Iceland

New initiatives and policies reflect growing recognition of the ecological and economic importance of kelp ecosystems in Iceland, particularly in relation to harvesting, mapping, and coastal planning. IceKelp is a collaboration between the University Centre of the Westfjords (UW), the municipality of Strandabyggð, and the private company Fine Foods Íslandica. The project aims to integrate biodiversity research, stakeholder engagement, and community workshops around kelp farming, linking kelp aquaculture with rural development and climate resilience. In Northeast Iceland, the Mission Blue Kelp Initiative is documenting kelp forests around Grímsey and Mánáreyjar, mapping the distribution of Laminaria hyperborea using underwater drones ahead of the development of a kelp harvesting and drying facility. These data will also contribute to the EU biodiversity initiative BioProtect (bioprotect-project.eu) and to marine spatial planning efforts, which may support formal protection of these ecosystems. In terms of legislation, Iceland’s National Planning Policy (2024–2038) was recently approved by Alþingi and includes a dedicated marine and coastal planning strategy. Although kelp forests are not explicitly mentioned, the plan emphasises coastal ecosystem protection and sustainable resource use to support ecosystem health and socio-economic wellbeing. Regulations for wild kelp harvest require companies to submit a five-year management plan, introducing more structured oversight. By contrast, legislation for kelp farming is currently absent, with no clear regulations or policy direction for how Iceland envisions the sector. Iceland has also pledged to comply with the 30x30 target, aiming to protect 30% of Icelandic waters before 2030, with kelp forests expected to be a factor in deciding which areas are protected. Research–industry collaboration is advancing knowledge on harvesting impacts. Private companies such as Íslandsþari ehf. and Thorverk hf. have collaborated with and contracted the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute of Iceland (MFRI) to generate distribution maps and biomass estimates for kelp in North Iceland (Laminaria hyperborea) and in Breiðafjörður (primarily Laminaria digitata), building on historical surveys (Gunnarsson and Þórisson 1979; Gunnarsson 1980, 1991). These maps have not yet been published but are expected to be valuable for sustainable management.

Iceland is well positioned to strengthen kelp governance, linking sustainable economic development with research and policy. Recent (unpublished) mapping and biomass estimates, along with emerging monitoring methods (e.g., stable isotopes, eDNA), can support sustainable kelp use. The newly approved national planning policy creates an opportunity to integrate kelp harvesting, conservation, and aquaculture into marine spatial planning (MSP). To date, seaweed ecosystems have been largely overlooked in Iceland’s climate and carbon strategies, despite their potential contributions to mitigation (Krause-Jensen et al. 2018), nitrogen removal, carbon sequestration, and fisheries production (Eger et al. 2023b). With aligned governance structures, stakeholders, and new data, Iceland could secure both ecological and socio-economic benefits from kelp forests over the long term.

Collaborative frameworks between researchers and industry have been particularly effective. Recent government-issued research licences require collaboration with MFRI scientists, expanding the data available for modelling and management and building trust and knowledge exchange. Iceland’s coastal planning increasingly recognises marine ecosystems within integrated management, and a recent government report highlighted seaweed’s economic potential (Björnsson et al. 2023). Media coverage and new consumer products (Jones et al. 2025) have also helped raise public visibility of kelp as both an ecological asset and an economic resource.