Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2023
382. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of his Department’s investigation into alleged unlicenced seaweed harvesting in the Kenmare River by a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32791/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department operates a consenting regime under the Foreshore Act 1933 (as amended), managing a range of different marine activities and infrastructural developments. The foreshore area stretches from the high water mark out to a distance of twelve nautical miles – a total area around Ireland of approximately 39,000 sq. kilometres.Section 3 of the Act provides for the granting of a licence for the removal of or the disturbance of beach material on the Foreshore. Beach material is defined in the Act and includes in its definition “seaweed whether growing or rooted on the seashore or deposited or washed up thereon by the action of tides, winds, and waves or any of them”. Any individual or Company is required to apply for a Foreshore Consent for the harvesting of wild seaweed on the foreshore unless they hold traditional rights to harvest wild seaweed. These traditional rights to harvest wild seaweed may be related to property rights, known as appurtenant rights or built up through harvesting from the same area over a period of time known as a profit-a-prendre rights. Therefore, where these rights apply, a licence under the 1933 Foreshore Act is not required by the holder of that right in order to harvest seaweed, nor can any other entity be licenced under the Foreshore Act to harvest seaweed in an area where existing formal or informal rights to harvest seaweed already exist.A site investigation to examine the report of alleged unlicensed seaweed harvesting in the Kenmare River SAC was undertaken on the 24 May 2023 and no harvesting of wild seaweed was found to be taking place during the inspection.Unfortunately, these matters can be very difficult to pursue, especially in regards to taking enforcement action. Firstly, the identity of the individuals harvesting the seaweed would need to be determined, and then it would need to be established if these individuals hold traditional rights to harvest the wild seaweed in the area.The Property Registration Authority of Ireland (PRAI) is responsible for the legal registration of informal rights of traditional seaweed harvesters, however, there are a number of issues in the registration of these rights, such as where the rights have been passed from generation to generation and individuals not registering their existing rights as it is understood to be well known locally that they hold the rights to harvest wild seaweed.Ireland's National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF) commits to supporting the sustainable harvesting of seaweed, having regard to the important economic and social contribution it makes to coastal communities. There is a growing need for enhanced policy development in this area and it is envisioned to identify a strategic policy lead for this industry that would support the development of wide ranging national policy for the wild seaweed harvesting sector in order to maintain the wider maritime ecosystem responsibly and ensure the protection of this valuable natural resource for future generations.
