MPs asked to discuss seaweed farms in Cornwall

A seaweed farm has been approved for Port Isaac Bay

The MP for North Cornwall has asked parliament to debate the issue of seaweed farm applications in his area.

Ben Maguire said communities were angry about the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) over a licence for a 2,470-acre (100-hectare) seaweed farm in Port Isaac Bay to Penmayn Limited.

The Save Port Isaac Bay Group said there was little consultation and it wanted the MMO to revoke the application.

Penmayn said it was "fully committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety, environmental responsibility, and regulatory compliance", while the MMO said it took into account "all consultation responses" when "making a determination".

Mark Benattar said the only official notice was a "flimsy bit of paper in a tourist car park" and in a newspaper with "a very small readership"

Mr Maguire asked in the House of Commons if there could be a debate "on making sure the MMO properly informs, involves and consults with communities when processing marine licences for seaweed farms".

Commons Leader Lucy Powell MP said the environment secretary knew the MMO was "required to consult local people" and she knew "he has been very active in that consultation".

The MMO said it had met Mr Maguire, adding it "must follow a clear consultation process and take an evidence-based approach" in granting licences.

"We take into account all consultation responses received when making a determination," it added.

Notice 'blew away'

The Save Port Isaac Bay Group raised about £25,000 to pay for a barrister, solicitors and a third-party verification report.

Liz George, from the group, said: "That report has shown that a seaweed farm structure would not survive in this area."

Dr Tony Butt, a coastal morphodynamics expert and wave forecaster for SurfLine, said: "At an exposed spot on a wide-open coastline, with such high energy levels, the structure will have a high probability of failing.

"If and when it fails, it will pollute the nearshore and coastline, the developers will lose money, and the climate crisis will continue getting worse."

Penmayn Ltd said: "Wave data has been taken from all known local and national databases, including coastal monitoring buoys."

Liz George claims the wave data provided by the seaweed farm applicants was not accurate

Mark Benattar, also from the Save Port Isaac Bay Group, fishes off the site of the proposed farm at Tregardock.

He said: "The approval happened without anyone realising about it.

"One flimsy bit of paper in a tourist car park... and one notice in a weekly-newspaper that has a very small readership. No-one knew about it.

"They can't pretend people didn't care because as soon as it was made public [because] 300 people turned up to a meeting objecting to it.

"We're fine with seaweed farms - but they have to be the right farms in the right place."

The MMO said it was reviewing points raised by the group, but it was "unable to comment further at this time".

Barnaby Kay says he was frustrated and exhausted with another round of consultation

Just around the coast in Port Quin, Biome Algae and Camel Fish is applying for a licence with the MMO for two seaweed farms of 100 hectares.

The MMO said it had asked for further information and it carrying out a detailed review into the conservation of habitats and species impact - a Habitats Regulations Assessment.

The MMO said: "An update will be posted on our website once this next round of consultation is open for public comment.

"When consultation opens, we will ask the public to make any representations to the MMO via the public register."

Barnaby Kay, from the Save Port Quin (Lundy Bay) Group, said "We are hugely frustrated and exhausted. This has been a six-month process up to now."

"It feels as if we are going to have to do the whole thing again. It feels like a kick in the teeth.

"We had so many people involved the first time and we now need to sort of get that fighting spirit and get people re-engaged in it."

Biome Algae and Camel Fish said it "responded in full" to MMO further information requests and they were accepted.

It said that it would "continue to comply with and work through the legal MMO framework related to the marine licence applications".

"The latest proposed public consultation round will enable the local community to consider information provided by the applicants in response to concerns they have raised," it added.