Striking a Balance: Wild Stock Protection and the Future of Our Seaweed Industries

1. Key challenges must be addressed to sustain seaweed stocks amid increasing demand from wild harvesting and cultivation industries.
2. Seaweeds are highly productive, supporting diverse species and providing essential ecosystem services in coastal environments worldwide.
3. Demand for seaweeds has surged, accounting for over 50% of global marine production, valued at USD 14.7 billion in 2019.
4. Over-harvesting, climate change, invasive species, and pests have severely impacted wild seaweed stocks.
5. Protection measures for wild seaweed stocks are inadequate, necessitating conservation policies, regulations, stakeholder awareness, and capacity building efforts.
6. Conservation measures should align with the Sustainable Development Goals, with focus on rural communities and seaweed farmers as key protectors of wild stocks.