At certain times of the year the amount of seaweed on Thanet’s beaches and bays increases and we are often asked why we don’t take it all away. Seaweed is a natural occurrence on our coastline and the chalk reef where
At certain times of the year the amount of seaweed on Thanet’s beaches and bays increases and we are often asked why we don’t take it all away. Seaweed is a natural occurrence on our coastline and the chalk reef where it grows is protected by law. This means that while we can and do remove some of it during the summer months, we are not able to remove as much as some people might like.
We leave seaweed during the winter months (October to March inclusive) to help provide the foraging ground for the internationally important winter visiting birds, namely the Turnstone. This is important so they have enough energy to migrate to the tundra to breed over the summer and is a legal requirement of the Special Protection Area (SPA) for these wintering birds.
It is also a requirement for Blue Flag beaches to leave algal vegetation (seaweed) or natural debris on the beach. Seaweed and other vegetation/natural debris are natural components of both freshwater and marine ecosystems. Blue Flag guidelines state that vegetation should not be allowed to accumulate to the point where it becomes a hazard, however, only if it is absolutely necessary should vegetation be removed.
For these reasons, Thanet District Council arranges for collection of driftweed (seaweed that has become unattached from the chalk reef) during the summer months – from July to September. Driftweed is removed from the main designated bathing beaches, with additional removal from some of the other bays depending on the extent that has come in. Removal generally takes place when the beaches are least busy – normally early in the morning – but this varies as it is dependent upon low tide.
The following gives a brief outline of the council’s seaweed processing and analysis procedure.
The council submits a seaweed deployment application to the Environment Agency and a unique permit number is then issued. Seaweed analysis is then undertaken by appropriate technical experts. Once removed from our beaches the seaweed is further analysed by agricultural specialists prior to being spread on farmland as a fertiliser. Some small quantities of sand can be present on or within the seaweed.
Thanet District Council is provided with analytical reports from the agricultural specialists, as follows:
During 2022, seaweed was applied to the soil at a rat