For the last few decades, especially during summer Korean aquaculture industry has been huge economic loss due to massive blooms caused by Cochlodinium polykrikoides. Moreover, high dispersion speed along the coast and high cell densities (above 10,000 cells ml−1) of C. polykrikoides resuling in red tides for a longer duration (at least for 30 days). C. polykrikoides can be used as a prolific source of extracellular sulfated polysaccharides. Sulfated polysaccharides have showed strong antiviral properties against influenza virus. However, little has been investigated about industrial application of sulfated polysaccharides as a high valuable byproduct from C. polykrikoides. Current commercial microalgal biomass production systems are costly and require advanced instrumental and cultural facilities. From economic point of natural blooms of C. polykrikoides, therefore it is likely to be utilized as a cost-effective way of microalgal biomass production for commercial applications.

• Eun Seob Cho(East Sea Fisheries Research Institute, NIFS, Gangneung 25435, Republic of Korea) | 조은섭 Corresponding Author