Commercial production of seaweeds through farming is at present limited to a few countries in east Asia. The countries noted for the culture of several species of seaweeds with the bulk of production are: Porphyra, Undaria and Laminaria in Japan: Porphyra, Laminaria and Gracilaria in China; Porphyra, Laminaria and Undaria in Korea; Gracilaria in Taiwan (Province of China); and Eucheuma and Caulerpa in the Philippines (Trono, 1987). Of these seaweeds the species feasible for farming in warm waters are that of the genera Eucheuma, Caulerpa, Porphyra and Gracilaria.
In the Philippines farming of Eucheuma was initiated in 1967 with the first commercial trial at Caluyas, south of Mindoro based on studies of Dr. Doty of Marine Colloids. The trial funded by Marine Colloids was carried out by Mr. V. Alvarez (Delmendo, et.at., 1992). In 1989 production of red seaweeds was recorded at 269,701 MT. (Anonymous, 1992). The bulk of the production are that of red seaweed Eucheuma through farming. Caulerpa has been successfully cultured in ponds at Mactan, Cebu but as yet to be transfered to the other areas in the Philippines (Trono & Fortes, 1988). Although the technology for the farming of Gracilaria is available, apart from a few experimental cultures, it has not been commercially applied in the Philippines (Largo et.al,1989; Uy, et.al., 1990; Hurtado-Ponce, et.al., 1992). Farming trials of Gracilaria were initiated at Bagacay, Gubat and Mapapac, Barcelona at the eastern coast of Sorsogon by the project (Delmendo, 1992).
Statistical data on the production of Gracilaria in the Philippines is not available. However, according to McHugh (1987) 1,470 MT of agarophyte seaweeds classified as other seaweeds were exported to Japan from the Philippines in 1984. This could be presumed as Gracilaria which was seasonally abundant in Manila Bay and other parts of the country naturally.
The main source of Gracilaria is still Manila Bay, although commercial gathering of this species has been reported from other sites as in Panay and Negros in the Visayas and Davao area in Mindanao. Approximatelly 2,400 MT of dried Gracilaria were bought by a Chinese trader during the height of Gracilaria harvesting from 1970 to 1972 (Trono & Fortes, 1988).
Recently, assessment of seaweeds and associated invertebrates in Eastern Sorsogon reveal that there are at least 97 species of seaweeds (Llana, 1992). Seven species of Gracilaria - G. Changii (= G. cylindrica), G. fastigiata, G. firma, G. salicornia, G. tenuistipitata, G. eucheumoides and G. coronopifolia are recognized from Sorsogon area after preliminary taxonomic examination (Trono, 1992). Estimated volume of Gracilaria being gathered from the wild and traded within Sorsogon amounts to 57.5 MT per year, about 68 % from eastern Sorsogon and the remaining from Sorsogon Bay area (Guanio, 1993). The Philippines with over 7,000 islands and having diversified seaweed resources has great potential in seaweed farming. Seaweeds and seaweed products now comprise the Philippines third biggest export in the fisheries sector, behind shrimps and tuna (Llana, 1990).
Seaweed Production Development Project is one of the action programmes recommended by the National Conference on Fisheries Policy and Planning sponsored by UNDP-FAO in March 1987. The Development objective is to contribute to the improvement of the socio-economic conditions of fishing communities dependent on coastal. fisheries for livelihood by developing alternative employment and income opportunities through an expanded and diversified seaweed farming industry. The project is to develop farming and processing techniques of other species of seaweeds (such as Gracilaria) other than Eucheuma. The project started the operation from 21 August 1991. Eastern Coastal area of Sorsogon was initially considered as the project area. In June 1992, Sorsogon bay was included as project site due to its natural Gracilaria resource potential.
The present study is on the farming trials of Gracilaria species at various parts of Eastern Sorsogon and Sorsogon Bay areas, which is one of the major components of the project.
