SEAWEED-CULTURE

SEAWEED-CULTURE

(Guso in Visayas; agal-agal in Malay)

 

Plant the kind of seaweed that grows fast “tambalang “(from cotoni specie).

 

1. Choose the place in the sea where it is favorable to grow seaweed:

a. Where other plants as well grow.

b. The sea bottom is hard sand or stony, not clean and soft sand.

c. The water moves, not stationary, but the current is not so strong as to carry away the

seaweeds.

 

2. Plant only the branch- this grows easily even without a hold at the bottom.

 

3. Its hold must be loose, not firm.

 

4. Planting must be submerged in the lowest tide in the sea, about 1-2 ft at lowest. It should

not be exposed above water for 1-2 hours.

 

5. Don’t plant by a river or where brackish water will reach it.

In one and half months (about 45 days), it will show if the place is conductive for seaweeds

planting. If not, the seaweed is pale, or like pale yellow.

 

PROCEDURE

 

1. Set up posts at the sea bottom, with 20-25 cm high from the water bottom line, one-meter

apart for each pair and 10-m apart each pair.

 

2. Tie nylon strings across the 10-m’s distance. One hectare of seaweed area can have 1000

of 1-m lines, and each line can accommodate 35 plantings.

 

3. Remove sea urchins and fishes that will feed on the seaweeds and wild weeds growing

nearby so as not to crowd the seaweeds.

 

4. If the plant disappears, or if a plant grows too slowly, change it with a fast growing one.

 

5. Harvest before each plant reaches about a kilo each (2-3 months) because this will slow

down growth and cause shade and breaking of branches. Cut the branches so they will grow

again, or change with a new plant. The bigger is the new plant, the faster can it be harvested.

 

6. The harvested seaweeds are exposed to the sun for 3 days in a clean place. Spread out on

coconut leaves or latticed bamboo. Reverse several times and remove stones and dirt.

 

7. Cover at night and when it is raining.

 

From : Technology PCARRD VOL 111

No.3 1981 Los Baños