Scottish Sea Farms revises Yell Sound proposal with smaller pens.
Scottish Sea Farms (SSF) has amended its plans for a new salmon farm in Yell Sound, reducing the size of its proposed pens following concerns raised by local fishermen. The company has now submitted a formal planning application for its Fish Holm site with a revised configuration, according to Shetland News.
Initially, SSF proposed 12 pens with a circumference of 200 metres, the largest the company had planned to use. The updated application instead details 12 pens with a reduced circumference of 160 metres, resulting in a smaller overall footprint for the farm.
A company spokesperson stated that the changes were made in response to concerns from local fishermen while maintaining “optimal stocking density in terms of both fish welfare and deposition per unit area on the seabed.” The revised plan also decreases the mooring size by approximately 25 per cent and reduces surface equipment by 35 per cent.
The Fish Holm project involves redeveloping and expanding an existing consented site in Yell Sound while relinquishing another consented site. The new farm would be located between Mossbank and Lunna Ness.
SSF said the currently consented biomass levels at Fish Holm (1,910 tonnes) and Collafirth 3 (1,200 tonnes) would be consolidated into a single farm at Fish Holm, with a proposed biomass of 6,000 tonnes.
The development is part of a trial of a new licensing and consenting process for salmon farms in Scotland.
The project has been subject to political debate, with Highlands and Islands Green MSP Ariane Burgess previously criticising the original proposal. She raised concerns over the plan to stock 6,000 tonnes of fish at the site, while SSF countered that her comments contained “misconceptions.”
Separately, SSF is also progressing with its Billy Baa salmon farm near Weisdale Voe, which has already received planning consent. This site will feature pens up to 160 metres in size and consolidate existing licences in the area.
