Petition against west coast seaweed harvesting based on outdated information, says Arramara Teoranta

A petition circulating online calling on the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to block a seaweed harvesting plan on the west coast of Ireland is based on outdated information, according to a statement from Arramara Teoranta. The petition had attracted over 10,000 signatures and raised concerns among coastal communities, including in Mayo and Galway.

In a statement issued to The Mayo News this evening, February 10, 2026, Arramara Teoranta clarified that the original foreshore application (FS006108) was submitted in 2014, before the company was acquired by Canadian firm Acadian Seaplants Ltd. 

“This petition is based on a Foreshore Application FS006108 made by Arramara Teoranta in 2014, before it was purchased by Acadian Seaplants Ltd. This application never progressed because the relevant Minister (Damian English, TD) who suspended the licensing process in 2015 until he got clarification from the Attorney General on the status of Seaweed Appurtenant Rights and other rights on the Foreshore,” said Jim Keogh, Director of Arramara Teoranta.

The company said that following updated legal guidance and extensive work with Tailte Éireann to identify foreshore areas with seaweed rights, the licensing process was reopened in June 2018 and required extensive work with Tailte Éireann to isolate foreshore areas containing Seaweed Appurtenant Rights. According to Arramara, there are 2,500 such folios in County Galway alone.

“By the time this work was completed, the Maritime Area Planning Act was enacted, which led to the establishment of the Marine Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) in July 2023,” the statement continued. “Arramara Teoranta made revised applications to MARA to harvest Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus from five bays in Connemara in October 2024.”

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The company emphasised that the original 2014 application is not the basis for current proposals and that all current applications comply with MARA regulations.

Their statement comes after widespread attention and clarifies the timeline and ownership of the foreshore application initially referenced in the petition.

Residents and local stakeholders are advised to consult MARA and official foreshore notices for up-to-date information on any proposed seaweed harvesting projects along the west coast.