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Pest may prove a SOURCE OF PLENTY BY MARK BARRATT-BOYES Zealand and Asia because of concerns about the radioactive fallout and the impact on undaria farms in Japan," Dr White said. "There are only a few places in the world where undaria is grown." It can also be used as fertiliser or fi sh food. Undaria is still offi cially designated as an unwanted organism and is the subject of local elimination programmes in Fiordland and on the Chatham Islands. Until the middle of 2010 it could only be harvested as part of an offi cial undaria control programme or as a byproduct of operations such as marine farming, due to concerns about its spread and its ecological impact on native species. In May 2010, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries revised its policy to allow for greater commercial use of undaria. The general scope of the new regime includes: • allowing undaria to be farmed in certain heavily infested areas, and • allowing it to be harvested when it is growing on artifi cial surfaces (eg, marinas), when it has been cast ashore onto the beach or when part of a programme specifi cally designed to control undaria. To implement the farming component of the policy, MAF has identifi ed heavily infested areas around New Zealand where it would be appropriate to consider undaria farming. Permission is required under the Biosecurity Act to farm undaria, in addition to legislative requirements relating to aquaculture. "Tens of thousands of tonnes of undaria are potentially currently going to waste in New Zealand annually. Most of it grows on the lines of commercial mussel farms," says White. Seven separate undaria research projects are now underway I f every cloud has a silver lining, the highly invasive marine seaweed Undaria, (Undaria pinnatifi da), the bane of many mussel farmers, may turn out to be a huge windfall for New Zealand aquaculture. It is a popular food source in Japan, Korea and China where the market is worth some $400 million. Undaria, also known as Japanese kelp, was classifi ed as one of the top 100 global invasive species. It was accidentally introduced into New Zealand waters in the 1980s and is now widespread around most of New Zealand's eastern and southern coastlines from Auckland to Bluff, including the Snares Islands. New Zealand scientists are researching the commercial and neutraceutical applications of undaria and are also exploring new market opportunities. The kelp is rich in iodine, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium, along with vitamins, amino acids, omega-3 and antioxidants. New Zealand's growing Asian population is also pushing up demand for seaweed, says marine biologist Dr Lindsey White of the Auckland University of Technology. "Asian consumers traditionally buy it fresh but currently this isn't possible, as all undaria is imported frozen or dry-packed. "There is also a potentially growing market in both New 8 ■ NZ AQUACULTURE ■ MARCH/APRIL 2012 at the Auckland University of Technology, exploring factors ranging from the differences in nutritional chemistry between the New Zealand and Asian varieties to undaria's potential anti-cancer properties. Sensory scientist Dr Nazimah Hamid and analytical chemist Dr John Robertson are supervising four postgraduate students who are undertaking characterisation of protein, carbohydrates and lipids in undaria at AUT's new sensory research laboratory. They are also comparing the fl avour profi les and sensory characteristics of the processed variety with commercial samples from Japan and Korea. "Our work on undaria is unique, because seaweed can now be turned into a valuable food commodity like wakame, which is highly soughtafter in Japanese and Korean cuisines," said Dr Hamid. Harvesting undaria would also prove benefi cial to the national economy, he noted. In a further development, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has announced three small geographical areas where undaria farming will be allowed, creating a new commercial opportunity. It has established an undaria expert advisory group to help identify heavily infested areas and provide advice.