Researchers from the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) have closed a key data gap that will support the sustainable cultivation of Asparagopsis armata, a native red seaweed with the potential to drastically reduce methane emissions from livestock. Working with Sea Forest—Tasmania’s sole commercial producer of seaweed-based livestock feed supplements—scientists collected year-round data across 15 sites in five Tasmanian regions.

The study revealed that southeastern Tasmania hosts particularly abundant and reproductively active populations of Asparagopsis throughout the year, making it an ideal location for large-scale aquaculture. This is in contrast to other parts of Australia where the seaweed only appears seasonally. Researchers also found that Asparagopsis primarily grows epiphytically—on other seaweeds—and identified 56 different host species, highlighting the importance of healthy seaweed ecosystems.

Importantly, genetic analysis uncovered two distinct lineages of Asparagopsis in Tasmania, with one unique to the Furneaux Group, suggesting these populations may need to be managed separately. The new baseline dataset provides critical insights for Sea Forest as it scales up production and supports broader goals of reducing methane emissions and promoting marine sustainability.

Full University of Tasmania article available here: https://www.utas.edu.au/about/news-and-stories/articles/2025/seaweed-scientists-bridge-data-gap-to-tackle-methane-emissions-from-livestock