This is a very significant victory for the local community, and for all those who have fought to protect the wild fish and the environment of Broad Bay.  In making its decision we feel that the Comhairle has struck the right balance between the need for economic development and the protection of the local environment in the long term.

This Campaign thanks Conmhairle planning staff for their independent and meticulous work in their response to Lighthouse Caledonia’s planning applicaitons.

The Comhairle give three reasons for the rejection of the fish farm application, and the separate appolicaiton for the shore base at Brevig Harbour, which is automatically rejected following the refusal for the fish farm.

The three reasons are:

Reason 1 – The Environmental Statement is considered to be deficient of a robust, independent and accurate assessment of the potential impacts on the wild trout populations in Broadbay from sea-lice dispersal and on salmon and trout populations arising from containment failure (mooring failure or interaction with predator species).

 We feel that the Comhairle’s decision is potentially groundbreaking in the way it addresses the issue of protection of sea trout from sea lice infestation, especially, and of wild salmon and sea trout from the risk of mass farmed salmon escapes.

A massive thank you to all who took the time and care to oppose this plan. Between the various bodies and many individuals who campaigned against this fish farm we have achieved a huge victory, but we must now be on our guard, and this campaign intends now to fully focus on keeping fish farms away from Broad Bay and to ensuring that this situation does not reoccur. 
The Comhairle’s full decision can be read at:

http://planning1.cne-siar.gov.uk/WAM/showCaseFile.do?appType=Planning&appNumber=10/00105/FFPAES

The escape is now recorded in the Scottish Government’s official stats (attached), and serves to highlight just what could happen  in the waters of Broad Bay.

We must resist the development of a large fish farm in such a totally unsuitable and inappropriate location – or risk this kind of escape seriously compromising the wild fish ecology of the bay.

Fish Escape Stats 2010

9th November 2010
 
The No Fish Farms In Broad Bay campaign totally rejects and condemns comments made by Lighthouse Caledonia in a letter it sent to Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar in response to the rejection of its plans for a fish farm in Broad Bay made by 16 leading marine biologists.
 
This campaign asserts that Lighthouse Caledonia’s letter in response to the points made by the marine biologists, and which was given wide press coverage earlier this year, fails to address the fundamental concerns raised by opponents to its plans, and instead resorts to unfounded and unsubstantiated attacks on the independence and intentions of the opponents themselves.
 
The No Fish Farms In Broad Bay fully endorses the response made by Fish Legal (attached) to Lighthouse Caledonia’s letter.
 
Campaign spokesperson Peter Urpeth said:
 
‘This campaign has steadfastly focussed on the specific issues of Lighthouse Caledonia’s plan for a fish farm in Broad Bay and the serious environmental risks to the future of the local wild salmonid fishery it represents.
 
‘The No Fish Farms In Broad Bay campaign has never commented on or campaigned against aquaculture in general, and has never aligned itself with any organisation that campaigns more widely against aquaculture. This campaign’s opposition to Lighthouse Caledonia’s plans has been fought purely on local terms and what their plan means for the future of Broad Bay. 
 
‘We are now completing our response to Lighthouse Caledonia’s submissions, and in doing so it is clear to us that the real extremists in this issue are the applicant company who are attempting to push this plan through against overwhelming local public opposition (more than 90% of local households signed our petition against these plans); against the scientific evidence of 18 independent marine biologists, and at a time when the company have back-tracked on their plans to invest in and create new facilities and jobs at Arnish.
 
‘Far from this campaign or the marine biologists being a risk to the future of aquaculture in the Western Isles, we assert that a far greater risk to the industry comes from its own attempt to develop totally unsuitable and damaging sites such as that in Broad Bay. We believe that the communities of the Western Isles will support aquaculture in the long term, and that all parties can secure benefits so long as the industry works with and not against the interests and wishes of local communities and develops locally with sensitivity to the sustainability of the local environment and our important wild fisheries. 
 
‘But the company’s recent attempts to undermine the messenger rather than respond to the message makes this campaign very concerned that the company will develop any site it can irrespective of risk, local opinion or local response, and ultimately its off-hand rejection of local interests is an attitude that risks provoking a public back-lash against an industry that should instead be looking to building a sustainable and cooperative future locally.’       
 
[Ends.]

Friday 12 November 2010

‘Big blow’ to fish farm as 4,000 salmon worth £80,000 escape cage
highly unlikely they will go up local rivers, say owners
By Jane Candlish

Around 4,000 fish worth £80,000 escaped from a fish farm in north-west Sutherland this week after the net containing them was damaged.

Owners Loch Duart Ltd said yesterday that the damage was discovered on Tuesday, adding that the loss of the salmon was a “big blow” to the company.

Managing director Nick Joy said that 4,000 of the 10,000 salmon in their Loch Laxford pen escaped.

It is believed that the damage may have been caused by the propeller of a workboat which was alongside the pen.

