Dawnfresh gets go ahead for bigger pens

DAWNFRESH, Scotland’s largest producer of farmed trout, has been given the go ahead to increase the pen size on one of its Loch Etive sites and move the farm to deeper water.

The changes will help standardise operations and ensure pens are in the best location, said the company, welcoming the decision by the Planning Committee of Argyll and Bute Council.

Etive 3 farm, located at Port na Mine at the eastern end of the loch, can now be moved to deeper water and the size of the pens can be increased to match most of the company’s other pens in the area.

The farm is currently comprised of 10 pens of 22m diameter, which will now be increased to 25m and the site moved approximately 100m in to deeper water.

Planning officers had recommended that councillors grant approval for the change, which Dawnfresh expects to complete within the next six months.

Stewart Hawthorn, farming director for Dawnfresh, said: ‘This will help us modernise our operations and continue providing healthy and independently certified trout to UK and international markets.’

Big fish: Page 38