BY IRWIN ANGIKI
Leaders of Wagina, Choiseul province are calling on the government and partners to help revive their seaweed industry after most of their seaweed farms were wiped out by tsunami currents on Wednesday night, July 30, 2025.
Wagina’s seaweed farms contribute around 90 percent of Solomon Islands’ seaweed exports. Wagina’s farms are also recognised as collectively the largest seaweed exporter in the South Pacific.
On Wednesday night, strong currents from the tsunami generated by the 8.7 earthquake in Russia’s east coast hit Wagina and washed away the seaweed farms.
Speaking to Island Sun from the eastern end of Tetongo island group, the seaweed hub of Wagina, member of provincial assembly (MPA) for Wagina, Tongoua Tabe said how quick they can rebound from this disaster will depend on help from the national government.
Former MPA, Mofete Tupou echoed the same sentiment from the western end of Tetongo island, urging national government not to delay.
Mr Tabe said: “Every farmer is affected and looking worried because to recover would need more ropes and planting materials which would be hard to acquire over this damage.
“The planting cycle is also greatly affected, hence, the harvesting and selling means that the income will be irregular and affect many families and eventually, the money cycle in Wagina and Choiseul province as a whole.
“This is the sad effect of this damage looking at the economy circulation and how everyone including shops, market vendors, school fees and other family commitments would be affected drastically.
“This is why it’s critical for our national govt and donor partners to quickly assess this seaweed damage at Wagina being the main sustainable contributor to the national economy that played a key role in the national government’s vision of rural development and decentralisation and how seaweed farming has become an economic catalyst to our farmers.
“The farmers will recover but it’s about speeding up the recovery process when they are supported quickly by the national government and our donor partners. Seaweed farming has proven its worth in the national economy and it’s important to give seaweed back its well-deserved assistance to allow its socio-economic benefits to rebirth again.”
Regarding seaweed exports, Solomon Islands has just lost 90 percent of its seaweed supplies therefore it is foreseeable that the monthly exports will be drastically cut if not halted altogether if seaweed farmers from other provinces do not meet the current demand.
“The loss from this damage is not only the loss to our Wagina seaweed farmers but to the loss to the whole economy of Solomon Islands,” Tabe said.
“This is why this call is urgent and a call for our national leaders to quickly address as national disaster for the whole country.”
In mid-May this year, new fisheries minister Braddley Tovosia told parliament that the GNUT government viewed the seaweed industry as a ‘strategic investment’ which it had so far invested $18 million in – $7m in 2024 and $11m in 2025.
Tovosia said GNUT hopes to reach 100,000 tonne production by this year’s end, which would rake in an estimated $50 million in revenue.
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