Questions & Answers

Proposals, Consents and Applications

Q: Will we be holding our public Pre-Application for Loch Snizort at Waternish Hall as well as other locations?

Our intention is to hold all public Pre-Application events at each Community Council Hall, subject to availability towards the end of February’25. We will be reaching out to all Community Councils in January to finalise arrangements and to agree whether all venues are required.

Q: When is this likely to take place

Pre-Application events are scheduled for the end of February’25 with full Application public events likely towards the end of March’25/ beginning of April’25.

Q: Would you undertake to not extend to any further places in Loch Bracadale if consent is granted?

Provided this was something that local Marine users including Inshore fishers and the local community wished to see then it is something Kaly would consider. As has been mentioned a seaweed farm consisting of 8 grids equates to less than 1% of the Loch area and therefore unlikely to have significant impact provided there is proper engagement on site selection.

Q: Would you be prepared to commit to beech cleaning the local beaches as part of any consent?

Kaly will play its part along with all other Marine users to assist in beach cleanup from Marine debris. In addition we believe a more comprehensive approach to helping to solve the Marine debris problem at source is possible. Kaly has proposed the establishment of a Marine Conservation Fund which is anticipated to contribute up to £360k per annum towards Community Environmental Projects in North West Skye. As part of our broader conservation efforts, we also hope to establish a lobster hatchery in the region, further supporting marine biodiversity and sustainable practices.

Q: What was likely timescale for pre-application considerations?

We envisage at least 4 weeks from the completion of Pre-Application events prior to formal applications being made to Marine Scotland although this period may be extended to undertake further consultations if required. Our preference is to ensure that the Pre-Application phase is as inclusive as possible and are therefore happy to extend this period to allow further consultation on detailed matters as required.

Farm Design

Q: Would the structure of the farm be there all year round?

The main structure of the farm will be a permanent fixture during the lease period. All growing lines however will be removed at the end of each harvest period other than a ‘seaweed curtain’ round the perimeter of the farm to allow continuity of habitats and for Data collection out with the growing season to take place. 

Q: What infrastructure is required to support the farm?  Where is it going to be stored?  How will this impact on traffic?  Do you see extra infrastructure being required and being put into Stein to operate the farm or will it just be a few boats?

A large boat will be hired to deploy the farm structure and for collecting biomass at harvesting. Initial trials and Data collection would be done by small boats. Arrangements have been made to store farm infrastructure at suppliers depots prior to taking delivery for deployment. We do not anticipate landing seaweed at any of the local piers or jetties. Processing will be undertaken at one central bio-refinery hub on the West coast which is currently subject to a separate feasibility study. Transportation from farm to bio-refinery will take place by large primary processing boats. Day to day management and maintenance of the farm will be undertaken from local piers in conjunction with farm managing partners. Very little road transportation is envisaged other than for servicing the farm or distribution from the bio-refinery which will be located adjacent to the main road network.

Q: Will marine traffic not get caught up in the farm infrastructure?

Marker buoys similar to Loch Bay will be deployed which are permanently lit with flashing beacons. Marine Charts for commercial and pleasure craft would be updated to inform mariners. Information on the farm infrastructure would be distributed to all local marine users.

Q: What will farm look like?

In the first couple of years during trials very little can be seen. (Ref Equipment used in trials) Any site consented would be taken forwards in a similar phasing pattern to the farm at Loch Bay – Phase 1 – 2 grids; Phase 2 – 4 grids; and Phase 3 – 8 grids. (Ref Grid Design slide) As part of our application to the Marine Scotland Directorate we will undertake a series of photomontages from different viewing points which can be agreed at the Pre-Application stage. Examples of these can be seen on Kaly website (Ref Loch Bay Photomontages) 

Q: How will the grids be anchored to the sea bed?

