Who is Câr-y-Môr?
What is Câr-y-Môr? We get asked this all the time, and although we do have an FAQ Page, we thought it was time to dive a bit deeper into this. Câr-y-Môr is many things. We are an ocean farm. We are a seafood processing business. We are an education outreach organisation, but most importantly, we are a Community Benefit Society. This is what sets us apart from other organisations. We aren’t some Limited Company (although we do have Ltd status) out to make a few investors rich. We were formed to benefit the community through our goals of:
Improving the coastal environment through regenerative ocean farming, and;
Improving the wellbeing of the local community through job creation, supply of fresh local seafood, and environmental restoration
For the Love of the Sea Limited (Câr-y-Môr) was officially founded and registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on the 1st of August 2019 by founder members Owen Haines, Chimene Haines, Francois Beyers, Joanne Haines, Alice Rogers, Jon Haines and Meg Haines. Since then membership has grown to over 200 members. 87 of which are pioneer share investors (more on this later). Câr-y-Môr has also operated a trial seaweed and shellfish farm for two years and in 2022 installed a 3 hectare ocean farm. The society also employs 13 people living in the local community. We are proud of the growth Câr-y-Môr has seen in its three years of trading and are encouraged by the continued interest of individuals from all over the UK (and the world).
What is a Community Benefit Society?
This is another question we get asked all the time. A Community Benefit Society (CBS) is similar to a workers cooperative. However, it is working to benefit all members rather than just the workers, and any benefit the members of Câr-y-Môr get is because they are part of the community Câr-y-Môr is a part of, not because they get the benefit because they are members of the society. A CBS is legally required to operate for the benefit of the community, and cannot distribute any surplus to shareholders. It is permanently not for profit and all surplus must be reinvested back into the society for the betterment of the community.
When can I join?
Anyone can become a member at any time as long as you agree to work towards the aim of the society (goals 1 and 2 found in the first section). This has been integral in Câr-y-Môr’s journey to date. Without the diverse talents and generosity of our members we would not be where we are today. Members include farmers, boat builders, restaurants, other ocean farmers and even politicians. If you adhere to the goals of Câr-y-Môr and wish to become a part of the community-based ocean farming movement (through membership or pioneer investment), please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing members@carymor.wales. A key aspect of the democratic nature of the society is that no matter how many shares you own, you only get one vote in the business.
Where is this community?
Câr-y-Môr is based in St Davids, Pembrokeshire. However, our community of members and investors is made up of individuals and organizations from across Wales, the UK and Europe. Locally we work closely with individuals in the community, such as restaurants, schools, and fishermen. We have also developed partnerships with other organisations such as Plant Ecology Beyond Land, NotPLA, WWFUK, Bangor University, and Swansea University to ensure that the community Câr-y-Môr works within is a diverse and far reaching as possible. These partnerships also allow us to develop new products and secure funding to ensure that we are consistently pushing the boundaries of sustainable development for the benefit of the community.
Why should I care?
We are in a climate and biodiversity emergency and action (real action, not just words) is needed to bring humanity into a more sustainable and just future. We all need to play our part to leave the planet a better place than we “found it”. At Câr-y-Môr, we know that seaweed aquaculture isn’t going to save the planet on its own. However, we firmly believe that it is a key puzzle piece in fighting the climate crisis in a way that will benefit people from all walks of life. We want to create well paid jobs that benefit the environment and community in which we work, and we can’t do this without support from pioneer investors and members of the society. Câr-y-Môr is (dare we say it) a revolutionary idea that encourages membership and support from anyone who shares the same ideals that we do.
How can you get involved?
Become a pioneer investor or member! This is realistically the key way to get involved with Câr-y-Môr. This is absolutely crucial in the success of this community benefit society. After joining, you can then volunteer, follow and share our social media posts, or even come up with other ideas on how you would like to be involved. Finally, you can buy our products! We offer a wide range of seaweed shellfish products and we deliver throughout the UK!