Aquaculture for all

Anger at five-fold rise in fish farm's output

SCOTLAND - A move to increase production at a Highland fish farm five-fold will play "Russian roulette" with wild salmon stocks, campaigners claimed yesterday.

Groups including the Association of Salmon Fishery Boards (ASFB), the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland (RFTS), the Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST) and the Salmon and Trout Association (Scotland) say they are opposed to the plans for the farm on Loch Shin in Sutherland.

Migdale Smolt Ltd, which produces smolts - or young salmon - for the fish farming industry, has applied to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to have its maximum permitted production of fish in the loch increased from 30 tonnes per year to 160 tonnes.

But the wild salmon interests say the farm should be relocated rather than expanded.

Wild fish campaigners claim escapes from fish farms have the potential to displace wild stock or transfer disease.

Source: The Scotsman
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