Câr-y-Môr, Wales’ groundbreaking sustainable seaweed and shellfish farm, has secured a 20-year marine license for its offshore site, overturning an earlier 5-year term set by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

The decision, announced on Friday, marks a major victory for the farm’s seven founding members, who argued a short-term license jeopardized the venture’s viability and set back marine sustainability efforts in Wales.

“This is a tremendous result for Câr-y-Môr and sustainable ocean farming overall,” said co-founder Owen Haines. “A 5-year license simply wasn’t practical or aligned with our mission. We’re grateful the inspector acknowledged the adverse impacts it would have caused.”

Câr-y-Môr contended NRW’s initial license contradicted the Well-being of Future Generations Act, emphasizing the need to take a long-view, holistic approach to marine development in Wales.

(Image credit: Arthur Neumeier)

Key factors in the appeal’s success included:

• The inefficiency of reapplying for licenses every 5 years
• NRW undervaluing Câr-y-Môr’s farm data, the most reliable evidence source
• The minimal difference between 5 and 20-year terms given monitoring requirements

Since its community-driven launch in 2019, Câr-y-Môr has been lauded as a model of sustainable ocean farming.

(Image credit: Arthur Neumeier)

With its 20-year license now secured, the farm will pursue new ventures bridging sea and land, including producing seaweed bio-stimulants for agriculture. “Collaboration across ecosystems is crucial,” Haines emphasized.

“We hope this decision sparks similar nature-positive projects and policies prioritizing both communities and environment,” he added. “We look forward to working closely with Welsh authorities to establish prosperity frameworks for sustainable ocean farming.”