Economically important red algae resources along the Chinese coast: History, status, and prospects for their utilization

China is rich in seaweed resources and is currently the largest seaweed producer in the world. The current study identified and investigated the geographical distribution of economically important red seaweed species around the Chinese coast, all of which are potential candidates for development in the seaweed farming industry. The study also highlighted progress made in research related to red seaweed farming in China. Farming of Pyropia and Gracilaria species continues to show steady growth, although with the occasional emergence of biological or ecological stresses. However, farming of eucheumatoid species is facing challenges because of devastating diseases and, therefore, we propose that the 'seedling problem' is a major obstacle in the cultivation of agarophytes and carrageenanophytes. Integrated multitrophic aquaculture systems and modern marine ranching represent the future direction of the aquaculture industry, represented by high outputs and ecologically friendly processes; seaweed farming is also likely to be able to supply feedstock for the future production of bioactive compounds and bioethanol. Overall, the utilization of red seaweeds in China is converting from traditional scattered domestic uses to modern large-scale commercial uses; thus, such high-efficiency and high-value utilization represent the future for red seaweeds in China.