Mayo moves escalated to protect seaweed harvesting along west coastline

Coastal communities can’t take a backseat as interest grows from private companies to secure seaweed harvesting rights, Mayo TD Keira Keogh has stated.

The Westport-based deputy elaborated: “Around the coastline of this country, seaweed harvesting rights are established and understood within local coastal communities. Mayo and Clew Bay is no different. The tradition of seaweed cutting by locals must be protected.

“In some cases, these rights are formally recorded on property folios, while in others they exist as traditional rights which are passed down through generations who have been harvesting shorelines for decades.”

Deputy Keogh referred to Senator Seán Kyne’s advocacy in this area who said previous legal advice to the government recognised that existing seaweed harvesting rights must be respected and protected, and such rights can’t be displaced by licensing agreements.

“Where legally recognised harvesting rights exist, those rights must be fully respected. The State can’t give permissions that undermine or override long-standing rights that families and communities have relied on for generations,” Senator Kyne said.

Deputy Keogh called on the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, which is the State agency which determines licensing of seaweed harvesting, to respect the opinions of the previous government legal advice.

Deputy Keogh has met with Timmy Dooley, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine with Special Responsibility for Fisheries and Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Environment and Energy with Special Responsibility for the Marine on this matter.

He has committed to working towards a solution that respects these traditional rights.

Deputy Keogh noted: “There is naturally growing concern among the coastal community in Clew Bay about private operators and companies looking for licences to harvest seaweed in areas where local families have traditionally had these rights for generations. These harvests provide income to locals who have harvested this seaweed for years, these rights should not be transferred to a commercial company.

“It’s essential that regulations recognise these rights and safeguard our local communities which rely on them.”