This article is from page 1 of the 2012-10-23 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 1 JPG
AS MANY as 500 jobs could be created off the North Clare coast over the next 12 months through the construction of Ireland largest ever organic fish farm.
The farm, which will located around five miles north/west of Doolin, is being put forward by the Irish Fisheries Board, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), who are currently aiming to begin spawning at the farm in the Autumn of next year.
According to BIM, the project will create 350 jobs directly through the operation and maintenance of the farm and a further 150 jobs through support industries locally. BIM are about to open a period of public consultation in relation to the development and will send a final application for a licence to government after that.
“This is a very real project and something that we are hoping to be able to put in place quite soon,” said Donal Maguire, Head of the Aquaculture Development Division at BIM.
“We would expect that the benefits of this project would be felt from Doolin north, all the way up the Clare coast.
“This is a very exciting project for fisheries in Clare and indeed for the whole West of Ireland.”
Ahead of the opening of public consultation, some opposition to the project has already been voiced – both in North Clare and the Aran Islands.
One North Clare fisherman, who asked not to be identified, said that there were fears that the fish farm could cause pollution and impact on the existing fishing in the area.