The origins and history of Undaria pinnatifida (Wakame) in New Zealand
The brown seaweed species Undaria pinnatifida (known as Wakame in Japan), was first observed in New Zealand in Wellington Harbour in the 1980s. It has proven itself to be extremely adaptable in a wide range of conditions – from the heat of Australian and Mexican waters to the cold waters of the South Island of New Zealand. Undaria is classified as a pest species by most regional councils and regional environmental agencies and was named as one of the top 100 most invasive species globally. Wakame is extremely difficult to eliminate and notoriously tricky to control and has made a home in waterways from the top to the bottom of New Zealand.
At the national level, it is managed by Biosecurity New Zealand (a division of the Ministry for Primary Industries). As the challenges around the spread of Wakame are near insurmountable, and as it has yet to be successfully removed from an area it has invaded, we believe that it should be treated as any other seaweed species, including removing restrictions on the harvesting and farming of Wakame. The seasonal nature of Undaria pinnatifida growth in New Zealand suggests that native seaweeds will not be totally displaced, and the benefits of Wakame (not only as a product but also in terms of carbon sequestration and providing habitat for juvenile fish species) outweigh any negative impacts.
With Wakame growing wild in many South Island estuaries and harbours, this is a resource that is not well used or appreciated in New Zealand. Southern Seaweed sees algaculture as an exciting and necessary area of growth for New Zealand’s primary production, and we would like to be at the forefront of this expansion into the Blue Economy. While wild harvesting is our current production method, the amount that we can harvest is already insufficient for the demand we receive. Wakame is farmed for use in Asian cuisine. We firmly believe that New Zealand can utilise farming to produce the cleanest and most eco-friendly high-value seaweed in both domestic and export markets.
Servicing all of New Zealand:
Northland | Auckland | Waikato | Bay of Plenty | Gisborne | Hawke's Bay | Taranaki | Manawatu-Wanganui | Wellington | Tasman | Nelson | Marlborough | West Coast | Canterbury | Otago | Southland
Page: Wholesale Undaria NZ - Dried Wakame Seaweed & Powder - Last updated: 21st February, 2026
How we harvest
Southern Seaweeds currently harvest wild-growing Wakame from late August through to December from the Otago Harbour, Bluff Harbour, Oamaru Harbour and the Marlborough Sounds. The Wakame fronds mature first in Bluff Harbour, working from South to North of the Island, and depending on the season, harvesting has continued through into January.
We harvest our Wakame using a launch and two or three-person crews. Going out over the low tide period maximises safety and ensures the easiest conditions to collect Wakame. Staying in accordance with the conditions of our permit, we may only collect Wakame growing on man-made surfaces, and we take the whole algae, including the sporophyll (reproductive organ), but leaving the holdfast, which is very difficult to remove and breaks down quickly after harvesting.
Southern Seaweeds is also starting to utilise divers to harvest Wakame that is not available for harvesting at low tide.
Southern Seaweeds offers wholesale Wakame including dried seaweed blade and frozen seaweed blocks.
At the moment, we turn our Wakame into two wholesale products. The blade (including the stipe) can be dried at our factory in Dunedin, removing about 90% of the water volume. This product is shelf-stable and readily rehydrates for culinary usage.
We also process excess blade and sporophyll into frozen blocks for storage and ease of transport. We do not sell fresh Wakame, as the blade degrades within a few days of harvest, and the water content and size of the seaweed make it challenging to courier.