The design of each seaweed grid has been undertaken by a specialist Marine Engineering Company. (Ref Gaelforce Design Document) Anchor design and size will vary from site to site depending on seabed conditions, local environmental conditions, and other external factors including the overall grid design. At each farm being considered there will be a period of at least one year for Data Collection to determine the suitability of each site and the appropriate grid design to meet localised marine conditions. 3D modelling of each farm component, including anchor design, is undertaken under different stress conditions. Anchors, chains, ropes and buoys are assessed and modelled as a grid unit rather than individual components such as anchors, to determine the most commercially robust design to suit individual site locations.

Farm Operation

Q: What is the size of the exclusion zone round grids?

An exclusion zone is a distance that all vessels not directly involved in farm activities are required to keep from the outer boundaries. However, we aim to allow smaller vessels access up to, and in some cases through, the farm. This can vary from between 50 and 100 meters and would be subject to further discussion, and in particular with local inshore creel fishers. The seaweed farm grids have been designed to allow creel fishing to take place through the farm out with the growing season between November and April. (Ref Grid Design slide) It is already known that seaweed farms act as a nursery for juvenile fish and prawns. (Ref Quantification of finfish assemblages associated with mussel and seaweed farms in southwest UK provides evidence of potential benefits to fisheries; Tropical seaweed beds as important habitats for juvenile fish). It should be noted that larger craft will not be permitted to transit through the farm to ensure the safety and integrity of operations.

Q: How bright will the lights be at night?

Marker buoys need to be visible from 2 nautical miles.  While it will be possible to see pinpoints of light from the shore, farm locations have been selected to minimise visual impacts by being positioned clear of settlements. At Loch Bay, where Stein is the nearest settlement at a distance of 2km, there have been no comments on the lights from Marker buoys being visually intrusive since their deployment.

Q: What are the impacts on the existing fishing businesses in the area?

A protocol has been developed in conjunction with the Scottish Creel Fishers Federation (SCFF) on engagement with local inshore fishing interests. (Ref KALY+SCFF Seaweed Farming Protocol (Draft)) As part of the protocol local fishing interests have the opportunity to suggest alternative sites to accommodate seaweed cultivation which Kaly will undertake assessments on to gauge suitability. Seaweed farms of 8 grids take up less than 1% of the loch area. The farms act as a habitat and nursery for juvenile fish and improve loch biodiversity through the absorption of excess nitrates and phosphates. The farm also absorbs carbon dioxide and acts to improve oxygen levels which in turn improving habitats for fish stocks. (Ref Carbon sequestration assessment and analysis in the whole life cycle of seaweed) Seaweed eDNA trials provide environmental data collection on the health of the loch system. Seaweed farm designs can provide the opportunity for creel fishing between May and November each year (Ref Grid Design slide) and for culturing oysters, mussels and clams throughout the year providing local fishers with the infrastructure for multi-trophic aquaculture. Seaweed farms provide local fishers with the opportunity to benefit from a guaranteed supplemental income through a Partnership Agreement for management of the seaweed farm. We also believe seaweed farms will tend to deter trawling and dredging within inshore loch systems protecting creel fishing areas within the loch.

Q: What are the impacts on water based leisure activities that use the proposed area?

A: Seaweed farm applications will include an assessment of leisure craft activities and where possible avoid existing users. As part of any license application to the Marine Scotland Directorate (MSD) approvals from NatureScot and the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) will be required. At Loch Bay farm small leisure craft including kayaks canoes have continued to navigate through the seaweed farm without any difficulty. Marker buoys and Marine Charts are required by MSD which clearly indicate the seaweed farm boundary and require approval from Northern Lighthouse Board.(NLB)

Q: How long will the farm operate?

Consent from MSD for any application allows the Crown Estate Scotland (CES) to grant the applicant a 15 year Lease Agreement with strict conditions. At Loch Bay for example we have undertaken an independent ornithologists study monitoring raptors, and in particular golden eagles, within the vicinity of the seaweed farm throughout this year. We will be establishing a Data Base of all environmental conditions at the farm site during the course of the Lease Term to build a detailed picture of the health of our lochs.

Q: What happens at the end of the period?

