POTENTIAL FOR 500 JOBS IN ARAN ISLANDS FISH FARM PLAN

Date Published: 21-Dec-2011

A plan to set up a deep sea fish farming project off the Aran Islands which could create 500 new jobs could be finalised with a month.

Bord Iascaigh Mhara has told a recent gathering of TDs and Senators in the Dáil that they plan to lodge their licence application with the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney by the end of January.

The organic salmon fish farm could create up to 102 million euro a year.

It's expected 350 full-time jobs will be generated for the fish farming, and a further 150 jobs in the processing of the fish.

The site for the salmon farm lies closest to Inis Oirr and would cover 500 hectares of the ocean.

Fine Gael Galway West Senator Fidelma Healy Eames says she is confident the licence application will get the go-ahead.