“This is a win,” Mayo TD hails pause of Clew Bay seaweed licence assessment
Department of Climate confirms MARA has halted assessment as concerns grow over harvesting rights and licensing process
The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment has confirmed that the assessment of a proposed large-scale seaweed harvesting licence for Clew Bay has been paused.
The Department told the Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs that the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) had not prioritised the application, citing capacity issues within the organisation as well as wider regulatory gaps surrounding the licensing process.
Reacting to the announcement, Mayo TD Paul Lawless welcomed the decision, describing it as “a win” for native seaweed harvesters who have been campaigning on the issue.
“This is a win for the native seaweed harvesters who’ve engaged with me on this from the start, including harvesters from our coastal islands who travelled by boat to my public meeting in Newport. Their insight made a real difference today,” he said.
Deputy Lawless said the pause reflected concerns he has repeatedly raised about the current licensing framework, arguing that MARA cannot properly assess an application of this scale while significant uncertainty remains over ownership and harvesting rights on the foreshore.
He also encouraged harvesters who have not yet done so to register their traditional harvesting rights.
The committee session marked the second time seaweed harvesting has been examined since Deputy Lawless requested the issue be brought before the committee following a public meeting in Newport last March, which attracted harvesters, farmers, coastal residents and ecologists.
According to Deputy Lawless, the Department has agreed to undertake a full review of the seaweed licensing process and engage directly with coastal communities and traditional harvesters.
The Oireachtas committee is also expected to publish a report outlining the concerns raised by harvesters and recommending reforms to what it described as an unworkable system.
“I cautiously welcome this,” Deputy Lawless said. “The Department have agreed to my request for proper community consultation with coastal communities in Ireland. There is a lot of work to be done to ensure native seaweed harvesting rights are protected.”
The Aontú TD also highlighted concerns about the 2028 deadline for registering historic harvesting rights under the Maritime Area Planning Act, arguing that the current system is too complex and costly for individual harvesters.
Deputy Lawless proposed a tiered fee structure and a cooperative registration model that would allow small-scale and traditional harvesters to navigate the process together, rather than being subject to the same requirements as large commercial operators.
“Right now, the legislation treats the small harvester and the massive multinational the exact same way. That’s wrong,” he stated. “I’ll keep pressing the Department until we see real, workable change for our coastal communities.”