International Journal of Aquaculture, 2025, Vol.15, No.6, 308-316 http://www.aquapublisher.com/index.php/ija 308 Research Report Open Access Economic and Environmental Aspects of Porphyra spp. Cultivation: Current Practices and Future Prospects Fan Wang, Jinni Wu Aquatic Biology Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding author: jinni.wu@cuixi.orrg International Journal of Aquaculture, 2025, Vol.15, No.6 doi: 10.5376/ija.2025.15.0030 Received: 30 Sep., 2025 Accepted: 18 Nov., 2025 Published: 10 Dec., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Wang and Wu, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Wang F., and Wu J.N., 2025, Economic and environmental aspects of Porphyra spp. cultivation: current practices and future prospects, International Journal of Aquaculture, 15(6): 308-316 (doi: 10.5376/ija.2025.15.0030) Abstract Porphyra spp. Is one of the farmed seaweeds with the highest global output value and has an important impact on the coastal fishery economy and ecological environment. This study reviews the current industrial status of major porphyra producing countries, analyzes the economic value and industrial chain of porphyra cultivation, and explores the ecological and environmental impacts of cultivation activities. The results show that while the porphyra industry generates economic benefits, it can improve Marine water quality and increase carbon sequestration and carbon sinks. However, it also poses risks such as eutrophication and disease transmission. This study introduces the progress of sustainable aquaculture technologies such as eco-friendly breeding models, digital monitoring, and germplasm improvement, and discusses the promoting effects of government policies, fishermen's cooperation, and social awareness on the development of the industry. Take Fujian Province as an example to analyze the experience of sustainable development of the porphyra industry. Finally, we look forward to the future prospects and challenges of the porphyra industry under the influence of climate change and market fluctuations, and put forward comprehensive management suggestions. The results of this study provide a theoretical reference for promoting the sustainable development of the porphyra industry. Keywords Porphyra cultivation; Economic value; Environmental impact; Sustainable technology; Policy support 1 Introduction Porphyra,also known as seaweed, belongs to the phylum Rhododenta in classification. It was originally just a common farmed species along the Asian coast, but now it has become a globally valuable Marine agricultural product. It is cultivated on a large scale in countries such as China, Japan and South Korea. The East Asia region almost accounts for half of the world's supply of porphyra, with an annual output of several million tons (wet weight) and export footprints all over the world (Qiu et al., 2021). In the entire aquaculture system, the proportion of seaweed is not small, and porphyra has always ranked among the top in terms of economic benefits due to its high added value. Its driving effect on the coastal economy is obvious. It not only increases the income of fishermen but also becomes a foreign exchange earning industry for many countries (Show, 2020). On the other hand, the nutritional value of porphyra has also made it popular in the food market for a long time, with high levels of protein, vitamins and minerals. As Asian foods such as sushi and bento boxes go global, the international demand for porphyra is still on the rise. It is precisely for this reason that both the scientific research field and the industrial sector are now beginning to re-examine the economic significance and ecological impact of porphyra cultivation, and related research is also continuously deepening. Porphyra has a unique life history and exists in two forms: leaf-like and shell sporophyll. The leaf-like body is a purplish red thin sheet, adhering to rocks by the seaside in autumn and winter. The shell sporophyte is a microfilament and parasitizes inside the shell in summer (Sapatinha et al., 2022). In the middle of the 20th century, scientists revealed this hidden generation of porphyra, solving the long-standing problem of artificial seedling cultivation and freeing the breeding industry from its reliance on natural seedling sources. Porphyra species are widely distributed in temperate seas around the world, especially abundant along the coasts of East Asia. In the northern coastal areas of China, the main crop of Laver is the striped laver, while the southern coastal areas are rich in the jar laver. Porphyra farms are also widespread in the coastal waters of Japan and South Korea. These
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