Sky’s the limit for Galway seaweed sector

A guaranteed and regular supply of seaweed holds the key to the development of a vibrant industry with a range of new jobs on the coasts of Galway and Mayo.

That’s according to Jean Paul Deveau, the President of Acadian Sea Plants of Nova Scotia, who focused on this issue when he gave his first comprehensive interview about the acquisition of Arramara Teo this week.

Acadian Sea Plants bought out the Arramara Teo seaweed company in the latter part of last year.  Arramara had been fully owned for some years past by Údarás na Gaeltachta.

On a visit to the company headquarters in Kilkerrin, Mr Deveau stressed the importance of regular supply and management of the seaweed resources.

“We need to know precisely how much seaweed is in the seashore and we are carrying out a detailed study of that.  We need to know its growth patterns in various places and when to cut it and when to let it grow,” he said.

He insisted that some mechanism to secure a regular supply of seaweed is needed if Arramara Teo is to be developed to the level attained by Acadian Sea Plants in Canada.

Acadian Sea Plants, which was founded by Louis Deveau – father of Jean Paul Deveau – in 1981, employs over 380 people, most of them in coastal areas in eastern Canada.

The company has moved into the fertilizer, animal feed, human health and cosmetics use of seaweed and has expanded its business to eight countries.

See full interview in this week’s Connacht Tribune.