MORE than 300 delegates from 51 countries, including nine in Africa, have gathered at the University of Cape Town to attend the 17th International Seaweed Symposium being hosted by the university and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. The theme of the conference is “Seaweed: Science and Technology for Sustainable Industry”. The world seaweed sector is a major industry conservatively estimated to be worth more than $6bn (R50bn) annually. South Africa’s seaweed industry is worth between R15m-R25m. Seaweed is used for medicinal or herbal purposes.