
FISH FARM PLAN THREATENS THE VIABILITY OF SCOTLAND’S FIRST COMMUNITY-LED FISHERIES NO TAKE ZONE Campaigners on the Isle of Arran are claiming today (Tuesday 26 February 2008) that plans to site a giant fish farm in a bay off the island threaten a groundbreaking, community-led project of national significance, which was announced by the Scottish Government only last month (1). The campaigners, from the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST), have spent twelve years campaigning for a No Take Zone (NTZ) in Lamlash Bay, and have worked closely with the Scottish Government, Scottish Natural Heritage and local fishermen’s organisations, chaired by the Clyde Coast Forum, to reach a groundbreaking agreement for the NTZ to proceed. This agreement was announced by the Cabinet Secretary for the Environment and Rural Affairs, Richard Lochhead MSP, just last month on 21 January 2008 (1). However, the future of the NTZ is being put under threat by a planning application for a giant fish farm by foreign corporation, Marine Harvest. Marine Harvest’s planning application will be heard by North Ayrshire Council on 04 March 08. If Marine Harvest’s proposed fish farm is given the go ahead, it will be one of the largest in Scotland, and a huge industrial site measuring 1000 metres long and 700 metres wide, with an average depth of 29 metres. The fish farm would hold up to 800,000 fish, which would be fed over 5000 tonnes of feed, and produce over 1170 tonnes of excrement during each production cycle. At least four types of chemicals, including organophosphates, would be used to control pests and disease within the fish farm. It is also possible that the proposed fish farm could threaten the well-being of children recreating in the waters of Lamlash Bay when using a new £5 million outdoor centre, which has been built by North Ayrshire Council on the bay’s northern shore. Don Macneish from COAST said: “COAST is not against sustainable fish farming, but this fish farm is being proposed for the wrong location. We cannot take a chance with the health of our children, or the health of our fragile marine environment in this place. The precautionary principal should apply here, and this fish farm should be located somewhere more suitable.“ Howard Wood from COAST said: “If this proposed fish farm goes ahead, the local environment could be damaged and a groundbreaking project of an Island community and commercial fishermen working together to improve marine conservation and shellfish stocks will be compromised, all for the sake of making some more money for an already very rich, foreign-owned, multi-national company.” The agreement between COAST, the Scottish Government and the Clyde Fishermen’s Association would place an area of Lamlash Bay out of bounds to all fishing activity, to allow the natural regeneration of the seabed, as well as the fish and shellfish that live in or around it. Howard Wood continued: “Our Joint proposals with the fishermen would start to address the dramatic decline of the local marine environment by allowing the seabed to naturally regenerate. This would increase the popularity of the area as a diving site and tourist destination, and just as importantly improve the long term sustainability of the local fishing industry and help sustain the livelihoods of those dependent on the Bay by bringing money into the local area. It would also help to educate future generations on the need for marine conservation.” Much of the Arran’s economy is based on tourism and outdoor recreation, with visitors from the UK and abroad attracted by its pristine environment. The majority of local people feel that any damage to this would be a blow to the island’s economy. The COAST campaigners also argue that Marine Harvest’s record in managing fish farms is poor. Apart from the recently announced diesel oil contamination of their products, the company’s other fish farm sites have also suffered from disease outbreaks and substantial escapes, as well as breaking pollution limits. As well as having the support of the Government’s Cabinet Secretary, Richard Lochhead MSP, COAST’s campaign has also enjoyed the support of a number of high-profile politicians. Last year members of the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Environment Committee visited Arran to meet the campaigners, which led to them recommending cross-party support and implementation of the scheme by the Scottish Parliament in 2007. Tom Vella-Boyle from COAST said’ “With the support that COAST has received it is just mind-boggling that our NTZ could be affected by placing this giant fish farm here. We are asking North Ayrshire Council to turn down Marine Harvest’s planning application for this fish farm to ensure that our efforts, the future for the next generation, the marine environment and wildlife, like sea otters and seals that are often spotted in this beautiful site, aren’t damaged by corporate greed and short-sightedness.“ The COAST campaigners claim that there is growing evidence that marine protected areas, such as NTZs work. One study, which looked at eighty-nine such areas around the globe, discovered that fish, lobsters and invertebrate species within protected areas were on average twice as abundant, a third larger, had a three-fold biomass increase and showed a thirty-three per cent increase in diversity compared to unprotected areas. Scientific evidence from New Zealand shows that NTZs do work and are not only good for the marine life. Cape Rodney District Council, New Zealand’s first NTZ, states that the local economy benefits to the tune of £8.5 million per year from the Leigh NTZ, an area approximately the same size as Arran’s Lamlash Bay NTZ. Therefore, the future could look positive for both the marine life and the local economy. COAST is funded by: Scottish Natural Heritage; the Esmee Fairbairn Trust; and Director General, Fish at the European Union in Brussels. More information on COAST is available at: www.arrancoast.com

FISH FARM PLAN THREATENS THE VIABILITY OF SCOTLAND’S FIRST COMMUNITY-LED FISHERIES NO TAKE ZONE

Campaigners on the Isle of Arran are claiming today (Tuesday 26 February 2008) that plans to site a giant fish farm in a bay off the island threaten a groundbreaking, community-led project of national significance, which was announced by the Scottish Government only last month (1).

