Building a commercial seaweed industry

The first set of policy guidelines for the commercial cultivation of seaweed  in Scotland were published today.

This development will create opportunities to grow Scotland’s  seaweed industry by providing clarity over where seaweed may be grown, along with

what kinds of developments will be approved.

The Seaweed Cultivation Policy Statement also sets out the framework concerning the environmental impacts of seaweed farms, including the requirements to:

• Consider and mitigate adverse environmental impacts
• Ensure that only native species are cultivated
• Be sited away from sources of pollution, where growing for human consumption
• Allow Small-medium size farms to  be located anywhere in Scotland, subject to agreement and appropriate local conditions. 

Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy Fergus Ewing said:

“We are starting to see the growth in seaweed as a commercial product, used in a huge range of items including food, cosmetics and fertilisers.

“We know the west coast of Scotland is the perfect environment for seaweed cultivation and, although the industry is still in its infancy, indications suggest that there may be significant economic opportunities ready to be developed in this area.

“The Scottish Government is committed to building growth in our rural economy, by supporting rural producers and businesses. This policy statement was developed after full consultation with stakeholders so we can understand and take into account the needs of industry and communities.

“The Scottish Government has a commitment to grow our rural economy and support our local producers while balancing economic benefits with the need to protect our environment.”

Dr Michele Stanley FRSB, Centre Lead for Marine Biotechnology at the Scottish Association for Marine Science said:

“Over the last couple of years we have seen a growing interest in the cultivation of seaweeds for a variety of uses. The publication of the Seaweed Cultivation Policy Statement will start to give this industry, which is very much in its infancy, much needed guidance and clarity about setting up a seaweed farm.  

“It will hopefully help to encourage the expansion of commercial seaweed farming in a sustainable and environmental friendly manner.”

Background

The full Seaweed Cultivation Policy Statement is available on the Scottish Government website.

These guidelines do not apply to the wild harvesting of seaweed.

Small-medium is defined in statement as being 0 -50 x 200m lines. At the lower end of this scale, seaweed farms are a similar size to a typical mussel farm, with up to 30 x 200m lines.