Campaign to stop the building of fish farm in Seil Sound, Argyll
This is to announce the setting up of our website to support the campaign to stop the building of a large fish farm in Seil Sound, Argyll.
Seil Sound is an area of outstanding scenic beauty in Scotland’s historic heartland, much loved and enjoyed by visitors and residents alike.
The proposal involves the installation of a series of cages about 32 metres in diameter, twelve in number, occupying a rectangular area 300m by 100m on the surface of sea (more than four FIFA football pitches). There would be a netted structure over each circular cage. They would be serviced by a permanently installed industrial grey concrete barge with a deck area of 26 metres by 18 metres, surmounted by a building almost two storeys in height. Diesel generators would run day and night, there would be underwater lighting in winter and the operators propose to apply for a licence to shoot the local seals.
At peak production, the farm would need to house up to 450,000 adult salmon (approximately 2,500 tonnes of fish). The resulting massive pollution would threaten the biodiversity in the waters of the Seil Sound and nearby Loch Melfort.
The waters are home to significant populations of native wild fish, seals, dolphins and porpoises as well as seabirds.
Research suggests that sea trout and wild salmon passing through the sound would be at increased risk of infestation from sea-lice and other infections. This could threaten their continued existence.
This area is central to boats sailing between Cuan Sound, Balvicar, Craobh Haven, Loch Melfort and Crinan. It is enjoyed by large numbers of people, and is important to the yachts, kayaks, and trip-boats that collectively provide important employment locally. A very long-established walking route from Ardmaddy to Loch Melfort is celebrated for the magnificent views over these same waters.
The applicants are a subsidiary of Morpol, largely owned from Poland with the result that little of the profit arising from destruction of a major economic and environmental asset would stay in Scotland. Morpol claim that the project would provide “3 to 4 full-time and two part-time employees”. It is doubtful that these would outweigh the damage to the local tourist economy.
Over five hundred people have so far registered their objections to this proposal with Argyll & Bute Council, who will be dealing with the associated planning application later this year. The objectors are not all against fish farms in principle, but agree that this one is simply in the wrong place and the environmental and economic risks are too high for it to be allowed.
Email:- campaign@saveseilsound.org.uk
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