The status of commercial algal utilization in New Zealand

Macroalgae, commonly known as seaweed, offer a novel and added-value dietary ingredient in formulated diets for fish. Production of biomass can be achieved without reliance on expensive arable land, as seaweed may be collected from coastal regions or farmed. There are three taxonomic groups represented by the term 'macroalgae': Rhodophyta (red), Chlorophyta (green) and Phaeophyta (brown). Like terrestrial plants, nutritional content in macroalgae can vary greatly amongst species, genera, divisions, seasons and locations. Aside from their basic nutritional value, seaweeds contain a number of pigments, defensive and storage compounds, and secondary metabolites that could have beneficial effects on farmed fish. This review appraises the beneficial qualities of these macroalgae compounds and their potential for exploitation in commercial finfish feeds. The current knowledge of the effects of macroalgae inclusion in finfish diets is also addressed. From these >50 fish feeding studies that were analysed, enhancing trends in fish growth, physiology, stress resistance, immune system and fillet muscle quality were reported. However, only a small fraction of algal species have so far been investigated as potential components in finfish diets, and furthermore, this review has identified a number of knowledge gaps that current research has yet to address. To conclude, an appraisal is made of the possible technologies employed to exploit seaweeds to an industrial level through stabilising the algal meal, enhancing the digestibility and functional food properties.

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“…(Zemke‐White et al . ; Vásquez ; Vea & Ask ; Guiry & Morrison ), and these are typically destined for phycocolloid extraction (Bixler & Porse ).…”

Section: Optimising Macroalgae In Contemporary Aquafeedsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Macroalgae as a sustainable aquafeed ingredient

Wan

Davies

Soler-Vila

et al. 2018

Reviews in Aquaculture

167

129

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“…A number of studies have focused on both plant/ herbivore interactions in the New Zealand marine environment (Shiel 1982;Choat & Andrew 1986;Shiel et al 1995;Menge et al 1999), and the use of local algal species as food in aquaculture (Stuart & Brown 1994;Marsden & Williams 1996;White et al 1999). However, no systematic survey of the calorific content of these seaweeds has been made.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Calorific content of New Zealand marine macrophytes

Lamare¹,

Wing²

2001

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

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Calorific content was measured in 28 species of New Zealand macroalgae. Values ranged from 1.04 to 3.34 kcal g-1 dry weight (wt), 3.03-5.18 kcal g-1 ash-free dry wt, and 0.13-1.75 kcal g-1 wet wt. Seasonal variation in calorific content was measured in two of these species, Macrocystis pyrifera and Ulva lactuca, both of which showed clear changes in energy content over a 1-year period. Factors affecting variation in calorific content between species and during the year are discussed, and the application of the current findings to ecological and aquacultural research on New Zealand seaweeds are considered.

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“…She focused particularly on the agar-bearing genera Pterocladia and Gelidium, and the kelp Macrocystis, as well as being involved in a broader examination of seaweeds and their potential economic uses (Moore 1941(Moore , 1942a(Moore , 1942b(Moore , 1944a(Moore , 1944b(Moore , 1945(Moore , 1946(Moore , 1950(Moore , 1951(Moore , 1953. The economic importance of New Zealand seaweeds has been reviewed several times since (Luxton & Courtney 1987;Schiel & Nelson 1990;Brown 1998;Zemke-White et al 1999a). There is currently considerable commercial interest in producing value-added products from New Zealand seaweeds, such as dietary supplements and cosmetics.…”

Section: Seaweed Usesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the absence of substantial scientific data, the Ministry of Fisheries has taken a conservative approach to wild harvesting of seaweeds and since 1971, fishing permits have been required for the removal of attached seaweeds from specified areas (Luxton & Courtney 1987). This approach was extended by the introduction of a moratorium on the issue of new permits in 1988 (Zemke-White et al 1999a). The moratorium on the collection of attached seaweeds remains in place with the enactment of the 1996 Fisheries Act.…”

Section: Seaweed Usesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In New Zealand, Maori consume species of Porphyra (karengo), Gigartina (rehia) and Durvillaea (known most commonly as rimurapa) (Riley 1988), and Crowe (1997) has described 15 species of New Zealand seaweeds as edible. Considerable research was undertaken in the 1990s into the aquaculture of the adventive Japanese brown seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida (known as wakame), for food use (Zemke-White et al 1999a). Although results of seeding and field trails were positive, this research has not progressed further due to concerns over the spread of an invasive, foreign species when its impact on the native New Zealand flora is not known.…”

Section: Direct Usesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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History, current status and future of marine macroalgal research in New Zealand: Taxonomy, ecology, physiology and human uses

Hurd

Nelson

Falshaw³

et al. 2004

Phycological Res

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New Zealand has a rich and diverse macroalgal flora that has been studied since James Cook's first voyage to New Zealand in 1769. The New Zealand region ranges from cool temperate seas at southerly latitudes to subtropical waters in the north. Here we review the history of phycological research in New Zealand since 1900, and the current status of research in taxonomy, ecology, physiology and seaweed uses including aquaculture and seaweed extracts. Some 770 species of seaweed are known to New Zealand, of which 22 are alien. Few taxa have received monographic treatment and many remain to be described. Polysaccharides have been identified from over 80 New Zealand seaweeds and many of these compounds have commercial potential. In addition to urgent taxonomic work, future research should include a national program of longterm (> 5 years) monitoring of macroalgal communities, rates of growth and primary production, and the contribution of seaweed-based production to coastal food webs. Solieriaceae sp. indet.Undaria pinnatifida † Numbers of genera and species for the green algae likely to be overestimated.

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The status of commercial algal utilization in New Zealand

Cited by 8 publications

References 6 publications

Macroalgae as a sustainable aquafeed ingredient

Macroalgae as a sustainable aquafeed ingredient

Calorific content of New Zealand marine macrophytes

History, current status and future of marine macroalgal research in New Zealand: Taxonomy, ecology, physiology and human uses

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