PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS ON ARAN ISLAND FISH FARM TO BEGIN THIS WEEK

Date Published: 12-Nov-2012

A series of public consultations on proposals for a fish farm off the Aran Islands gets underway this week.

Bord Iascaigh Mhara is organising the meetings which will take place on the Islands and in the city.

BIM has applied for the deep sea salmon farming licence at a site roughly 6 kilometres off Inis Oírr, which could create hundreds of jobs.

If it gets the go ahead, the farm will produce another 15 thousand tonnes of organic certified salmon a year, more than doubling our current salmon production.

However, Inland fisheries Ireland claims the project would pose a risk to wild salmon stocks in Galway Bay.

Aquaculture development manager of Bord Iascaigh Mhara Donal Maguire explains the plan is to hold meetings in Inis Oirr, Inis Mor, Inis Meain and in the city.