Seas not for sale

Sir, In response to last week’s article entitled ‘Seas around Arran are not for sale’, I support Arran constituents who are concerned about the potential expansion of St Molio’s fish farm in Lamlash Bay. As accurately reported last week, I am opposed to such an expansion, as is Patricia Gibson MP. We have both written to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Roseanna Cunningham MSP, cabinet secretary for environment, climate change and land reform, to make our position clear.

However, I was surprised by some of the content and the tone of last week’s article. Given that such an application has not yet been received by SEPA, I think it is inappropriate and misguided to call for anyone to consult on an application which does not yet exist.

I was particularly concerned to read that ‘… participants could not understand how the same Scottish government that recognised in 2016 how special Arran’s waters and sea-beds were – by enforcing a Marine Protected Area with seagrass meadows and maerl beds – is now considering allowing 1,000 tons of salmon sewage, including toxic chemicals, to go into Lamlash Bay untreated.’

The Scottish government is categorically not considering the above, because there has been no new application received and it has not yet been given the opportunity to consider the matter one way or another.

To monitor whether or not an application has been made, you can visit the following SEPA webpage: https://www.sepa.org.uk/regulations/consultations/advertised-applicationsunder-car/

Of course, if the Scottish Salmon Company does lodge an application, any islander can make representations to SEPA in writing within 28 days. I would encourage everyone with an interest in this issue to make their views known.

Yours, Kenneth Gibson MSP, Cunningham North.