LATEST NEWS
about fish farm planning applications - Loch Eishort, Isle of Skye
DECEMBER 2017: Since completing our community based South Skye effort, we at SST-T have responded to umpteen net-cage salmon farm planning applications. Now North Skye has been targeted for four 'organic' fish farms and two of those applications are currently at the public consultation stage (deadline: 22 December 2017).
HERE is a page about these applications.
SOUTH SKYE LOCHS REPRIEVED
Late November 2015: Hjaltland Seafarms Ltd's planning applications Eishort 1 and Eishort 2 were finally withdrawn, probably in response to being informed that they were likely to be refused. Four down - none to go!
After 3 years of fast learning and hard graft it's all over, in no small part due to a remarkable response in consultations from residents and friends of South Skye, Sleat in particular. It seems that our hard work played a significant part in the planning process. Well done everybody.
READ THE WHOLE STORY HERE
The Scottish Salmon Think-Tank (SST-T) will continue finding fault with bad planning applications and lobbying for a major change in aquaculture practice, from nets to tanks (closed containment) but we will also adopt a new persona: South Skye Seas Initiative (SSSI), a community-based project that will help to protect our lochs' amazing landscape and biodiversity while enhancing social and economic opportunities for the people of South Skye.
We will probably be ready to inform the community about preparations we have been quietly setting in place, working with Marine Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Environment Link and Skye & Lochalsh Environment Forum from all of whom we have received a lot of positive advice so far. Soon we will all be working together to know, understand and then protect the South Skye Sea Lochs for a range of community benefits.
Let's not be complacent, though. Aggressive aquaculture developers probably still have their beady eyes on Lochs Scavaig, Slapin and Eishort and will be back, but next time we'll really be ready to take them on. We now have a wealth of knowledge and experience we lacked in October 2012, and before they return we will have accrued a lot more.
FROM NOW ON, WHAT FOLLOWS MAY BE CONSIDERED HISTORY!
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BOTH CONSULTATIONS CLOSE TODAY 2nd Oct 2015
4 September 2015 - Public Consultations on Eishort 2 & Eishort 1 REOPENED for 28 days (2 Oct)
Last year (!), the Highland council's planners asked Hjaltland to repeat their very poorly conducted and presented seabed surveys, which they managed to get done in February and April. Improvements are barely discernible. The documents have only recently appeared on the ePlanning website where they may now be consulted:
EISHORT 2 DOCUMENTS
(see 'Eishort 1 Seabed Video Survey Report')
EISHORT 1 DOCUMENTS
(see 'E2 ROV REPORT')
To submit your consultation comments:
(as usual, we must comment on each separately)
EISHORT 2 CONSULTATION
EISHORT 1 CONSULTATION
Sleat Community Council will soon host a meeting (prob. at Sabhal Mor Ostaig) at which these documents will be discussed and the community's comment strategy considered, along with a display of the Scottish Salmon Think-Tank's exhibition. Watch out for announcements.
By the time you read this I should have received copies of the actual video footage which provided the data presented in these reports. As I recall, although Hjaltland (Grieg Seafoods) will send members of the public copies on CD, (£10 apiece) they claim not to allow shared viewing. When my discs arrive, we'll see what they have to say this time.
11 August 2015 James Merryweather attended an open cabinet meeting and asked the ministers a question aimed at getting an answer about the Scottish Government's attitude to closed containment.
Read James's question and Richard
Lochhead's (politician's) answer HERE.
The whole meeting may be seen HERE.
(timings are given in the Q&A document)
Eishort 1 14/02574/FUL | New fish farm comprising ten cages each 120m circumference, 220-tonne-
capacity feed barge, and automated feeding system | Carn Dearg North Side Of Loch Eishort Skye
Close of Consultation:
FOR 0:104 AGAINST
Eishort 2 14/02577/FUL | New marine finfish farm - Atlantic Salmon - comprising 10 x 120m plastic circular cages, mooring grid and 220 tonne capacity feed barge | Mouth Of Loch Eishort Broadford
Close of Consultation:
FOR 1:131 AGAINST
Slapin 14/01467/FUL | New Marine Finfish Farm - Atlantic Salmon - comprising 10 x 120m plastic
circular cages, mooring grid and 220 tonne capacity concrete feed barge | Site 1km
NW Of Calaman Cave, Loch Slapin, Kilbride Broadford
Close of Consultation:
FOR 2:69 AGAINST
► 21 November Eishort 1 One hour to go on the last consultation day: today. Don't miss this final opportunity to tell The Highland Council HERE what you think of Hjaltland's (now ironically rebranded 'Ocean Quality') bid to occupy Lochs Slapin & Eishort with net-cage salmon farms.
20 November UPDATE Eishort 1 - only ONE consultation day left after today
I'm just changing the date of updates as we head towards 21 November, closing date for Eishort 1
Please remember that to make sure every comment counts we must write in to each consultation separately.
