Seamoss - Biodiversity Products

BIODIVERSITY PRODUCTS
Seamoss
Trinidad’s superior dried seamoss
meets demand again through
sustainable cultivation
By the Blanchissuese Environmental
Art Trust in Trinidad
People
The local residents of
Blanchisseuse find seamoss
harvesting an important
tradition and many of them
love drinking the seamoss
punch.
Planet
The species of seamoss that is
harvested is named Gelidium
serrulatum, which has not
been reported from anywhere
else in the West Indies.
Empowerment
Dried seamoss is a vital
ingredient in Caribbean cultures
for use in puddings, desserts
and drinks because of its
gelatinous texture.
BIODIVERSITY PRODUCTS
Seamoss
Introduction
Dried seamoss from the Blanchisseuse area of Trinidad has
the highest quality of agar (a gelatinous extract of red algae)
of any commercial species in the Caribbean. The species is
found only on a limited stretch of coastline within the coastal
communities on the north coast of Trinidad, between Las
Cuevas in the northwest and Toco at the northeastern tip of
the island.
Its limited distribution and superior quality make it
particularly vulnerable to overexploitation, and so sustainable
seamoss cultivation and management is critical. In recent
times, community members adopted sustainable harvesting
techniques that involve cutting the seamoss stems rather than
the roots, the latter of which prevents its natural reproduction.
Due to the rarity and importance of this species of seamoss,
the Blanchisseuse Environmental Art Trust (BEAT) comprising
a small group of residents, primarily women, promotes
and educates community members about the sustainable
harvesting of seamoss. Seamoss-based drinks are a tradition
in Blanchisseuse and, when mixed with milk and local spices,
it is drunk with Sunday meals and by new mothers to increase
their nutrition for breastfeeding. There is also potential for
it to be used for ice cream, medicinal products, and beauty
products.
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Facts
Name of the species and ecosystem: Gelidium serrulatum is found in Trinidad and
has not been documented anywhere else in the
English-speaking Caribbean.
Product location: Blanchisseuse, Trinidad
Global distribution: Gelidium is also known to occur on the coastlines
of Venezuela and South Africa.
BIODIVERSITY PRODUCTS
Seamoss
The unique high nutritional Seamoss of
the rocky north coast of Trinidad
The species of seamoss that
is harvested at Blanchisseuse
and elsewhere on Trinidad’s
north coast is named
Gelidium serrulatum, which
has not been reported from
anywhere else in the West
Indies.
Blanchisseuse is located about midway along the north coast
of Trinidad on the northern slope of the northern Range. This
coast harbors beaches of shocking beauty and a true taste of
‘Trini’ life. Blanchisseuse is a fishing and agricultural village
that depends mainly on its natural resources for its livelihood.
Fishing is the primary source of income for local people.
The species of seamoss that is harvested at Blanchisseuse
and elsewhere on Trinidad’s north coast is named Gelidium
serrulatum, which has not been reported from anywhere
else in the West Indies. Like other Gelidium species it prefers
exposed rocky shores, growing mainly in the intertidal zone.
The algae are attached to the substrate with a tough holdfast
that is usually removed when harvested, leaving no base to
regenerate new shoots. The agar of this species has high gel
strength and is the best quality of any seamoss found in the
Caribbean (agar is the carbohydrate produced by seamoss
which, when dissolved in hot water, thickens to form a gel on
cooling).
Trinidad is among the first of the Caribbean islands where
seamoss from natural stocks began to decline. Because of a
rising demand in products derived from seamoss, a trend in
over-harvesting occurred ultimately resulting in a dearth of the
species, as not enough was left to grow for the next season.
Increased pollution was reported to be another problem and
harvesters who relied on seamoss for their income became at
risk of unemployment.
