Limu: Edible Seaweed in Tonga, An Ethnobotanical Study

Abstract

Seaweeds ( limu) have a long tradition of human use in Tonga. Low-income families who reside near tidal areas rely almost exclusively on ocean resources for their family's nutritional needs and eat limu as part of their regular diet. However, most Tongans consume limu as a novelty item in their diet, with the exception of times of stress that follow major hurricanes and droughts. Nine taxa of seaweed are eaten in Tonga; however, Caulerpa racemosa is by far the most common species eaten. One specific type of limu, tanga'u ( Cladosiphon sp.), is now being commercially harvested in Tonga and sent to Japan. There are no rules or laws establishing a gathering season or restricting the amount of limu that can be harvested. Conservation is practiced primarily on an incidental level in Tonga, meaning that conservation takes place primarily because of other issues. Up until now, limu has been used sustainably. However, with the lack of formal conservation methods, limited research, and recently introduced industrial farming techniques, the future of limu as a sustainable resource is questionable.