Community's Blessing Needed to Solve Seaweed Problem

The huge amount of seaweed on the beach at Bearna Pier rendered it unusable during the recent heatwave.

Our recent heatwave has highlighted the issue of excess seaweed on our local beaches, particularly at the pier, which has rendered them somewhat unusable.

In other areas, the local Council takes on the task of clearing seaweed – although some contend that this leads to coastal erosion – but this hasn’t been possible due to a lack of public funding. 

However, the new Tidy Towns committee, under the auspices of Barna Sports Park (Co-Op), has been making great strides in addressing the problem, but need the permission of the community to proceed. 

A member made contact with Cllr Noel Thomas, who advised that there were no plans to solve the problem, from the County Council’s point of view: 

“Unfortunately, yes, there has been a decision made not to clean the seaweed from the beach,” he wrote. 
“I have been in contact with the Environment Section of Galway County Council, and this decision was reached due to a lack of funding. 
“I was also on to our local warden about it, and she got back to me today to say that they are hoping to clear the first section of the beach at the slipway (Pier), so at least people can make it through the seaweed to get access to the beach. 
“This could have even been done already, but I am not sure as I was not talking to the area engineer. I know this is not a great solution but, for now, I am afraid it is the only one available to us.”

Bearna Beach in happier times...

The Co-Op has also consulted with a local businessman who advised:

“Harvesting rights are to do with live seaweed. I think, in the long run, if the community had a spreader, it could be used by the land owners... there are no issues with spreading this seaweed, as it is organic, and it would mean that there would be no big pile of rotting seaweed left in one spot.”

A spokesperson for Barna Sports Park (Co-Op)/Tidy Towns told us that the voluntary group cannot take on the job of clearing the seaweed without a proper plan, and permission from the community.

“We have to be cautious about taking any action here as gathering seaweed may pose health risks, it has to be disposed of responsibly, and the community must be consulted," she said.

“We have been told by the Council that there is no funding, so we were looking into getting a tractor to do it, but you have to dispose of seaweed correctly. However, it has traditionally been used as a fertiliser, so some farmers or gardeners may be interested. Also, there are seaweed rights to contend with, so we would need to ensure the community is on board with the removal of the seaweed. It's just not straightforward, but not good enough that Barna has been left out while other beaches are regularly cleared.”

They have requested the permission of the public to:

• Remove the seaweed from the main beach, on the west side of the Pier, to make it a more pleasant place to relax in this fine weather. They hope that this can be done within the community and, due to the Council’s own lack of funding, it will be an ongoing battle throughout the season. 
• If permission is received, would farmers or gardeners or others in the community be happy to take seaweed regularly for use as fertiliser or other use.

If you have any submissions to make, please email ShaunaMcCool@gmail.com. 

Update: a path has been clearer from the slipway to the sea, but the majority of the beach is still covered with rotting seaweed.