelp; Wakame	Africa Main genera: ‘brown’ seaweeds	North & South America Main genera: Giant Kelps; North Atlantic Rockweed; Bull kelp	Oceania Main genera: Lessonia spp; Bull Kelp
1950–1959	1 407 199	1 729 900	94 000	1 213 139	0
1960–1969	2 378 322	2 200 996	162 700	1 476 019	36 000
1970–1979	2 629 986	2 034 741	380 148	1 928 267	84 577
1980–1989	2 711 605	1 685 284	162 619	1 658 224	156 290
1990–1999	3 284 707	1 520 045	67 492	2 417 385	239 410
2000–2009	2 682 510	1 013 454	154 706	2 576 618	98 396
2009–2014*	1 236 976	361 623	60 762	1 726 666	10 573

Fig. 1 (a) A rockweed harvester in the Canadian Maritimes; (b) Image of indigenous Canadian family gathering kelp; (c) Corrán; Irish rockweed cutting implement.

Fig. 2 (a) Loading trailers on the shore; (b) Beach collection of Gracilaria after wash up, Bahia Bustamante, Argentina, (1960); (c) women of Praia collecting seaweed, Portugal.

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). (2014). Fisheries and Aquaculture Information and Statistics Service. FISHSTAT plus: Universal Software for Fishery Statistical Time Series. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.

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