►Eishort 1 50:0 55:0 64:0 67:0 70:0 84:0 90:0 98:0 and rising MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT
Eishort 2 119:0 124:0 130:1 Consultation closed.
SNH (Eishort 2), RSPB & MSS (Eishort 1) consultee responses now posted.
7 November REMINDER & NEWS
Eishort 2 Public Consultation Last Day. MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT HERE
Eishort 1 Public Consultation three more weeks to go. MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT
Please remember that to make sure every comment counts we must write in to each consultation separately.
SEPA has objected to both applications! Read E2 HERE and E1 HERE.
COMMENTS so far: Eishort 2 against 112, for 0; Eishort 1 against 46, for 0
1 November NEWS
Aquaculture Stewardship Council inspection/audit of Loch Greshornish salmon farm, Skye.
... and this is reporting on the activities of a company with a relatively good record.
31 October NEWS
Eishort 2 Public Consultation only seven days to go. MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT HERE
Eishort 1 Public Consultation three more weeks to go. MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT HERE
29 October NEWS Read more ...
COMMENT LETTERS ARRIVING for both Loch Eishort applications.
23 October NEWS Read more ...
PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON EISHORT 1 [14/02574/FUL] IS NOW OPEN - CLOSING 21 NOVEMBER 2014
22 October NEWS Read more ...
More documents online - intriguingly informative!
Tarskavaig meeting great sucess - approx. 45:1 against.
Advice for having your say - two advice documents.
17 October NEWS
Eishort 1 14/02574/FUL eight new (revised, by order) documents uploaded. Read more ...
15 October 2014 NEWS Read more ...
Eishort 2 two new documents
Eishort 1 Public Consultation will open soon (21 Oct)!
TIMETABLE below has been updated
10 October 2014 NEWS there's a lot happening today! Read more ...
PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON EISHORT 2 [14/02577/FUL] IS NOW OPEN - CLOSING 7 NOVEMBER 2014
PUBLIC MEETING 7.30 pm at Tarskavaig Communities Hall on 21 October
ANOMALY: RESPONSES FROM STATUTORY CONSULTEES
9 October 2014 NEWS Read more ...
8 October 2014 SOME THOUGHTS (wondering what's going on) Read more ...
2 October 2014
TIMETABLE
THE FINAL PHASE - PUBLIC CONSULTATION - IS ABOUT TO BEGIN, SO PLEASE GET READY TO
COMPOSE AND SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
PUBLIC MEETING: Tarskavaig Communities Hall – 7.30 pm on Tuesday 21 October
SUMMARY Hjaltland Seafarms Ltd. propose the installation of salmon farms in Loch Eishort. They have two planning applications in progress. Their Loch Slapin application was refused 12/08/14.] Public Consultations (28 days) will open soon allowing the public to have our say.
MORE INFORMATION ► Fish Farms proposed for sea lochs in South Skye
EISHORT 1 planning application 14/02574/FUL
south of Suisnish (Hjaltland Seafarms)
Status: Pending Consideration - PUBLIC CONSULTATION 24 October until closing date 21 November
decision predicted 16 December
15 October 2014: Eishort 2 (below) will be dealt with first, but Eishort 1 consultation is about to 'go live' and the two consultations will be more-or-less concurrent. Progress will be announced on the Blue-Skye and Sleat Community Council websites. The Highland Council has timetabled its decision whether or not to accept this application as 21 December.
EISHORT 2 planning application 14/02577/FUL
between Tokavaig & Tarskavaig (Hjaltland Seafarms)
Status: Pending Consideration - PUBLIC CONSULTATION 10 October until closing date 7 November
decision predicted 28 November
Four new (amended) documents were posted on the Eishort 2 planning web page on 26 Sept. The Public Consultation is timetabled to be announced in the press by 10 October and all comment letters will have to be in by the closing date, 7 November. The Highland Council has timetabled its decision whether or not to accept this application as 28 November.
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This all means that the public may send in their comments supporting or against these proposals and both seem to be open for comment now, although announcements have yet to be published and the responses from statutory consultees (e.g. SNH, SEPA, Marine Scotland, Fisheries Board, Historic Scotland etc.) have not yet arrived. So nobody knows what the planners' advisers think of the applications and, as a consequence of that, we can't decide or say what we think about their decisions. This situation is vexing and we will have to do with it what we can. If the statutory consultees' responses arrive so late that our comments have been sent in, and we have more to say, we must write in again a.s.a.p. The proposal Eishort 2 (Tarskavaig) is a little further ahead than Eishort 1 (Suisnish) but we will be watching progress of both.
Progress will be announced as best we can here and Sleat Community Council websites.
MORE INFORMATION ► Fish Farms proposed for sea lochs in South Skye
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PUBLIC MEETINGS
to discuss a Sleat community responses to these planning applications
Tarskavaig Communities Hall – 7.30 pm on Tuesday 21 October
A second community meeting ................TBA............ enquire
► PRINT 2nd October NEWS (flier)
► GO TO FISH FARMS (South Skye) or select another page from the drop-down menu