As part of any Lease Agreement from CES the applicant is required to remove all fixed infrastructure (including anchors chains ropes and buoys) at the end of the Lease period. Kaly have accepted as a condition of its lease agreement at Loch Bay a methodology for removal of all farm equipment at the end of its lease term or in the event the farm fails commercially to be viable. Under the Lease Agreement strict conditions are applied to the operation of the farm through the MSD approval.

Q: What happens if the farm is destroyed by storms?

All farm infrastructure is fully insured against loss or damage. Each seaweed farm will be inspected regularly to ensure the main structure is intact and maintained. On-site cameras provide real-time observation for the farm management team. Seaweed growing lines are removed after harvest in May each year to be cleaned and where necessary renewed prior to deployment again in October/November. Each farm will be surveyed by divers every year prior to seeding taking place to undertake a condition survey. Maintenance and/or renewal of farm equipment where required, is a key factor in the management of each farm. 

Q: What happens about any debris created?

All debris from the farm infrastructure would be collected or removed along with other debris from inshore fishing or other marine activities as part of the Farm Management Agreement. Management of each farm will be undertaken through regular visits, on-site cameras, and where possible drone inspections. The importance of keeping each site well maintained, including the removal of marine debris, is a direct consequence of the capital cost invested to deploy and operate a seaweed farm successfully. With a significant Cap-ex per 8 grid farm Kaly are fully incentivised to ensure each farm is properly managed and maintained. Kaly operates a net zero waste policy and would either repurpose or recycle marine debris collected.

Processing

Q: Have any site for processing / biorefining had been selected?

No site has currently been selected although a number of sites are being considered as part of an ongoing feasibility study. We anticipate a decision towards the end of 2025.

Q: I have visions of mountains of pre-dried seaweed.  Will it smell?  I am thinking of polytunnels.

There will be no wet seaweed delivered to any existing pier or jetty. Other than monthly testing samples there will be no need to bring seaweed ashore. All harvested seaweed will be stabilised on boats using a natural low energy process prior to delivery at the selected bio-refinery site. Kaly operates a net zero waste principle with all by-products used to create end products such as bio-stimulant fertiliser or secondary packaging material.

Q: Are you fixed on it being dried or powdered?  You are talking of tons of seaweed being brought into Skye every year.

All harvested biomass will be delivered to one quayside location on the West of Scotland and will be stored in liquid format within large silos prior to secondary processing at the bio-refinery. We have already discounted drying, powdering, or freezing due to high energy costs and sustainability.

Q: Have you looked into water extraction and the drying of the product into a powder?  It would seem that this will use a lot of energy to get it into a dry state.  Have you done any research on this or is it ongoing?  Have you chosen a method of drying?

We do not consider drying or freezing biomass is environmentally or commercially sustainable. We have researched other renewable methods of generating electricity for drying including from wave-power, solar, hydro and wind power. None to date make any form of commercial sense other than a direct line from a wind farm to the bio-refinery location as part of our commitment to sustainability and net zero. Our preference will be to stabilise and process biomass using natural ingredients which is currently the subject of a separate study being led by Kaly.

Environmental

Q: What is the impact of shading on the sea bed?

Shading of the seabed happens when kelp reaches its maximum growth prior in April/May when natural light is approaching its maximum level. Spacing between growing lines averages 4.5 to 5.0 metres meaning light penetration is maintained through the movement of the kelp. Studies to date indicate no material impact on the ecosystem of the seabed from seaweed farms – Ref The Environmental Risks Associated With the Development of Seaweed Farming in Europe; Kaly will be undertaking eDNA sampling of each farm site – prior to growing seaweed – during the growing season – and after harvesting – as part of a wider study into Predictive Farm Methodology. In addition detailed on-site Data collection on all environmental conditions including light will be undertaken. The benefits of a seaweed farm as a nursery for juvenile fish and shellfish are already well known and have been demonstrated – Ref Quantification of finfish assemblages associated with mussel and seaweed farms in southwest UK provides evidence of potential benefits to fisheries;

Q: Who has assessed, and what is the impact on marine life where you attracting marine life in and then removing the attraction on a cyclic basis?

