An invasive seaweed becomes dinner: Akaroa Harbour lines up a whole new industry

Wakame seaweed is an invader in Akaroa Harbour, on New Zealand's Banks Peninsula. This month, Ōnuku Rūnanga — the local Ngāi Tahu community, which holds the country's only control permit for harvesting it — began turning the problem into an industry, with every link in place from the start. Premium Seas built food-grade drying equipment near Ōnuku Marae, so each harvest is dried at low heat close to where it is collected. Ceres Organics, an established food brand, turns the dried seaweed into flakes and powder for an organically certified range, with a first product expected on New Zealand shelves from February 2027 and exports to Australia and Asia planned. Eight local jobs have already been created, including young people from the marae trained to dive and harvest.

SDG 14 · Life below water — Mechanism: community action