THE HISTORY of fish farm planning applications targeting the south Skye Lochs
- 2012 Rumours of applications for sites in the Soay Sound (Loch Scavaig), loch Slapin and Loch Eishort.
- 2012 The Soay Sound applications was not forthcoming or got withdrawn at an early stage, but Marine Harvest's (MH) application for the Loch Slapin site was pursued, along with the first stages of Hjaltland Seafarms (HS) applications for the same site, plus two more in Loch Eishort in the pipeline.
- September 2012 MH application for Loch Slapin submitted.
- October 2012 Sleat community first became aware that fish farms were being planned for their local lochs, with about two weeks to go before the end of the 28-day public consultation period.
- October 2012 Urgent meetings and discussions, frantic document reading and letter writing (against 75:1 for). Steep learning curve!
- January 2014 MH application withdrawn just before refusal document issued. [Mysterious: MH at no time had the Crown Estate lease on the seabed, which was already leased by HS.]
- April 2014 Application from HS for fish farm in Loch Slapin on the site previously applied for by MH. Also, at the same time, applications for two fish farms in Loch Eishort begun (screening & scoping).
- April 2014 HS expelled from the Scottish Salmon Producers' Organisation (probably not relevant, but I thought I'd note it anyway).
- 30 June & 1 July 2014 Applications from HS for two fish farms in Loch Eishort submitted (Eishort 1 & Eishort 2).
- October 2012 Urgent meetings and discussions, frantic document reading and letter writing (against 68:2 for). Learning curve less steep this time!
- August 2014 250 copies printed of a special pre-publication edition of HOLES for distribution to the community of Sleat in south Skye, in preparation for public consultations on applications Eishort 1 and Eishort 2.
- August 2014 HS Loch Slapin application refused.
- September 2014 Hiatus in the planning process re Loch Eishort (x2), so we are waiting for the two web pages (Eishort 1 & Eishort 2) to 'wake up' as responses arrive from the statutory consultees and can see what SNH, SEPA, Marine Scotland, the Crown Estate etc. have to say about Hjaltland's application. Once we have read those, we can embark once again upon the public consultation process, preceded by urgent meetings and discussions plus frantic document reading and letter writing.
- September 2014 Web pages constructed at www.blue-skye.org.uk (you're there, so no hyperlink necesary). Intended to be consulted by the public in tandem with the book HOLES.
- Intentionally left blank, ready for the next episode.
