This article is from page 2 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 2 JPG
THE North Clare coast could be about to become the new centre for organic salmon in Europe, following plans to construct Ireland’s largest organic fish farm off the Burren coast.
The Irish Fisheries Board, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), plans to create two identical farms, located side by side about five miles north-west of Doolin, directly west of Fanore.
The farms could create more than 500 jobs, with 350 people employed directly on the farms, 150 in support industries and a number of other possible spin-offs in the North Clare economy.
According to BIM, the farms have been designed to operate at the highest environmental standards and specification, which is how their farmed salmon can be classified as organic.
While conventional farms allow for about 95 per cent water to 5 per cent fish, the farm operator will be required to maintain a ratio of 99 per cent water to 1 per cent fish.
According to Donal Maguire of BIM, the farm could begin spawning in autumn of next year or the spring of 2014.
“There are two times of the year when it is suitable for salmon to spawn – in November or in March. All going well, we are aiming to have this up and running for November of next year but, failing that, I think that March of 2014 is a very makeable deadline,” he said.
“We are looking for companies who could take on the operation of the fish farm. There are Irish companies who would have the capability to take this on, as well as international operators. So we will have to wait and see how the tender process goes.”
BIM are about to begin a period of public consultation for the project. After the consultation period, they will forward their final recommendation to the Department of Agriculture for approval.
Once approved, the contract to build and operate the centre will have to go to tender before any work can begin.
There is already some local opposition to the project, with one North Clare local, who asked not to be identified, saying that there are many potential downsides to such a large-scale fish farm.
“There are a lot of issues still to be resolved and there is growing opposition to the project, both in North Clare and on the Aran Islands,” he told The Clare People yesterday.
“It is difficult to see how a farm that big would not have a negative effect on the water in Galway Bay and on the local crab and lobster stock.” DON’T FORGET: Th e c lo c ks g o b a c k a n h o u r t h is we e ke n d , a t 2a m o n Su n d a y m o rn in g t o b e e xa c t !