Fisheries ‘disappointed’ by fish farm approval

TWO LOCHABER fishery bodies have expressed their disappointment in local councillors after approving controversial plans to upgrade a Loch Linnhe fish farm.

At a meeting of the Highland Council's south planning committee this month, members approved Marine Harvest's proposals to upgrade salmon pens at its Gorsten Salmon Farm, near Ardgour - despite two objections from local groups.

Councillor Ben Thompson said at the meeting that although he was ‘deeply troubled’ by Marine Harvest's application for the fish farm, he didn’t see a justification for refusing it, while Councillor Andrew Baxter said that he, too, was concerned by some content of the application, before reluctantly approving the proposals.

Lochaber District Salmon Fishery Board and Lochaber Fisheries Trust formally objected to the proposals over concerns of the high level of sea lice found on wild salmon in surrounding rivers.

Jon Gibb of Lochaber District Salmon Fishery Board said: ‘The board is deeply disappointed councillors have ignored the scientific evidence that would strongly suggest that net pen fish farming is unsustainable and damaging to the environment when practiced in the wrong location, however good the intentions and management of the operating company.

‘Gorsten is one of the worst locations in Scotland, being at the top of the long inland fjord of Loch Linnhe and close to the mouth of several important salmon and sea trout rivers, including the largest sporting salmon fishery on the west coast in the River Lochy.

‘The board supports a thriving Scottish aquaculture industry and recognises the enormous benefits it brings to the West Highlands, but only when undertaken in a sustainable manner. Salmon farming is not ecologically justifiable when practised in inland locations near the mouths of salmon rivers.

‘It is highly regretful councillors have not recognised this, in spite of our evidence-based representations, and have waived through yet more expansion at this entirely inappropriate site.’

Marine Harvest has been given approval to replace the existing 20 square salmon farming pens at the Gorsten site with 12 larger pens, but within an extended boundary on the loch.

The Lochaber Fisheries Trust, also concerned about the council's decision to approve the expansion at Gorsten, claim ‘millions more infectious lice will be released into the environment’.

A trust representative explained: ‘The lice numbers we recorded in 2017 were the worst we have seen and we estimate nearly 70 per cent of the sea trout we caught in Loch Linnhe would go on to die as a result of the high lice loads they were carrying. I understand and welcome the huge efforts Marine Harvest are making to get lice on their farms under control, but in locations such as Gorsten – sheltered sea lochs near the mouths of rivers – there is inevitably going to be an impact on wild fish populations and we feel farm expansion in these areas is not the way to bring about a sustainable aquaculture industry.

The trust said it would be happy to work with the council to understand and control better the impacts of fish farms on the environment.