As mentioned above Kaly intend to undertake such studies but can Ref Seaweed aquaculture and mechanical harvesting: an evidence review to support sustainable management where research has shown improvements to biodiversity is maintained after harvest. Additionally we are intending that at each farm a “seaweed curtain” is trialled round the outer perimeter of each farm after harvest to measure on going changes in biodiversity compared to base-line measurements.

Q: How can we be certain that only spores from local kelp will be used?

As part of any MSD approval Kaly would insist on sporophytes from Alaria and Saccharina (brown kelps) being sourced locally from each loch where a seaweed farm is proposed. Currently the only requirement from MSD is that seed stock is collected from within 50km of a proposed farm site. As part of a Kaly led study involving the James Hutton Institute, Hortimare, and Oceanium, we intend to prove that brown kelps vary in chemical composition from loch to loch. The study will hopefully identify the key factors influencing the composition of seaweeds and in particular the importance of sourcing seed stock from lochs where seaweed farms are proposed. Loss of wild seaweed is already happening through climate change (Ref Striking a Balance: Wild Stock Protection and the Future of Our Seaweed Industries) where sea temperatures are rising to a level where local wild seaweed stocks are vanishing. Collection of local seed stock from different loch systems ensures that in the event of wild stock failure then it’s possible to reintroduce indigenous species back into each loch system from local seed banks.

Q: Is there any plastic used in the farm and if so how will you ensure no contamination?

Materials used in a seaweed farm are similar to those used in creel fishing and aquaculture – ropes and buoys, chains and anchors. While most ropes and buoys contain plastic Kaly have been investigating the use of hemp in grow ropes as part of its overall commitment to net zero and the avoidance of single use plastics. Trials are planned at Loch Bay in conjunction with rope manufacturers to bring forward natural non plastic fibre based ropes. In the interim, and to mitigate against plastic particles entering the marine ecosystem, all ropes will be replaced every 2/3 years. Where possible Kaly are repurposing anchors buoys and chains from the aquaculture industry. All ropes are being recycled and where possible this is being undertaken locally. Water sampling at each site before, during and after the seaweed has been harvested, will provide an early warning of any marine contamination including plastic particles within each loch system. To our knowledge there is no detailed on-going study which tracks the health of any of the sea lochs surrounding Skye.

Q: Are you planning 100% compliance with the Marine Conservation Society Guidelines for environmentally responsible seaweed cultivation and wild harvesting in the UK?

Kaly have no intention of harvesting wild seaweed. Local wild samples, when fertile, will be the only collection of wild species. Kaly followed the requirements of the MSD in our application for the prototype seaweed farm at Loch Bay. A copy of all documents submitted to MSD as part of our application process can be viewed here. The application content and its comprehensive approach to environmental issues covers all aspects contained within the Marine Conservation Society Guidelines without these being expressed though an EIA which is a non-statutory requirement. Within any proposals for any new farm site Kaly will provide similar documentation including Independent Environmental Screening, Habitat Assessments, LVIA’s, Benthic Surveys, Environmental Data Collection, Ecosystem Issues, etc. In addition Pre-Application consultation will take place with MSD, NatureScot, Northern Lighthouses, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Royal Yachting Association, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and Highland Council. We believe that the standard, transparency, and quality of information submitted for our application at Loch Bay surpassed anything previously submitted for a seaweed farm application in Scotland.

Q: What are the results of your consultation with environmental bodies?

Proposals are at an early stage with no definitive site selected. A high level assessment undertaken by the Crown Estate Scotland in conjunction with the MSD, NatureScot, Northern Lighthouses, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, and Highland Council indicated no ‘red lines’ to Kaly preferred sites and that Lease Option Agreements (LOA’s) could be issued. Additionally, an Independent Environmental Screening exercise (Ref Environmental Risk Matrix) has been undertaken by Ironside Farrar using a ‘traffic light system’ to provide a next stage assessment. This desktop report has been produced in consultation with the statutory Environmental bodies and provides a good indication of which sites could be progressed with mitigation measures and which would be more challenging. Before proceeding with any MSD applications further consultations, including Pre-Application Consultations with NatureScot, will be undertaken to identify further studies required – eg raptor monitoring, harbour seal and otter assessments, marine environmental data collection, and visual impact studies. We welcome the opportunity to engage with all local environmental initiatives, including those by local communities, and trust that this will be possible through the Pre-Application process.

