Development of commercial Kappaphycus production in the Line Islands, Central Pacific

Abstract

Kappaphycus alvarezii (basionym Eucheuma alvarezii) was introduced to the Line Island atolls of Kiritimati (Christmas Is.) and Tabuaeran (Fanning Is.) in 1994 as an outer-island development programme in the Republic of Kiribati. Farming sites were selected, and commercial production commenced in September 1994. Production increased to 850 t y-1 dry weight in two years, and by 1997 over 420 people were receiving income from seaweed. On Tabuaeran seaweed has now replaced copra as the main source of income for over 70% of all households. The new seaweed-based economy has also ensured the success of the resettlement policy of the Kiribati Government. Continuous monitoring of all suppliers has revealed net incomes for a family unit as high as AUS$ 4687 per annum from a farmed area of 900-1000 m2. On Kiritimati, a small lagoon sand-flat of 6 hectares has been developed providing income for over 100 households producing 350 t y-1. Women are not only actively involved in, but are frequently the main beneficiaries of, production. The Line Islands production has been significant in raising the total Kiribati harvest to over 1200 t y-1 providing an important source of export earnings. The creation of a monopolistic industry and the implementation of a single-desk marketing strategy have made the development economically sustainable and competitive with S.E. Asia. The development represents a model for other isolated atoll communities in the Pacific Ocean where the economy is currently based on copra.