Fifteen submissions raise concerns over seaweed farming bill
Thursday 29th October 2026 on 19:16 in
Iceland
Fifteen submissions were made on a draft bill regulating seaweed farming at sea, with several respondents criticizing the short consultation period. The submissions were reported by mbl.is.
The draft was published in the government’s consultation portal on October 16, and the deadline for comments was October 28. Marea, an innovation company, requested more time to respond. Its founder and chief executive, Julie Encausse, said the request had not been answered.
Encausse welcomed the bill as an important step in developing an industry in Iceland, but said it deserved more scrutiny. She said Iceland’s legislation would set a precedent for the Nordic countries, none of which has a dedicated legal framework for seaweed farming.
Several submissions objected to a provision stating that previous research would not give applicants priority when operating licences are allocated. The Association of Seaweed Companies said research permit holders should receive some priority in areas where they have invested in research, equipment and cultivation development. It argued that those investments and the knowledge gained should give them a particular legal status in later licence allocations.
The Data Protection Authority called for clearer rules on the powers and handling of oversight by the Agency of Industries, which is due to take over responsibilities from the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, the Directorate of Fisheries and the Price Committee for Catch Shares at the turn of the year.
NASF Iceland and the National Association of Fishing Clubs urged authorities to consider effects on fish stocks in rivers and lakes when issuing research and operating permits. NASF also warned against using seaweed farming to justify more salmon farming in sea cages or to shorten or circumvent fallow periods at aquaculture sites. It said integrated cultivation, in which seaweed is grown near or at fish farms to absorb nutrients, could be used to argue for allowing more fish farming at those sites.
All submissions are available in the government’s consultation portal.