Sir,
It was with disbelief that I read that the Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) intends to submit another application to significantly extend their fish farm in Lamlash Bay in last week’s Arran Banner.
There is growing scientific evidence that aquaculture has a negative environmental impact both on-site (chemicals used, disease, fish waste issues, escaped salmon interbreeding with wild salmon etc.) and in the countries where the fish that are used to feed the salmon are caught. I know that I speak for many of us when I say that I can’t understand why the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), whose job it should be to protect the marine environment, is even considering this application when the farm is located in the newly designated Marine Protected Area. If open water fish farms are tolerated in MPA’s at all, then surely they shouldn’t be allowed to increase in size.