Fish Products and Byproducts Technology

Unit 12 - Seaweeds

12.2. Types of seaweeds
They are broadly categorized in to 3 types:

• Red seaweeds
• Green seaweeds
• Brown seaweeds

Green seaweeds: About 900 species of green seaweeds belonging to several genera are available in the world of which the four genera namely Enteromorpha, Ulva, Caulerpa and Codium are economically important.
Brown seaweeds: Although 1500 species of brown seaweeds under different genera are available globally in seawater, the brown seaweeds belonging to the genus Laminaria, Undaria, Sargassum and Turbinaria are having commercial importance.
Red seaweeds: Out of 4000 species of red seaweeds that are available in different oceans of the world, the commercially important red seaweeds are coming under the genera Porphyra, Gracilaria, Gelidiela, Eucheuma and Chondrus.