COAST Chairman urges Members & supporters to respond to the consultation on the NTZ


	Update on proposed fish farm at Clauchlands point. It is now well over two years ago when Marine Harvest applied for permission, through North Ayrshire Council’s Planning Authority, to erect one of Scotland’s largest salmon fish farms adjacent to the COAST No Take Zone at Clauchlands on the Isle of Arran. COAST, along with over 100 other people from Arran, formally objected to the scheme. COAST felt that this enormous fish farm would impact on the efficacy of the No Take Zone [NTZ], with the considerable use of chemicals, potential disease and escape problems and the discharge of effluent from the site. These would thus have an influence on the results from the monitoring of the NTZ. Other objectors gave a whole variety of reasons, including planning regulations, why they were against this proposal. However the most frequently cited were ‘the visual impact’ this industrial site would have on the beauty of this rugged area and the impact on the adjacent SSSI. Arran’s economy is based on tourism and many tourists walk by way of the coastal footpath at Clauchlands from Lamlash to Brodick. Scottish Natural Heritage [SNH] also made an objection on the grounds of ‘visual impact’. COAST agree with Professor Mike Kaiser, Chair of Marine Conservation Ecology at Bangor University who is monitoring the only other NTZ in similar waters off the Isle of Man. Professor Kaiser says: “Locating a fish farm next to the No Take Zone area immediately confounds the ability of scientists to say whether observed changes are due to the effect of the No Take Zone or the fish farm. If I was designing an experiment to look at the effect of the No Take Zone on marine life, locating a fish farm next door would lead to a flawed experiment”. During the lead up to the Planning Hearing COAST wrote to Marine Harvest asking them to meet COAST to discuss the positioning of this proposed farm. Marine Harvest replied in September 2007 that they thought “sufficient discussion has been undertaken and that the final decision should be made by North Ayrshire Council”. At the Planning Hearing on 4th March 2008, after a lengthy hearing where the main objectors including COAST, Commercial Fishermen and the Arran Community Council spoke, the Planning Committee rejected the planning application from Marine Harvest by 9 votes to 2. Clearly the result was a local and overwhelming democratic decision. Much to COAST’s surprise, they heard some six months later that Marine Harvest had appealed against the Planning Committee’s decision. Mr Donald Harris BSc [Econ] Dip TP MRTPI has been appointed as The Reporter to consider this Appeal. COAST along with many others has submitted their evidence to the Reporter and they are now awaiting his deliberations. COAST’s letter to the Reporter follows.

Update on proposed fish farm at Clauchlands point.

It is now well over two years ago when Marine Harvest applied for permission, through North Ayrshire Council’s Planning Authority, to erect one of Scotland’s largest salmon fish farms adjacent to the COAST No Take Zone at Clauchlands on the Isle of Arran.

COAST, along with over 100 other people from Arran, formally objected to the scheme. COAST felt that this enormous fish farm would impact on the efficacy of the No Take Zone [NTZ], with the considerable use of chemicals, potential disease and escape problems and the discharge of effluent from the site. These would thus have an influence on the results from the monitoring of the NTZ. Other objectors gave a whole variety of reasons, including planning regulations, why they were against this proposal. However the most frequently cited were ‘the visual impact’ this industrial site would have on the beauty of this rugged area and the impact on the adjacent SSSI. Arran’s economy is based on tourism and many tourists walk by way of the coastal footpath at Clauchlands from Lamlash to Brodick. Scottish Natural Heritage [SNH] also made an objection on the grounds of ‘visual impact’.

COAST agree with Professor Mike Kaiser, Chair of Marine Conservation Ecology at Bangor University who is monitoring the only other NTZ in similar waters off the Isle of Man. Professor Kaiser says: “Locating a fish farm next to the No Take Zone area immediately confounds the ability of scientists to say whether observed changes are due to the effect of the No Take Zone or the fish farm. If I was designing an experiment to look at the effect of the No Take Zone on marine life, locating a fish farm next door would lead to a flawed experiment”.

During the lead up to the Planning Hearing COAST wrote to Marine Harvest asking them to meet COAST to discuss the positioning of this proposed farm. Marine Harvest replied in September 2007 that they thought “sufficient discussion has been undertaken and that the final decision should be made by North Ayrshire Council”.

At the Planning Hearing on 4th March 2008, after a lengthy hearing where the main objectors including COAST, Commercial Fishermen and the Arran Community Council spoke, the Planning Committee rejected the planning application from Marine Harvest by 9 votes to 2. Clearly the result was a local and overwhelming democratic decision.

Much to COAST’s surprise, they heard some six months later that Marine Harvest had appealed against the Planning Committee’s decision.
Mr Donald Harris BSc [Econ] Dip TP MRTPI has been appointed as The Reporter to consider this Appeal. COAST along with many others has submitted their evidence to the Reporter and they are now awaiting his deliberations. COAST’s letter to the Reporter follows.

Return to Coast Home