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In many parts of the world commercial production of seaweeds
now depends on cultivation. Seamoss farming is a source of
income for people in a number of coastal communities in the
Caribbean, focusing on the fast-growing Caribbean species
of Gracilaria and Eucheuma. However the species located
in Blanchisseuse is found only on exposed rocky coastlines
where farming is not possible and is therefore unsuitable for
mari-culture. Thus, the only option to maintain production is
through the management of its wild harvest.
The dried seamoss is harvested mainly during the dry season
(January–May), when the sea is much calmer. Usually, it takes
approximately five days to process and is stored for use in
the rainy season (June–December) when the seas are rough
and harvesting becomes difficult. When harvested, the dried
seamoss appears dark red and when cleaned, cream colored.
Cleaning entails washing the seamoss to get all the foreign
organisms and salt out, thereafter it is bleached with diluted
lemon juice and then dried in the sun.
Sea moss is known for its nutritious values and is also said to
be an aphrodisiac. It contains many vital minerals and vitamins
and has 45 calories per cup, of which 12% comes from fat, 70%
from carbohydrates and 18% from protein. Its high percentage of
mucilage is highly recommended to treat digestive conditions and
ulceration of the stomach.
Traditionally seamoss harvested from natural stocks has been
used for food as well as medicinal products. These include the
popular milk drink that is locally believed to be an aphrodisiac.
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Seamoss
BIODIVERSITY PRODUCTS
Seamoss
Community members learn about
sustainable enterprise development
of dried seamoss
The local residents of Blanchisseuse were obviously very
concerned about the decrease of natural seamoss stocks.
Community-based conservation group, the Blanchisseuse
Environmental Arts Trust (BEAT) felt the need to address this
issue since its harvest is an important community tradition.
BEAT was established in 2001 by a coalition of local artists
within the Blanchisseuse community who use visual arts as
the medium for influencing community awareness and the
importance of conservation in their village.
In 2001 BEAT decided to seek advice on developing a
management strategy for sustainable seamoss harvesting.
BEAT approached The Caribbean Natural Resources institute
(CANARI) to assist them to enter the Small Grants Programme.
The aim of the first GEF SGP small planning grant, which
was approved in December 2002, was to gather background
information on the natural stock, to describe its past and
present importance to the community, as well as to assess the
potential for their participation in a management initiative.
CANARI and the Institute for Marine Affairs (IMA) provided
BEAT with some technical assistance in the design of a survey
of households and harvesters.
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BIODIVERSITY PRODUCTS
The survey of 120 households resulted in quite some interesting
findings like:
• Approximately 90% of respondents stated that seamoss
harvesting is an important tradition in the Blanchisseuse
community and the same percentage of people involved in
commercial production reported that it was an important part
of their livelihoods.
• Over 80% of the households regularly purchase dried
seamoss or prepared seamoss products.
• 90% of respondents strongly believed that there was
potential for greater economic benefits by setting up new
small businesses.
BEAT also interviewed 14 commercial seamoss harvesters and
found the following:
• 34 different sites were identified along the north coast, ranging
from Las Cuevas to Matelot, with Paria Bay being the most
popular.
• Over 60% of harvesters believed that seamoss was
becoming harder to find.
• All except two harvesters advocated cutting plants rather
than pulling them from the rock, to allow regrowth and faster
regeneration.
• There is little agreement on the rate of regeneration of
harvested areas and the time required to allow harvested
areas to recover; five out of 14 claimed 4 to 6 months, but
responses ranged from 1 to 3 months to 1 year.
• The more popular and accessible sites no longer support
harvesting.
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Seamoss
BIODIVERSITY PRODUCTS
Seamoss
Around 80% of harvesters felt that there should be some form
of control, by the harvesters themselves, by the villagers or by
the authorities. There was a suggestion to have a ‘harvesting
season’ as well as to have guidelines on the best methods for
harvesting.
After learning of the importance of sustainable seamoss
harvesting for local residents and the issues they were coping
with, representatives of several organizations outlined a plan
for the future development of Gelidium harvest, focusing on
issues of sustainability and enhanced economic benefits from
the resource.
