University of Connecticut
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Stamford, CT, 06901-2315
USA
Short Bio
Charles Yarish received his Ph.D. from Rutgers University (1976) and then joined the faculty at UCONN (1976). He has been an adjunct Professor at Stony Brook University, visiting Scientist at the BiologischeAnstalt Helgoland (Germany), visiting Professor at the University of Groningen (Netherlands), and a Guest Professor at Shanghai Ocean University. He has served on The Advisory Board of the NRC (Canada) for the Institute of Marine BioSciences. Yarish received the 1992 Marinalg Award's First Prize, has been a national lecturer for the Phycological of America & President (2001). He has been an invited participant to symposia in Canada, Chile, China, Cuba, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, The Netherlands and USA. At UCONN, he has developed an internationally known laboratory for seaweed research and aquaculture. He is most interested in the development of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) and nutrient bioextraction systems for coastal management, as well as expanding seaweed aquaculture in North America. He has published extensively and has received numerous extramural grants and awards. His latest co-edited book is: Latimer, J.S., M. Tedesco, R.L. Swanson, C. Yarish, P. Stacey and C. Garza. 2014. Long Island Sound: Prospects for the Urban Sea. Springer Science+Business Media, NY. 558pp. Dr. Yarish is globally recognized for his expertise and breadth of his research program and in 2019 received The Phycological Society of America’s Award of Excellence.
Abstract- Opportunities, Challenges and Future Directions of Seaweed Aquaculture
Global seaweed aquaculture production is approximately 29.4 million metric tons with an annual value of $11.7 billion in 2016. In the past four hundred years, seaweeds have been very important part in Asian cuisine more so than in western cultures. Global seaweed aquaculture production occupies approximately 25% of total world marine aquaculture production by weight, with upwards of 97% being produced in Asia. Seaweed aquaculture production is dominated (> 81 % of total production) by several species: the brown kelp, Saccharina japonica and Undariapinnatifida; and the red seaweeds including Pyropia/Porphyraspp. (‘nori’ in Japanese and ‘gim’ in Korean), Kappaphycusalvareziiand Eucheumastriatum (carrageenophytes) and Gracilaria/Gracilariopsis spp.(agarophytes). Currently, more than 50,000 tons of seaweed have been cultivated in the Americas and Europe with an annual value of US $51 million. Although seaweed aquaculture is a relatively new industry in North America and Europe, the demand by western markets is expected to increase rapidly due to growing consumer demand for new protein sources, healthy food supplements, food industry’s interest in sustainable textural additives and food security. The most valued of the maricultured seaweeds is the red alga Pyropia/Porphyra, or nori. It is a major source of food for humans throughout the world, although it is primarily cultivated in Asia (Japan, South Korea and China). Worldwide production is approximately 14 billion sheets, with an annual value of over $U.S. 1.4 billion. Pyropia/Porphyra has the highest commercial value per unit mass ($637 per ton) in comparison to other aquacultured species, kelp, $158; Gracilaria, $283, Kappaphycus/Eucheuma, $183 and Sargassum, $500. In addition to Pyropia/Porphyra, other edible seaweeds include Gracilaria, Undaria, Saccharina/Laminaria and Caulerpa with their collective value exceeding $U.S. 9.50 billion. Seaweeds are also the industrial sources of carrageenans (Chondrus,Eucheuma and Kappaphycus), alginates (Ascophyllum, Laminaria, Saccharinaand Macrocystis) and agars (Gelidium and Gracilaria). These important polysaccharides are used in the food, textile, biotechnological and biomedical industries and have a global value of more than U.S. $1 billion. The increasing demand for safe, healthy, and minimally processed foods is creating an opportunity for seaweed products as functional foods, nutraceuticals, and alternative medicinal products in the global market place. There are now unique opportunities for seaweed farmers, both for land-based and open water farms, to work with phycologists, ocean engineers, plant geneticists and others to develop and apply advanced breeding technologies that will increase growth and productivity of these farming systems.