Researcher’s national award sparks interest in emerging red seaweed industry
CQUniversity PhD researcher Emma Theobald’s studies into red seaweed (Asparagopsis) have earned her a national marine science award and an opportunity to showcase the importance and opportunities that exist for this vital marine species.
The Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre PhD student has been awarded the 2024 Allen Award from the Australia Marine Sciences Association (AMSA).
The Allen Student Travel Award provides full financial support to an outstanding postgraduate student to attend the upcoming AMSA conference to be held in Hobart, Tasmania, in September this year, where she will have the opportunity to present her research.
The Gladstone-based researcher’s work has focused on developing cultivation techniques for Asparagopsis taxiformis and aims to inform nursery protocols to support the development and scaling of ocean-based Asparagopsis taxiformis cultivation, an emerging industry with significant commercial and environmental potential.
Emma’s presentation will discuss the effects of temperature, irradiance, and nutrient supplementation on inducing reproduction and promoting spore production in this economically important red seaweed.
Emma is excited to showcase how her research findings can help to maximise productivity in seaweed hatcheries, to produce a reliable supply of young Asparagopsis plants for ocean-based cultivation.
“There is global interest in farming the red seaweed Asparagopsis, due to its ability to reduce methane emissions in cattle by over 80 per cent and increase feed efficiency when included in small quantities in cattle feed,” explained Ms Theobald.
“Asparagopsis is excellent at absorbing nutrients as it grows, and it has significant potential to be used for improving water quality in nutrient-enriched waters, including in the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon.”
However, Ms Theobald said there are significant knowledge gaps around the farming of Asparagopsis, including methods for maximising growth, managing contamination, and establishing the best conditions for hatchery culture of this seaweed.
“These knowledge gaps are hindering the development and scaling of the Asparagopsis farming industry, a sector currently in its infancy, but with the potential to be worth as much as $1 billion by 2040 in Australia alone."
Ms Theobald’s research aims to fill some of these knowledge gaps using laboratory-based experiments and will be complimentary to the broader industry research efforts being led by the Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance to develop hatchery techniques for Asparagopsis.
“Sharing my research results with the Asparagopsis industry, both within Australia and globally, will help to inform farming protocols, allowing scaling of production and development of supply chains, bringing positive environmental and social outcomes.”
The Australian Seaweed Institute is the commercial partner for the research and is interested in its application in supporting the development of a network of ocean-based seaweed biofilters in the Great Barrier Reef lagoon, with the potential to improve water quality, contributing to the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan.
The Australian Seaweed Institute’s research program is supported by the Reef Trust, a partnership between the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and the Australian Government.