Q: About the water that is being extracted.  What are you doing with that?  Is there a value in it in terms of nutrients?

We are committed to all principles of recycling at all stages of the bio-refining process including heat generation and recycling fresh water. Much of the work currently being undertaken to develop the bio-refinery concept and its detailed operation is being undertaken in partnership with other specialist companies. While the technology already exists at other locations in Norway and France (Ref – Developments in seaweed biorefinery research: A comprehensive review) to construct and operate a bio-refinery, we are keen to ensure such a facility in Scotland captures all good practice in sustainability, and indeed the latest scientific developments in compound analysis and chemical engineering.

Q: In the harvesting of the kelp is there a danger of harvesting microplastics as well?  There is so much plastic on our beaches that there must be some of this in the kelp.

Water and kelp samples will be taken monthly from trial sites and analysed as part of an ongoing study to track environmental conditions within each loch system before any farm proposal is taken forward. Establishing a baseline assessment of existing environmental conditions at each location would identify microplastics as well as heavy metal traces and any other pollutants. All harvested seaweed will be subject to the same food standard compliance tests as any other seafood. These tests could help to act as an early warning signal for any deterioration in water quality at any loch where inshore fishing currently takes place. The risk of microplastic within loch ecosystems entering the food chain is clearly greater now than in the past and has resulted in a much more stringent testing and analysis of any seafood and indeed seaweed. 

Community

Q: What are the benefits to local Community Council?

Local job opportunities related directly and indirectly to the cultivation of seaweed are many and varied. Local career opportunities related to seaweed cultivation through training programmes and scholarships leading to further education including Chemical Engineering, Process Operation, Data Science, Marine Biology, Bio-technicians, and Marine Conservation. Kaly are keen to establish a Marine Conservation Fund to create opportunities for local communities to become involved in Marine Conservation. We believe a focus on biodiversity improvements within each loch system is paramount for the future of inshore fishing. Such a Fund could assist in removal of Marine litter; Creating a Lobster Hatchery; Growing Sea-Grass and re-establishing natural Oyster and Mussel beds. Establishing a seaweed industry would provide financial benefits to local economies through new strands of economic growth at a time when traditional industries, including fishing and crofting are in decline. (Ref: Potential scale of Scottish seaweed-based industries: research paper; Open letter submitted to the Scottish Government regarding HPMAs; A shore thing – Scotland’s seaweed farming sector worth an estimated £70m a year; The Environmental Risks Associated With the Development of Seaweed Farming in Europe). Other than tourism the only current industries which can help to halt the depopulation of the Highlands are linked to natural resources such as Renewables and Aquaculture which need careful planning, management, and stewardship to ensure their sustainability.

Q: If there is general local opposition will you proceed anyway?

A clear statutory process exists to address where there are concerns or potential conflicts in any proposal. We wish to engage with all Marine Interests, Environmental Initiatives, and Loch Users at an early stage. We are fully committed to the benefits seaweed cultivation can have to our rural communities but recognise not everyone will have the same views. We have for example held discussions over the last year with local inshore creel fishers where the reaction from some has been negative while from others very positive. To fully explain our approach we have established a protocol with the Scottish Creel Fishers Federation (SCFF) for inshore fishing members to channel any concerns on our approach to consultation. The purpose of engaging with all Community Councils at an early stage has been to outline our initial thoughts and to receive feedback including questions or matters of clarification. It is difficult to comment on ‘General Opposition’ to seaweed cultivation from Community Council meetings to date since specific site proposals are at an early stage and will be guided by the outcomes of our Pre-Application meetings. At Loch Bay we advocated a transparent inclusive approach to all those within the community, and through a series of meetings and discussions, the overall reaction has been one of support. We hope that through a similar approach with other communities we could mirror this response.

