In India, Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kuteh, Palk Bay, Lakshadweep and Bay islands are the important areas having considerable natural
resources along the 6 100 km long coast line of the country.
About 680 species of seaweeds belonging to the groups Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta, Rhodophyta and Cyanophyta occur naturally in
varying degrees of abundance in shallow bays, lagoons and coastal areas which offer suitable substrata for their growth and
propagation.
Apart from their utility as a source of food, food derivatives, vitamins, proteins, etc., seaweeds provide the raw material for many agar
and algin-based industries. The exploitation of carrageenophytes such as species of Hypnea, Acanthophora, Laurencia, etc. has yet to
make a beginning in the country as these are available in sizeable quantities.
In view of the constant demand for the seaweeds, research programmes on seaweed resources and their culture were taken up by the
Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, and Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute at Mandapam at their Regional
and Field Centre, respectively, and various other research organizations belonging to the State Fisheries Departments/Universities. As
regards sea-weed farming, experiments were mainly carried out on species of Ulva, Gelidiella
acerosa, Gracilaria edulis, Gracilaria corticata, Gelidiopsis variabilis, Gelidium pusillum, Hypnea musiformis, Acanthophora spicifera,
Hormophysa triquetra, Cystoseira sp. and species of Sargassum
