Seaweed is an unrecognised resource for most of us, spotted only when it peeks out of the water at low tide or gets cast up on beaches. But we may be seeing more of our oceanic algae because there’s increasing interest in farming it.
Most seaweed is edible, and our waters grow about 1000 species. Māori and other indigenous peoples traditionally ate seaweed, and New Zealand has embraced it in the form of the nori that wraps sushi. It is rich in protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals often associated with animal food sources.
The World Health Organisation predicts farmed seaweed will soon be a pillar of sustainable food security and our relatively clean waters may provide a natural advantage.
Food provision is just one of the hopes for Aotearoa’s nascent seaweed farming sector – alongside environmentally friendly animal feed, beauty and nutritional supplements, crop biostimulants and alternative materials for construction products. Seaweed farms could boost employment while restoring coastal environments currently in sub-par shape. And there is keen international interest in using it to sequester carbon.
One of seaweed’s most useful features is that it needs no freshwater or land. It also absorbs large quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus, which are commonly present at high levels in coastal waters. Seaweed feasts on these nutrients, incorporating them into its tissues and leaving water with lower, healthier levels.
Denne historien er fra June 17-23 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 17-23 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.