Thailand National Workshop for Developing a Progressive Management Pathway for Improving Seaweed Biosecurity and Protection to Support the Sustainable Development of the Seaweed Sector

In plain language

Seaweed farming is expanding worldwide, yet both cultivated crops and wild populations face substantial losses from climate change, diseases, and pests. To address these threats, a national workshop in Bangkok, Thailand, brought together key stakeholders to advance the Food and Agriculture Organization Progressive Management Pathway for seaweed biosecurity. The initiative focuses on primary commercial seaweed species grown in Thailand, targeting practical measures to reduce production losses. Discussions also examined alternative seaweed species with commercial potential and strategies to protect and restore wild stocks, which serve as crucial reservoirs for breeding climate-resilient strains. Drawing on insights from international programmes such as GlobalSeaweed-Star, the meeting supported the development of national biosecurity guidelines and safer marine farming practices. This collaborative framework seeks to protect aquaculture operations and ensure the long-term sustainable growth of the Thai seaweed industry.

Key takeaways

Cultivated and wild seaweeds face increasing threats and production losses driven by climate change, pests, and disease outbreaks.
Stakeholders in Thailand met to develop a Progressive Management Pathway framework to strengthen seaweed biosecurity and align with national guidelines.
The workshop targeted solutions to reduce crop losses for Thailand's main commercial seaweed species and explored other candidate species for commercial cultivation.
Protecting and restoring wild seaweed populations was highlighted as vital for developing resilient strains capable of withstanding future climate pressures.

Why it matters

Seaweed is a vital marine crop supporting sustainable aquaculture, but emerging diseases, pests, and climatic pressures threaten coastal livelihoods and supplies. Establishing biosecurity pathways helps safeguard commercial farms from severe losses while preserving wild seaweed diversity. This dual approach ensures that farmers maintain viable yields and retain access to hardy genetic resources needed to build climate resilience across the sector.

Commercialisation angle

The workshop supports aquaculture producers and policy bodies by establishing biosecurity frameworks and disease mitigation strategies for commercial seaweed species. It also identifies candidate species for cultivation and aims to preserve wild stocks to breed resilient strains. As a policy and capacity-building initiative, the work is at an institutional, pre-implementation stage rather than offering direct, market-ready commercial products, focusing instead on establishing national guidelines and operational practices to prevent farm losses.

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Abstract

Seaweed cultivation is rapidly expanding globally due to heightened awareness of environmental sustainability, coupled with the acknowledgment that cultivated seaweed and wild seaweed are facing significant losses attributable to climate change impacts. This necessitates urgent collaboration among key stakeholders to establish a sustainable management framework for the aquaculture industry, focusing on improving biosecurity in seaweed farming (PMP/AB Seaweed) under the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This collaborative effort aims to protect the industry and can be integrated with the national guidelines for seaweed biosecurity. The PMP/AB Seaweed workshop, held in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 26 28, 2025, aims to address the challenges faced by the industry, particularly in terms of diseases and pests, and to provide solutions to reduce losses. The event, which includes presentations and interactive discussions, has attracted 43 participants, with 28 women and 15 men. (See Annex 1 and Annex 2 for a detailed schedule and participant list.) In addition, 13 participants from the southern region of Thailand, who were originally scheduled to participate, had to cancel their attendance due to severe weather conditions in the area. The workshop offers simultaneous services in Thai and English. The event focuses on the main seaweedspecies cultivated commercially in Thailand. The challenges include diseases and pests, and the workshop aims to provide solutions to reduce losses. It also provides opportunities for discussion on other seaweed species that could be used in commercial settings and methods to protect and restore natural seaweed sources in Thailand, which are crucial for the development of resilient seaweed farming strains suitable for future climate changes. This meeting builds upon the extensive knowledge gained through various global initiatives, including GlobalSeaweed Star (2017 2025), GlobalSeaweed SuperStar (2026 2030), and GlobalSeaweed PROTECT (2028 2031). It gathers extensive experience and expertise from all participants to support Thailand's development of PMP/AB Seaweed, integrating safety marine seaweed practices. This event is organized by the Yunus Thailand Foundation under the auspices of Kasetsart University, in collaboration with the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), and the Natural History Museum (NHM). We extend our gratitude to the UK Research and Innovation for supporting this event (ref: UKAR275).