This paper is a compilation of data from investigations made with marine benthic algae from the Magellan Region that have biotechnological utilization in human consumption or medicine or as a source of phycolloids or food supplements or animal feed. The most important Rhodophyta species are: Ahnfeltia plicata (Hudson) E.M. Fries for agarose production, Gigartina skottsbergii Setchell & N.L. Gardner for carrageenan production, and Callophyllis variegata (Bory de Saint-Vincent) Kutzing for human consumption. The most important Heterokontophyta species are: Macrocystis pyrifera (L.) C. Agardh, and Durvillaea antarctica (Chamisso) Hariot for human consumption, alginate production, and as biofertilizer for agricultural crops. M. pyrifera is also used as a food supplement for salmon, chickens, quails, sheep and bovines and for biofuel production.The authors thank support from PFB-23 (Basal-CONICYT), P05-002 (ICM-MIDEPLAN), Project DO8I1163, and AQ08I1011 Fondef-Conicyt to AM and MA respectively. NSY thanks the CNPq for a research fellowship, and Conicyt for the Project MEC. E. Velasquez collaborated in the English translation and revision of the manuscript.4FONDEFandres.mansilla@umag.clBasal-CONICYT [PFB-23]; ICM-MIDEPLAN [P05-002]; Fondef-Conicyt [AQ08I1011]; CNPq; [DO8I1163]FONDEF