Q: I feel a bit uncomfortable that community or financial benefits that come here could come from alternative, i.e. government, investments rather than any money that the company itself would be making.  You are obviously clear about us being part of the project, so have you considered making some of the shares being made available to the community or the community having some stake in the business?

Kaly have made a commitment to spend funds locally wherever possible. At Waternish over the past 3 years this can be demonstrated through a number of different initiatives, eg bio-stimulant trials, local assistance with Loch Bay farm trials, seaweed training initiatives, marine vessel hire, and even broadband provision to the local community hall. Our intention will be to continue to develop financial initiatives for local community benefit and have been developing ideas for a Marine Conservation Fund. The concept will be to establish a Fund to be administered by local communities focussed round education and marine conservation. Kaly is owned by the existing management with external investment from TriCapital Investors and Scottish Enterprise and can easily make decisions on where and how a Fund can be used. We would welcome any initiative by existing Community Councils wishing to become involved in specific Marine Projects such as oyster bed restoration, seagrass restoration, and indeed seaweed cultivation, and see no reason why this cannot be reflected through a financial stake in any of our new ventures.

Q: Will community members be allowed to visit farm at Loch Bay?

We are planning to have set dates (weather permitting) to visit the farm at Loch Bay where it will be possible to see and assist in seeding, sampling, harvesting and processing. Hopefully an annual open-day can be organised to showcase the farm and end products.

Q: What engagement with inshore fishers was made so far?

During the course of 2024 we have held a number of different meetings with inshore fishers which has resulted in several suggestions for alternative site locations. These suggestions have been considered as part of an overall screening exercise by independent environmental consultants. (Ref Environmental Risk Matrix) In addition there have been a number of different suggestions made covering farm design, grid positioning, farm deployment, and the Terms of the Farm Management Agreement. A protocol has been developed with the Scottish Creel Fishers Federation (SCFF) to ensure engagement with inshore fishers takes place in an open and transparent manner and that the views of inshore fishers are respected. Concerns over ‘spatial squeeze’ and farm siting have been voiced by some. While every effort has been made to continue a dialogue with those who have expressed concerns there have been some who are unwilling to engage further. There have also been others who have been fully supportive of the concept and would wish to become involved in any seaweed farm being progressed. Kaly’s objective is to provide inshore fishers with a choice – kelp farming as an option to provide supplementary income through farm management out with the prime fishing season. Many fishers recognise and see first-hand a decline in fish stocks and have been very interested to learn about the way seaweed farming can improve and indeed enhance inshore fishing over time. 

Business

Q: If you get everything that you want in terms of planning, what size of a team do you need to run the farm?  How many people will be involved?  Will jobs be all year round or just seasonal?

During the first two years each farm will require 2 farm managers full time with another 4 people part time at harvest. In addition 1 scientist full time to coordinate trial and research work with 1 person full time to coordinate all community administration. A cluster of 5 farms will generate 18 direct full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs along with an additional 4 indirect FTE jobs within the supply chain.

Q: You are obviously getting huge amounts of finance.  We are into the beginning of a deep recession.  How confident are you about getting returns and at what point do you see the returns coming in?

Kaly is a start-up business. We raised £250k in December 2021 and a further £300k in December 2024 (Ref Scottish seaweed business secures six-figure funding) with Kaly management team controlling 70% of the business. Our primary focus is to prove that a seaweed industry in Scotland can become profitable and that it can help to support fragile rural communities on the West of Scotland. We believe that the business and its investors will start to see returns by 2030.

Q: Most of the money to fund the project will come from companies who are doing dodgy stuff and so are you going to allow these companies to offset what you are doing?  We know there are plenty of companies who are planting trees and offsetting this against other things.