The campaigners, from the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST), have spent twelve years campaigning for a No Take Zone (NTZ) in Lamlash Bay, and have worked closely with the Scottish Government, Scottish Natural Heritage and local fishermen’s organisations, chaired by the Clyde Coast Forum, to reach a groundbreaking agreement for the NTZ to proceed.

This agreement was announced by the Cabinet Secretary for the Environment and Rural Affairs, Richard Lochhead MSP, just last month on 21 January 2008 (1). However, the future of the NTZ is being put under threat by a planning application for a giant fish farm by foreign corporation, Marine Harvest. Marine Harvest’s planning application will be heard by North Ayrshire Council on 04 March 08.

If Marine Harvest’s proposed fish farm is given the go ahead, it will be one of the largest in Scotland, and a huge industrial site measuring 1000 metres long and 700 metres wide, with an average depth of 29 metres. The fish farm would hold up to 800,000 fish, which would be fed over 5000 tonnes of feed, and produce over 1170 tonnes of excrement during each production cycle. At least four types of chemicals, including organophosphates, would be used to control pests and disease within the fish farm.

It is also possible that the proposed fish farm could threaten the well-being of children recreating in the waters of Lamlash Bay when using a new £5 million outdoor centre, which has been built by North Ayrshire Council on the bay’s northern shore.

Don Macneish from COAST said: “COAST is not against sustainable fish farming, but this fish farm is being proposed for the wrong location. We cannot take a chance with the health of our children, or the health of our fragile marine environment in this place. The precautionary principal should apply here, and this fish farm should be located somewhere more suitable.“

Howard Wood from COAST said: “If this proposed fish farm goes ahead, the local environment could be damaged and a groundbreaking project of an Island community and commercial fishermen working together to improve marine conservation and shellfish stocks will be compromised, all for the sake of making some more money for an already very rich, foreign-owned, multi-national company.”

The agreement between COAST, the Scottish Government and the Clyde Fishermen’s Association would place an area of Lamlash Bay out of bounds to all fishing activity, to allow the natural regeneration of the seabed, as well as the fish and shellfish that live in or around it.

Howard Wood continued: “Our Joint proposals with the fishermen would start to address the dramatic decline of the local marine environment by allowing the seabed to naturally regenerate. This would increase the popularity of the area as a diving site and tourist destination, and just as importantly improve the long term sustainability of the local fishing industry and help sustain the livelihoods of those dependent on the Bay by bringing money into the local area. It would also help to educate future generations on the need for marine conservation.”

Much of the Arran’s economy is based on tourism and outdoor recreation, with visitors from the UK and abroad attracted by its pristine environment. The majority of local people feel that any damage to this would be a blow to the island’s economy.

The COAST campaigners also argue that Marine Harvest’s record in managing fish farms is poor. Apart from the recently announced diesel oil contamination of their products, the company’s other fish farm sites have also suffered from disease outbreaks and substantial escapes, as well as breaking pollution limits.

As well as having the support of the Government’s Cabinet Secretary, Richard Lochhead MSP, COAST’s campaign has also enjoyed the support of a number of high-profile politicians. Last year members of the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Environment Committee visited Arran to meet the campaigners, which led to them recommending cross-party support and implementation of the scheme by the Scottish Parliament in 2007.

Tom Vella-Boyle from COAST said’ “With the support that COAST has received it is just mind-boggling that our NTZ could be affected by placing this giant fish farm here. We are asking North Ayrshire Council to turn down Marine Harvest’s planning application for this fish farm to ensure that our efforts, the future for the next generation, the marine environment and wildlife, like sea otters and seals that are often spotted in this beautiful site, aren’t damaged by corporate greed and short-sightedness.“

The COAST campaigners claim that there is growing evidence that marine protected areas, such as NTZs work. One study, which looked at eighty-nine such areas around the globe, discovered that fish, lobsters and invertebrate species within protected areas were on average twice as abundant, a third larger, had a three-fold biomass increase and showed a thirty-three per cent increase in diversity compared to unprotected areas.

Scientific evidence from New Zealand shows that NTZs do work and are not only good for the marine life. Cape Rodney District Council, New Zealand’s first NTZ, states that the local economy benefits to the tune of £8.5 million per year from the Leigh NTZ, an area approximately the same size as Arran’s Lamlash Bay NTZ. Therefore, the future could look positive for both the marine life and the local economy.

COAST is funded by: Scottish Natural Heritage; the Esmee Fairbairn Trust; and Director General, Fish at the European Union in Brussels. More information on COAST is available at: www.arrancoast.com

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