Eucheumatoids, primarily species of the red algal genera Kappaphycus and Eucheuma, are commercially valued as the most common raw material for carrageenan production, with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia being the largest global producers. Despite a projected increase in carrageenan demand, industry players have reported a decline in eucheumatoid aquaculture and biomass production in recent years. This decline is largely attributed to climate change, particularly rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves. Additionally, vegetative cultivation methods used for eucheumatoids over 50 years have led to cultivars with low genetic diversity, making them more vulnerable to pests and diseases and the effects of climate change. There is, therefore, an urgent need to introduce new temperature-resilient cultivars to safeguard the sustainability of the eucheumatoid aquaculture and carrageenan industry. To address these challenges, our research in Malaysia has focused on developing temperature-resilient strains from wild populations in Semporna, Sabah, which is the top seaweed aquaculture region in Malaysia. This study explores how wild eucheumatoids have responded and adapted to multiple El Niño events, and how these responses are linked to growth rates and increased pest and disease outbreaks. Additionally, laboratory studies conducted in parallel to assess the adaptability of both commercial and wild eucheumatoids to elevated temperatures, offer insights into potential solutions for sustaining aquaculture amidst changing climate conditions.
 

climate change, eucheumatoids, sustainable aquaculture, seaweed resilience