Scourie Community Development Company and Assynt Development Trust secured funding from the Crown Estate Scotland Community Capacity Grants Programme and commissioned the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) to ascertain the feasibility of a Seaweed Farm (or multiple farms) in the NW2045 area.

The report was received in December 2022 and indicated at least three potential seaweed farm sites along the NW2045 coastline between Lochinver and Kinlochbervie, and both ADT and SCDC Boards agreed to proceed with further development of the project.

Kinlochbervie Community Development Company and Coigach Community Development Company have also joined discussions.

The group has also been in touch with two established companies working in the seaweed industry to explore routes to market.  Their approaches have been well received and communications with them are actively moving forward.

Next steps for the working group are to start working on a Business Plan for the NW45 / RLUP area, therefore including the coast from Durness to Bettyhill and Coigach, as well as the Lochinver to Kinlochbervie coast covered in the initial study.

This stage would require funding to cover costs connected with applications for licensing and a Business Plan to confirm potential locations, what type of farm model we are looking at, what species of seaweed, what quantity we are looking to farm and where funding might come from and to explore whether we wish to focus on all farmed seaweed or possibly wild harvested seaweed as well.