The ethnobotany of edible seaweed (Porphyra abbottae and related species; Rhodophyta: Bangiales) and its use by First Nations on the Pacific Coast of Canada

Abstract

Porphyra abbottae Krishnamurthy is a nutritionally and culturally important species of red alga used by First Peoples of coastal British Columbia and neighbouring areas. This species, along with Porphyra torta and possibly others, is still harvested from wild populations in large quantities, dried and processed, and served in a variety of ways: toasted as a snack, cooked with clams, salmon eggs, or fish in soup, or sprinkled on other foods as a condiment. It is also a valued trade and gift item, especially on the central and northern coasts of British Columbia and Alaska. Common linguistic origin of the majority of names for this species among some 16 language groups in five language families indicates widespread exchange of knowledge about this seaweed from southern Vancouver Island north to Alaska. Coastal indigenous people have expressed concerns about potential commercialization of Porphyra and impacts from pollution and global climate change.Key words: Porphyra abbottae, Northwest Coast, traditional food, Aboriginal people, marine algae, edible seaweed.