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About Seaweeds

“We live on a planet dominated by oceans. As we develop our limited land masses, often converting arable lands into commercial and residential areas and otherwise reducing our ability to support an increasing human population, we will grow more dependent upon ocean resources.”

This opening from the original Pacific Seaweeds is as true now as the day it was written. So too is the statement that we must understand the ocean and its inhabitants in order to wisely develop and sustain our ocean resources. This includes seaweeds: major players in coastal ecosystems, a continental fringe swaying gently in near-shore waters around the world. Seaweeds constitute the nutritional base for many shallow-water food webs and, as the architects of coastal marine meadows and underwater forests, provide homes and shelter for entire communities of associated fishes and invertebrates.

In addition to playing important ecological roles, seaweeds benefit humankind in numerous ways—with great potential for more. They are used for food, industrial