Gauldrons campaigners claim MACC is perfect site
A CAMPAIGNER against a possible Machrihanish hatchery says he would give up his own view rather than ruin the Gauldrons.
Sound of Kintyre-based Bob Miller, one of the founders of Facebook page Save the Gauldrons (STG), said that a potential site has opened up at the former Machrihanish airbase, on its northern edge, which was not available when Marine Harvest (MH) first declared an interest in further development at Lossit Point.
MH has held two public meetings to gauge opinion about a plan to create a wrasse hatchery on land adjacent to its existing site at Lossit Point.
The firm claims the wrasse are needed, as cleaner fish to eat sea lice from farmed salmon, in an environmentally friendly bid to eliminate the use of chemicals.
The current facility just outside Machrihanish village, by the track to the Gauldrons beach, was originally set up by Stirling University more than 20 years ago.
Since the plan was announced, despite there being no formal planning application with Argyll and Bute Council, a vocal protest group has been formed determined to make the Norwegian-owned business think again.
Mr Miller said: ‘MH has not been able to give us any physical evidence of a report on the MACC site.
‘I would rather it was in a MACC field behind my house. Biosecurity wise, it would be as far away from the Niri salmon farm as the site which MH favour. ‘At MACC, MH would have the full functionality of readyto-use roads and a proper sewage system.
‘Engineering wise, there is no reason why MH could not set up at MACC but we do not think it wants to do that. We think it wants a cheaper option.’
A MH spokesperson said: ‘We are of course interested in further discussion with STG and we hope to arrange a meeting during July.
‘From a biosecurity point of view, we always need to consider both the proximity of aquaculture facilities as well as the relative position of intake and discharge pipes.’