Licensing Toolkit

Licensing Overview

Starting a seaweed farm is likely the start of one of the most fulfilling parts of your life. Amongst the first steps to become a future farmer is the application for a licence, guaranteeing you the right to farm a plot of ocean. Being a novel and evolving industry in Europe, licensing procedures are often not well established. This means that the licence application process can be anything but straightforward and require knowledge, time and resources to complete. To aid through this process, Seaweed for Europe has compiled general, and country-specific information and resources to guide future farmers through their licensing process. Please note that this toolkit focuses on the licensing process for seaweed farming, not wild harvesting. 

The toolkit is structured in two main sections:  

1. General considerations and learnings about obtaining a seaweed farming licence. This section gives prospective farmers an overview of what to expect when going through the licensing process and provides pointers for success.
2. Country-specific licensing processes including the specific steps and commonly encountered obstacles when applying for a seaweed farm licence in a particular European country. 

The Licensing Toolkit also provides relevant resources and showcases of fellow seaweed farmers. In addition to scientific studies and reports, we list paid and unpaid experts who you can contact for help with your licensing application. 

This toolkit has been created by the Seaweed for Europe Licensing working group, with the input of many seaweed farmers and experts from across Europe, in addition to desktop research (documents in “Resources” that are part of our sources). Seaweed for Europe would like to thank all current and future contributors that made this toolkit possible. 

Seaweed for Europe’s mission is to grow the European seaweed industry, thus enabling new seaweed farms is one of our core goals. If you still have questions after reading this document, you will find relevant contacts in the country-deep dive that can help you. 

Please note that this toolkit is a living document done to the best of our current knowledge and will be updated continuously and without notice. It is meant as a supporting resource and does not provide legal advice. 

Seaweed farm dreams within reach – Farmer showcases:

General considerations and learnings

General process of applying for a seaweed farm licence

Each country has their unique licensing process, but in general, the application process to establish a seaweed farm can be divided into three phases:

1. Preparation of the licence application, including designing the concept of your farm (farming technology used, species farmed), pre-engaging relevant stakeholders, and preparing the required documents for the licence application. After the successful submission of the licence, the licensing journey goes into the next phase.
2. Public consultations, including consultations with local stakeholders, responding to their interrogations and adapting the project to receive the local social licence to operate. At the end of the consultation process, the legal authority in charge of delivering the licence will evaluate if your answers to the public’s concerns are satisfying enough, and eventually grant you a licence. Once the seaweed farm lease is validated and published, the seaweed farmer can enter the construction phase of the farm – phase 3.
3. Pre-installation and final installation of the farm, where potential additional licences for the installation of equipment (e.g. buoys), use of the seabed (for anchoring of the farm), and food safety permits might be required.

Essentials when applying for a seaweed farm licence

A vision of your future seaweed farm. Keep in mind that seaweed farming is rewarding but tough: Seas will be rough and you will at times likely be working in cold, unforgiving weather. Having a clear vision of your farm is a powerful mental motivator to guide you through not only the licensing process, but also the likely ups and downs that will follow once you have established your farm. Within your vision you should also include the type of seaweed, the gear you’ll use and the markets you are targeting.

Knowledge of the area where you plan to farm. From potential marine spatial plans and fellow users to currents, storm exposure, nutrient loads, as well as potential pollutants – you will need to know about them. This knowledge will allow you to pick the ideal place for your seaweed farm, which is a prerequisite for your licence application.

Knowledge of seaweed farming. Knowing the seaweed species you’ll farm, the equipment you’ll need and your farm’s impact on the environment and other marine activities will most likely be necessary for the licensing process – and to run a successful farming operation. Additionally, you should have an idea of, and engage potential buyers and investors as soon as possible.

A clear plan. Being able to describe your farm in detail (e.g. its exact location, size, and species grown) will very likely be the first step in applying for your licence.

Time. Unfortunately being granted a seaweed farming licence can take a considerable amount of time (usually 1 – 2 years, depending on the country). Knowing and planning ahead to navigate the licensing process significantly cuts down on the time between your first application and being granted a licence.

Support from the local community. Having the local community (e.g., fishers, coast guards, environmental groups, the general public, etc.) on your side is a substantial success factor.

Funding. In addition to be able to pay the licence fees, you will need the capital to bridge the time between your licence application and the farm becoming fully operational. The length of the licensing process will significantly impact this timespan, which can take well over one year.

Common pitfalls when applying for a seaweed farm licence

Underestimating the time it takes to receive a licence. Even if countries give timespans for the licensing process, these can often be prolonged by the need for iterations of the application. Additionally, unexpected delays (e.g. rejections, change requests regarding project definition, missing information; rejection of the proposed farm by the public) should be expected. These delays can be minimized by being well prepared and consulting with stakeholders early on. However, it is still advisable to have a significant buffer in resources (time, money) to weather probable delays.

Underpreparing when applying for a licence. Not knowing the legislative requirements, your prospective farm, your community, etc. can lead to delays in your application process. These delays take time to resolve and thus drive up the costs of your licensing process. Being prepared and engaging your local community early on (point below) is key.

Not engaging relevant stakeholders early and frequently enough throughout the process. Social licensing is an essential factor and can not only scupper the licensing process but also prevent farming activities once the licence is drafted. Engaging relevant direct- (e.g. fishers) and indirect stakeholders (e.g. homeowners) early on will be key to your successful licence application.

Not connecting with your local seaweed farmer community. Established seaweed farmers have already gone through the licensing process and thus can provide valuable guidance, insights and connections. They are an invaluable resource, and often willing to help. This makes knowing them a very likely success factor when undergoing the licensing process and setting up your seaweed farm. This toolkit lists fellow seaweed farmers in respective countries that are happy to be contacted.

Expecting clear processes. The European seaweed legislation is still nascent. This results in the lack of standardization of seaweed regulations in many European countries. Through this, it is not uncommon for governmental requests for you to submit extra, unexpected paperwork, or for you to find solutions to currently unclear governance structures. We hope that this toolkit provides guidance through this often complex process. In the case you are experiencing any unforeseen obstacles throughout your licensing application, we would be interested in hearing about them, to help fellow prospective seaweed farmers be aware of, and potentially avoid/solve them.

General seaweed farming resources: