An update from COAST on the recent news that the Scottish Salmon Company are now proposing a new salmon farm in the north east of Arran.
The Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) continue to target the seas around Arran and the wider Clyde Region. Their current target is beautiful north east Arran with a plan to site an open cage salmon farm off Millstone Point with a capacity more than four times greater than their farm in Lamlash Bay.
On the COAST website link here https://www.arrancoast.com/north-arran-salmon-farm-campaign/ you will find the full scoping report and maps along with some key points that we have noted from the report plus links to additional resources.
The salmon feedlot shown on the supplied plans, looks set to include two groups of 10 open cages, each of 120m circumference and 10m depth with an estimated 5000 tonne standing biomass (>700,000 salmon). The cages are not the only infrastructure for the development; other key components listed within the scoping report include a Feed Barge with 600 tonne automatic feed capacity, 240W LED cage lights and bird nets supported by five 16m high support poles. The SSC wish to have the option to install marine noise creating Acoustic Deterrent Devices (ADDs) to deter seals and to have the option to shoot ‘rogue’seals. These ADDs are considered illegal, as they disturb whale, dolphin and porpoise and yet are used widely by the industry across Scotland. This development will be a noisy eyesore along a part of Arran’s coast, which currently remains unspoilt and is a favourite part of the Arran Coastal Way for the visitors who are vital to sustaining our island’s economy.
Prior to submitting their planning application, the SSC are holding a public engagement event at Lochranza Village Hall on Tuesday 2nd April to listen to feedback from the local community regarding the proposed North Arran development. We and the Lochranza community members are asking that parties opposed to this development attend the event at 2pm, so we can ensure the format is more like a public meeting rather than the drop-in exhibition, which they have advertised. Those people and organisations who cannot attend during the working day are asked to attend at 17:30,when COAST will again be in attendance to add our voice to yours.
There is also an online petition which can be signed here.
At this time, while the planning application has yet to be submitted, COAST suggest members of the public email their voice of opposition to Marc Browne, Head of Site Development for SSC, at info@scottishsalmon.com and marc.browne@scottishsalmon.com 
Please could emails cc to include COAST (email@arrancoast.com), local councillors Ellen McMaster (ellenmcmaster@north-ayrshire.gov.uk) and Timothy Billings (timothybillings@north-ayrshire.gov.uk), Arran MSP Kenneth Gibson (Kenneth.Gibson.msp@parliament.scot) and Roseanna Cunningham – Cabinet Secretary for the Environment and Climate Change (Roseanna.Cunningham.msp@parliament.scot).
If they follow correct procedure then all the opposition voices should be documented in the reporting that the SSC give to North Ayrshire Council.