GRACILARIA FARMING DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL SEAWEED GROUNDS IN EASTERN SORSOGON, LUZON ISLAND, PHILIPPINES
Seaweeds, particularly Gracilaria spp are basically harvested from the wild stocks. Until 1960, the Philippines was exporting only mixed species of Gracilaria and Gelidiella as raw materials for agar. No statistical data is available on Gracilaria production in the Philippines. However, it could be gleaned from data available on imports of Gelidium seaweeds and other seaweeds by Japan that the Philippines exported 3 MT and 1 470 MT, respectively, the latter being mainly Gracilaria (FAO Tech. Paper 288, 1987).
In Planning the development of Gracilaria farming, it would be useful to take note of the Eucheuma farming industry development in order that the mistakes committed in the past could be avoided in the development of Gracilaria farming.
The development of Eucheuma seaweed industry in the Philippines went through three phases, namely, the wild stocks harvesting in the 1960's stimulated by the demand for raw materials by foreign processors. The second phase saw the successful development of farming techniques in the 1970's initiated by the Marine Colloids through the research of Dr. Maxwell Doty. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) collaborated in the demonstration and extension of farming techniques in Zamboanga. The third phase which is currently operating is characterized by an expanded Eucheuma farming industry in the Philippines and the neighboring countries such as Indonesia (Hollenbeck, 1983).
What is notable in the Eucheuma farming development is the oligopsonistic market structure which remained in place in view of the relatively few local buyers obtaining their raw materials from a fragmented supply market made up of small seaweed farmers. The government did not establish a policy regulating the seaweed industry. Training programmes, research and publication of pertinent literature were made but there was nothing of significance to the seaweed industry particularly the seaweed farmers. They were subject to the high and low supply and demand conditions which could be manipulated by the buyers. Fisheries Administrative Order 108 merely specified certain conditions on the collecting and farming of marine algae in coastal waters. These conditions were never adhered to by farmers nor was there strict enforcement of the Order unless conflicts of ownership of reef areas arise (Hollenbeck, 1983). At present, the major Eucheuma farming area is found in Sitangkai, Tawi-tawi in Sulu, Mindanao. The main processing plants are in Cebu.
Like the Eucheuma, in its initial phase of development, Gracilaria spp collected by fishing households are purchased by traders at very low prices. Increase in demand would intensify harvesting of wild stocks which could lead to depletion. In order to forestall depletion of natural stocks and develop a sound Gracilaria farming industry, the FAO/UNDP is assisting the DA/Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the implementation of the Project, Seaweed Production Development.
This is aimed at development of farming of seaweeds other than Eucheuma species and also develop the community framework that would strengthen the capability of seaweed farmers in the processing and marketing of their products. The project became operational in August 1991. Survey of sites for pilot demonstration was conducted and at the same time a socio-economic benchmark study was undertaken. The results of the socio-economic study is the subject of a separate report by the National Socio-Economics Consultant.
This is the first part of the Seaweed Farming Consultant in fulfillment of her terms of reference in the Project, PHI/89/004, Seaweed Production Development. The period covered by this report is 1 September to 30 November 1991.
