Wu Feng-chiao is calling for younger women to join the traditional seaweed harvest in Taiwan to prevent the practice from disappearing [1].

The effort to recruit new harvesters is critical because the trade is aging out. As the remaining practitioners retire, a centuries-old marine harvest tradition risks being lost entirely if a new generation does not take over [2].

Wu, who is 72 [1], is among the last women in Taiwan keeping this specific cultural heritage alive. She operates in the coastal waters of the island, where she harvests a distinct brownish-purple variety of seaweed [1, 2]. The process is labor-intensive, requiring harvesters to wade into the ocean to collect the raw material by hand [2].

Once collected, the seaweed is processed into jelly, a traditional product that maintains the link between the coastal communities, and their environment [1, 2]. The transition from raw marine plant to edible jelly involves specific traditional techniques that Wu and her peers have mastered over decades.

Despite the cultural significance, the physical demands of the work and the availability of modern alternatives have deterred younger women from entering the field [2]. Wu continues her work in the coastal waters, emphasizing that the survival of the trade depends on the willingness of others to wade in and learn the craft [1, 2].

“The trade is aging out as older harvesters retire.”

The struggle to maintain seaweed harvesting in Taiwan reflects a broader global trend where traditional ecological knowledge is disappearing due to aging populations and urbanization. When these artisanal practices vanish, communities lose not only a source of sustainable food production but also the historical identity tied to their coastal ecosystems.