The species is an important commercial source of agar. The species are harvested either by commercial divers in Portugal and Morocco whereas in Spain and France floating detached thalli and beach coast are gathered. The former method may not be as sustainable however, yields and populations are in decline/have collapsed in Portugal as of the 2000s. Populations are also in decline in Morocco, the world's leading producer, leading to trade restrictions and to shortages of agar on the world market, notably for laboratory-grade product.
