The marine environment is under threat. Again.

In recent years, we have been increasingly aware of the delicate balance within our marine ecosystems. There are pressures from over fishing, trawling, increasing sea temperatures, pollution, ocean plastics and marine development. The marine developments that the South West has been battling over the last two years is seaweed farms. Large-scale, commercial seaweed cultivation operations.

You may have read that seaweed farming is an eco-friendly solution to various issues, that it holds the future of food security, that it is good for the environment, sustainable and sequesters carbon. This is all true of small-scale, hand harvested farming of existing wild seaweed beds, but not so true when it comes to large-scale seaweed aquaculture.

Cornish coastal communities have helped to prove this unequivocally THREE times in three different locations around the coast over the last two years. One farm has had its licence suspended (Port Isaac), one application was withdrawn (Gerrans Bay) and one application was rejected (Port Quin). Oh, and another application was withdrawn in Combe Martin, North Devon after we became involved.

But the Port Quin application is back.

The company involved, Camel Fish Ltd, aided by Dr Angela Mead of Biome Algae Ltd, is appealing the rejection. This is despite the mountain of evidence that proves the proposal is unviable, and a comprehensive rejection report from the licensing authority, citing 19 breaches of Marine Plan Policies.

There is definitely a future for smaller, sustainable developments that are in harmony with our marine environment, but we cannot stand by and allow our fragile nearshore ecosystems to be destroyed, and exploited for profit by large commercial enterprises.

Please show your support for our coastal waters, coastal communities, grey seals, dolphins, humpback whales, porpoises and puffins, by signing our petition against the Port Quin appeal.