This resulted in a multi-year project, launched in July 2005,
under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF
SGP).
The collaboration between BEAT, CANARI, IMA, the Asa Wright
Nature Centre (AWNC) and the University of the West Indies
(UWI) aimed at increasing public awareness of the status
and potential of the resource, and developing a participatory
management strategy based on best harvesting practices.
Over the next four years, community members were trained
in sustainable harvesting methods and the organization
produced educational materials in support of a campaign to
increase public awareness on the importance of conserving the
seamoss resource. In addition to this, options for sustainable
use and enhanced economic returns were developed. The
results were documented for dissemination to other north
coast communities whose livelihoods include harvesting the
same seamoss species. This created much more community
awareness on the sustainable use of seamoss and led to more
sustainable enterprise development within the community.
However in 2012 the number of harvesters present in
Blanchisseuse is not as great as the numbers presented
in the survey. This was due mostly to migration, as better
opportunities were offered in either urban areas or developed
countries, and to a lesser extent, declining seamoss stocks.
In 2012 more education materials are developed to distribute
to schools, harvesters and other coastal communities to
inform them about the importance of the sustainable use of
seamoss.
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BIODIVERSITY PRODUCTS
Seamoss
Where is dried Seamoss sold?
Even though dried seamoss from Trinidad is not yet very
widely distributed, it is an important source of income for the
local residents of Blanchisseuse. Seamoss is often processed
into packaged drinks for local and export markets.
The purpose of the project initiated by BEAT is to ensure long
term economic benefits and sustainability of the seamoss
resource and its use through improved management. This
is critical as its harvesting is of cultural and socio-economic
importance to the community.
Why try dried Seamoss
from Trinidad?
Men in Trinidad are not modest when claiming how much
an elixir the sea moss drink is, and is believed to be an
excellent reviver and energizer. Seamoss has emerged
on the international market only recently, though many
cultures have acknowledged its benefits for centuries.
Dried seamoss is a vital ingredient in Caribbean cultures
for use in puddings, desserts and drinks because of its
gelatinous texture. The nutritional content of sea moss is
considered very good for you because it contains many
vital minerals and vitamins. Go try it out for yourself and
see what it has to offer!
Contact
Organization
The Blanchisseuse
Environmental Art Trust
Address
Blanchisseuse, Trinidad
General Manager
Kenneth Fournillier
E-mail
kfour32@hotmail.com
Tel mobile
1 868 687 8039
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Annex
Seamoss
Pacari
Would you like to try it for yourself?
Read here how to enjoy it the most.
How to enjoy seamoss?
Seamoss is typically sold by the pound. Keep in mind that
seamoss is very lightweight, so a pound will be plenty to
provide one person with several months’ supply. You can make
the famous Caribbean seamoss punch with finely chopped rehydrated seamoss, evaporated milk, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon
and rum.
Re-hydrated seamoss (the gelly one) can be used to give
consistency to pies, smoothies and other similar desserts.
Furthermore it’s a great supplement for those on a raw food
diet. Dried seamoss stays fresh for six months to a year, if
kept in a sealed bag.
How to make delicious
seamoss milk?
Ingredients:
1 lb. seamoss
2 tsp. Angostura bitters
2 limes
1 pk (250ml) evaporated milk
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
Water
Sugar to taste
1 stick of cinnamon
Clean the sea moss before it is soaked. Soak the sea moss
with limejuice for at least 12 hours to remove the fresh scent
of the sea moss. Wash and boil with the cinnamon until the
seamoss has a jelly like consistency. Remove the cinnamon
then blend and strain the mixture.
Leave to cool off (notice how it gets like gelatin when it cools)
and decant about half of the cooled blend into a blender (the
rest can be refrigerated or frozen to make more later). Add
milk (evaporated and condensed) then blend until it becomes
smooth and lose. Add bitters and sugar to taste. Mix well,
serve with ice and enjoy!
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