Fish farm would hurt Kintyre tourism and quality of life
Sir, It is depressing that Marine Harvest (MH) does not spend as much energy and money finding an appropriate local brownfield site for its gigantic onshore hatchery as it does in coming up with reasons to pillage the beautiful and irreplaceable Gauldrons from the local community.
MH says MACC is not suitable because it has no control over future development, though if it got permission to destroy the Gauldrons, there would be nothing to stop any other developer calling dibs on the remainder of that bay, citing the warehouse as precedent for further industrialisation of our precious wild coast.
MH talks fearfully of contamination from Niri – more than two miles away from the Clocheil end of MACC with a runway in between and virtually equidistant from its preferred Machrihanish site.
Then MH says it cannot guarantee a sea inlet and outlet but did not mention the option of a lateral pipe under the course with a screened inlet under the sea – not a borehole but a secure underwater pipe.
No, it is just simpler for MH to diminish the quality of life for thousands of locals and visitors who use this bay and its environs, generating perpetual income for many businesses.
It is more convenient for MH to destroy the habitat of hundreds of species which inhabit or use this rare rocky mosaic landscape.
It is easier to dig up and concrete over the prehistoric, mediaeval and Fessenden heritage on the raised beach.
Recently elected MSP John Finnie has hit the nail on the head when he says on his Facebook page: ‘The environmentally important Gauldrons are an unsuitable site for the development.
‘Sacrificing the tremendous scenic beauty of the area would come at great cost both to tourism and the quality of life of the people of Machrihanish.’
Taxpayers have already contributed £831,000 to the existing facility at Lossit. It is time MH repayed us by finding solutions to putting the next phase in a socially and environmentally responsible location that secures jobs and saves the Gauldrons for present and future generations to enjoy. Bob Miller, Sound of Kintyre.