‘Cruel’ caviar farm bid leaves a bitter taste for thousands

THOUSANDS have signed a petition against the development of a “cruel” caviar farm planned for Argyll.

Edinburgh-registered Fynest Caviar Company has lodged a bid to create the country’s first such facility at Ardkinglas, near Inverary.

If approved, the closed containment facility will be used to rear non-native sturgeon fish and collect their eggs for the high-priced delicacy.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has lodged no objections with Argyll and Bute Council, which is to determine the application.

However, international animal rights group Peta has collected more than 5,000 signatures from people opposed to the plan.

Peta says the intensive caviar farm would keep sturgeons “confined in stressful, unnatural conditions before subjecting them to a cruel, bloody death”.

The facility would be the first of its kind in Scotland and only the second in the UK.

In the petition, the group claims that in addition to causing cruelty to fish, a farm of this kind would likely have many negative effects on the local area, including increased traffic from goods vehicles and the obstruction of scenic views by new buildings.

The generation of environmental pollutants, such as ammonia could also potentially have a detrimental impact on wildlife, says Peta.

“Thousands of compassionate people have spoken, and Argyll and Bute Council should heed their concerns for animal welfare, the environment, and the health of the community,” said Peta director Elisa Allen. “Peta is calling for the proposal to be rejected, sparing sturgeons immense suffering.”

Peta says that in the wild, sturgeons live in open rivers and migrate vast distances upstream to breed. On commercial fish farms, they’re confined to “tiny, severely crowded tanks, where they have no option but to swim in endless circles”.

The £4 million project aims to turnover £3.64m over six years, displacing some of the £22m of caviar and caviar substitutes imported into the UK annually, and to hire seven full-time employees, including a general manager and technical staff.

The company hopes to have Scottish caviar on the market by Christmas 2020,

Thousands of compassionate people have spoken

initially producing per year 1.5 tonnes of caviar, which can sell for more than £1,000 per kilo, and growing up to three tonnes annually.

One of the Fynest Caviar Co’s three directors, Fraser Niven, said: “The fish represent the key set of the business and will only provide the premium product if this care is maintained.

“I would also refute the negative claims on the impact of the business to the local area.

“This decision to locate in Argyll is a positive reflection of the reputation of the area for providing Scotland and the wider markets with the highest quality food and drink products and in particular the skills of the local people in the aquaculture sec tor.”