Loch Duart Ltd is an independent Scottish salmon farm based in Sutherland and the Hebrides. It produces 5,200 tonnes of fish each year and employs some 85 people.

Mr Joy said: “We are deeply sorry about the loss of these fish as we have let ourselves down. It is an operational error that has caused this and we regret it deeply. We will investigate and tighten up procedures where they are found lacking. This is big blow to our morale and a loss to the Sutherland staff that put so much into looking after these salmon.”

Mr Joy added: “The fish that have escaped are in their first year at sea. None of the fish are mature and we believe it to be highly unlikely that any will go towards or up the local rivers.

“It is likely that they will fall prey to seals and other predators as there are plenty in the area. That being said, we have informed all the local consultees and will co-operate in any way if they believe that we have caused any risk to the environment.

“We have let down our own standard both for our company and for those who exist around our business. We apologise and accept our responsibility to improve.”

He added that the local fishery board and Scottish Government had been told about the escape.

Reporting escapes is a condition of the authorisation for aqua-culture production businesses under the Aquatic Animal Health (Scotland) Regulations 2009.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Marine Scotland has been notified about the incident at Loch Laxford, as is required under statutory obligations. Marine Scotland’s fish health inspectors will now take forward an investigation into the circumstances of the escape.”

Read more: http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/2005073?UserKey=#ixzz155n3q56N

http://www.fishnewseu.com/latest-news/scottish/4606-fish-farmers-under-fire-as-argyll-deal-hits-the-rocks.html

‘Unspoiled’ Lewis bay under threat from new fish farm

Martin Graham

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24 Oct 2010

Conservationists and anglers on the Isle of Lewis are fighting to prevent a fish farm being built in an unspoilt bay, fearing it will damage wild stocks of salmon and trout.

Broad Bay, near Stornoway, is one of the last remaining sea lochs in the Outer Hebrides which has not been exploited for fish farming. Conservation groups have nurtured the delicate ecosystem over the last 10 years.

The Outer Hebrides Fisheries Trust fears plans by The Scottish Salmon Company will damage wild fisheries, and wreck the tourist economy.

They claim that sea lice from the farmed fish will infest the wild fish population, causing disease and death.

Biologist David Kelly, a member of the trust, which advises freshwater fisheries and has lodged an official objection, said: “The proposals could damage all of the work done by local fishing organisations.”

Since 2002, volunteers from Gress Angling Association have worked to restore fish stocks on the River Gress, which feeds into Broad Bay.

Alasdair Murray, association chairman, said: “The first season we had no salmon and only 38 sea trout.” His team put in place a restricted fishing season, a voluntary “catch-and-release” policy, habitat improvements and a mink trapping programme.

“Since then we have seen an improvement in the river’s fortunes, culminating in 2009 being the best since Victorian times, with 63 salmon and 315 sea trout caught,” Murray said.

“We have a very loyal group of anglers who return each year for the thrill of fishing a Highland river which is accessible and affordable. It really is the people’s river.”

Similar work has also been done by Stornoway Angling Association to restore the Creed river, which also feeds into Broad Bay.

Improved fish stocks have brought a rise in the number of visiting anglers.

Angling tourism makes a contribution of £6 million to the economy of the Western Isles and supports 260 full-time jobs.

Alasdair Smith runs the shop and filling station in the village of Back, close to the Gress river and Broad Bay. He said: “We get groups coming from Glasgow and Edinburgh, and they come back again and again. The fishing here is very good, the permits are cheap – it’s only £10 for the day and £25 for the season.

“The fish farm would have a devastating impact. On the west of the island there is a fish farm at Grimersta. The stocks of sea trout had dwindled because of the sea lice from the fish farm there, but they let the farms go fallow last year and the sea trout catch was huge.”

A group of 18 marine biologists wrote to Western Isles Council in March to register their opposition to a fish farm in Broad Bay.

The letter said: “Sea lice emanating from salmon farms have been a major causal agent in the decline of wild populations of salmon and sea trout and consequently fish farms should not be located in close proximity to the few remaining healthy wild fish populations in the west Highlands.”

A spokesperson for The Scottish Salmon Company, said: “We operate to the highest environmental standards. Fish farming is a modern, sustainable industry and we are committed to maintaining the high-quality environment which the fish need to thrive.”

Farms ‘a disaster’

Sunday Herald food writer Joanna Blythman is a long-standing critic of fish farms and farmed salmon.

“Salmon farming in cages has been the biggest environmental disaster to hit the west coast of Scotland in living memory,” she said.

“I think of it as factory farming in the sea. On the taste front, comparing farmed salmon to wild line-caught salmon is like comparing a flabby couch potato to a trained athlete.

“I only buy wild salmon certified under the Marine Stewardship Council scheme. This guarantees that the salmon comes from healthy wild stocks that have been sustainably fished.”

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/transport-environment/unspoiled-lewis-bay-under-threat-from-new-fish-farm-1.1063412