There are no investors in Kaly “doing dodgy stuff.” Companies who are looking to off-set their net zero commitments can only do so through verified credits gained through Internationally accepted standards such as the woodland or peatland codes. Although seaweed does capture carbon dioxide this is immediately released as soon as processing takes place. Cultivating seaweed is therefore not of interest to companies wishing to acquire carbon credits to use in offsetting. It should also be noted that as a condition of any Lease Agreement with the Crown Estate Scotland that the Tenant (Kaly) shall not be entitled to derive an income from the sale of carbon credits.

Q: You are suggesting that there will be further rounds of investments. How many years for the project to become self- funding?

Kaly have secured funding for the next 3 years at which point we anticipate one further funding round to scale up the cultivation of seaweed and to create a vertically integrated business. As indicated above we anticipate the project will become self-financing by 2030.

Q: What happens if the business fails?

As with any business venture there is the possibility of failure. Kaly have gathered together a Team which has a strong track record in a variety of professional disciplines to manage the risks of seaweed cultivation. In addition funding for the business has come from TriCapital Investors and Scottish Enterprise who have undertaken detailed assessments of the Kaly strategy and business plan. Our second funding round was completed successfully in December’24 which provides an operational runway for the next two years. Kaly management own the majority of the company and have committed their time and effort into the venture in return for shares in the company rather than salary. Kaly’s strategy is to make seaweed farming profitable by creating a vertically integrated business where our involvement in all aspects of the industry through joint venture or legal agreements provide strong foundations for the future. We intend to use the next two years trialling the suitability of different sites, developing our R&D programmes at Loch Bay, and creating an end to end business before deploying any commercial seaweed farms round Skye. This careful approach led by scientific research will create strong foundations for Kaly and its Partners into the future and minimise the risk of failure.

Q: How much of the kelp will go into animal feed?

At this stage Kaly are undertaking a series of trials to analyse the chemical composition of the brown kelps. (Ref Seaweed Trials & Testing) Understanding the make-up of seaweed from these trials will help determine which products, including animal and poultry feed additives, are likely to be commercially viable. Studies to date (Ref Seaweeds: a sustainable feed source for livestock and aquaculture) indicate clear animal health benefits from dried seaweed being added to diets. There are a broad range of end products including pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, health food additives, bio-plastics, sanitary products, textiles, dyes, inks, packaging, building materials, bio-stimulants and bio-fuels to name but a few. All products are produced through a secondary process at a bio-refinery where the different compounds are abstracted from the biomass ensuring every part of the feed stock is used.

Q: Is the business predicated on carbon credits?

No – it is a common misconception that seaweed can be grown to attract carbon credits. While seaweed does absorb carbon dioxide during the growing cycle from February, when photosynthesis takes place, the plant releases this from the moment primary processing takes place. Studies have shown (Ref Carbon Sequestration by Seaweed) that an element of cultivated and wild seaweed breaks off during the growing cycle and sinks to the seabed to be absorbed over time as carbon. While this is a positive contribution to removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere it is not something that can be measured accurately, and nor can it be guaranteed it will be encapsulated in perpetuity. We do not believe that seaweed cultivation will ever attract carbon credits.

Q: Who else is cultivating seaweed?

Within Scotland Kelp Crofters (Ref kelpcrofters.com ) and Aird Fada South West Mull and Iona Trust (SWMID) (Ref swmid.co.uk) and elsewhere Ocean Rainforest (Ref: oceanrainforest.com ) Arctic Seaweed (Ref aseaweed.com) Kelp Blue (Ref kelp.blue) and Greenwave (Ref greenwave.org)

Q: What products are envisaged?

There are a wide range of products being developed by a variety of different companies including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, textiles, building materials, inks, dyes, packaging, bio-plastics, health food additives, animal feed additives, proteins, sanitary products, bio-stimulants, bio-fuels etc. There seems no end to the number of sustainable alternatives coming to market with many household names such as IKEA Amazon and Nestle already trying out these new products. The difficulty today is that until there is a fully integrated seaweed industry created in Scotland there will never be certainty of supply of the correct quality of compounds necessary to sustain any of the products mentioned above as viable commercially attractive alternatives.