A top Scottish ocean scientist is leading a global project to save seaweed stocks from the scourge of climate change.
Leading seaweed experts from the UK and Malaysia, including Prof. Elizabeth Cottier-Cook of the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), gathered earlier this month in the Southeast Asian country to discuss ways to combat climate-related pests and diseases.
Seaweed is a vital aspect of the ocean’s ecosystem, and the harvesting of the product employs more than six million people in 56 countries across the globe.
Most farmers live in Asia, which accounts for 95% of worldwide seaweed harvests.
However, it is feared that wild seaweed forests could decline by 71% by 2100 as a result of overharvesting and climate change-related issues, including pollution and invasive species.
The three day event in Sabah, Malaysia featured scientists and industry leaders, and included workshops aimed at identifying practical solutions to the challenges faced by seaweed farmers as well as ways to ensure wild seaweed stocks are protected.
Cottier-Cook, a member of the core research team of GlobalSeaweed-PROTECT, has published more than 120 peer-reviewed articles on aquaculture and invasive species.
She currently leads the United Nations University Associate programme at SAMS, which is located in Oban on Scotland’s west coast.
Cottier-Cook, who received a PhD from Edinburgh Napier University in 1999, commented on the latest iteration of the project.
She said: “Our trip to Malaysia brought the UK team together with a wide range of stakeholders from the seaweed industry in Malaysia for the first time in this project, allowing us the opportunity to build capacity and to co-create a PMP/AB-Seaweed that will help improve the resilience of an industry vital to so many in Malaysia.
“Our shared knowledge in seaweed cultivation, biosecurity and governance between Malaysia and the UK will bring the necessary experience required to really make a difference to this industry.”
GlobalSeaweed-PROTECT, which is funded by the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, aims to improve the livelihoods of farming communities by “building a productive seaweed industry that is resilient to climate change”.
Project leader Professor Juliet Brodie said: “Seaweeds are vital for the functioning of the marine ecosystem and there are more than six million seaweed farmers who rely on seaweed for their livelihoods. The vast majority of farmers are in Asia, which accounts for more than 95% of global seaweed farming.
Brodie, who is based at the Natural History Museum in London, added: “Commercial seaweeds are threatened by outbreaks of pests and diseases, as a result of climate-induced increases in seawater temperatures, which is limiting an already fragile production in a very competitive global market.
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“It is hoped that the PMP/AB-Seaweed will provide a practical road map to help the seaweed industry in Malaysia increase its resilience to climate change.
Professor Phaik Eem Lim of the University of Malaya added: “This is a significant milestone and the first step towards delivering climate solutions for the seaweed farmers by working in partnership with organisations across Malaysia to develop a system that can enhance climate resilience and improve livelihoods.”
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