Objection to seaweed harvesting along Mayo coastline

A LETTER of objection to a Canadian company's plans to harvest seaweed along the west Mayo shoreline is being sent to regulatory authority MARA from the seven local councillors.

They want to see the age-old tradition of seaweed cutting by locals protected.

Councillors have received a flood of emails about a proposed harvesting licence for Clew Bay, Achill Councillor Paul McNamara told the monthly Westport-Belmullet Municipal District meeting.

He would not support a company taking over seaweed rights along the coast, disenfranchising local cutters and impacting the shoreline landscape.

Coastal communities have a great relationship with the shoreline and sea, he added, with a tradition going back years, and they were anxious to know what is going on.

He wanted clarity about whether an application has been made or not.

Councillor Sean Carey said the landowner has rights down to the high water mark and he wondered about the legality of a commercial company coming in. The matter is causing great concern.

Seaweed provides off-farm income and that cannot be taken away from people and given to a foreign company, said Councillor Johnny O'Malley.

The ecological impacts were highlighted by Councillor Gerry Coyle, with winkles and mussels, etc., in the seaweed. This operation would see it being cut from boats, not by people going down with hooks.

He also pointed out that seaweed access rights were written into some people's folios, to the high water mark.

“This has to be halted in its tracks,” commented Councillor Chris Maxwell.

Municipal district head Seamus Ó Mongáin clarified that there is no application with Mayo County Council. The query would be referred to MARA, who are the regulatory body for the marine.

There was full support for a suggestion from Councillor Brendan Mulroy that a letter of objection to any licensing application will be sent in to MARA.

* Funded under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme