WEEKEND PROTEST PLANS OVER PROPOSED GALWAY BAY FISH FARM

Date Published: 27-Feb-2013

Objectors from areas across the country are expected to attend a protest in the city this weekend against plans for a major fish farm off Inis Oirr.

Galway Bay Against Salmon Cages is to take part in the demonstration which gets underway from Eyre Square at noon on Saturday (Mar 2).

Bord Iascaigh Mhara has applied for a deep sea salmon farming licence at a site roughly 6 kilometres off Inis Oirr, which, it says, has the potential to create hundreds of jobs.

The group Galway Bay Against Salmon Cages is strongly opposed to the plans and says there is a strong need to protect, manage and develop our marine ecosystems in a sustainable and sensible manner.

BIM has offered reassurances that escapes from farmed cages will not occur and that sea lice has not been an issue with the decline of wild stock.

Donal Maguire, the Aquaculture Development Manager at BIM says people have the right to protest, however this may be considered unneccesary given the appeal mechanism available following any future such decision.