Seaweed farming in Milne Bay

SEAWEED Marine (PNG) Ltd, a Malaysian-owned company involved in commercial seaweed farming in Milne Bay waters, has invested K3.2 million in the initial part of its operation in the country.
Partner and managing director Peter Ho said since the company started operating in the province three years ago, it had made a capital investment of K3.2 million to encourage locals in farming seaweed.
The risk management analysis of the imported seaweed seedlings from Malaysia was done by the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) for National Agricultural Quarantine Inspection Authority (NAQIA).
Approval for the company was made by the NFA after writing the import risk assessment for 1.8 tonne of seaweed seedlings to be brought into the country, where NAQIA issued a licence based on the report.
Executive manager, aquaculture and inland fisheries with NFA Jacob Wani confirmed that NFA approved the company as an alternative to sea cucumber. 
He said the amount of sea cucumber had exhausted due to high catch and other factors.
Therefore, NFA saw the potential in commercial seaweed farming, Wani said.
He said NFA assisted with K300,000 because it was interested in this industry as it could generate income for coastal people. 
Wani said an additional K1 million had been set aside for NFA to carry out training and workshops in commercial seaweed farming.
Ho said the company had tried farming in several locations in Milne Bay waters and was currently doing on Sideia Island, Samarai-Murua district.
“The starting investment is to multiply and distribute seedlings to local farmers which they can grow and sell back to the company,” he said
The target was to grow 500 tonnes of seaweed involving 200 farmers.
Ho said the commercial seaweed farming project had completed three stages of the seed multiplying stage, with some more to go before the target of harvesting and drying was reached.
The produce will be exported to Asian buyers.