Joint UK-Irish aquaculture partnership Loch Long Salmon is calling out the Scottish Government for its delay in determining a rare opportunity to bring closed-pen salmon farming to Scotland.
The partnership said a year has passed since the Scottish Government Planning and Environmental Appeals Division submitted findings to Scottish Ministers on Loch Long Salmon’s proposal for Scotland’s first closed-pen salmon farm in Loch Long, Argyll and Bute.
Representing up to £40 million (US$50 million) of investment to the rural economy, the Beinn Reithe appeal was called in by the Scottish Government for determination in 2022.
The DPEA reporter submitted their findings to Scottish ministers in February 2024. Combined, the total determination time by both local and Scottish Government at the various stages of determination for this single project now stands at three and a half years, and counting.
"The lack of progress is disheartening," said Mark Shotter, Project Manager at Loch Long Salmon. "Delays to projects like ours risks undermining Scotland's ability to attract international trade and investment and discourage further innovation."
Loch Long Salmon added that the inaction demonstrated by the Scottish Government is "at complete odds to the urgency" of rebuilding Scotland's economy.
Closed-pen technology, already widely used in countries including Canada, Norway and the Faroe Islands, was approved for implementation in Scotland by SEPA in December 2021, now over three years ago.
Loch Long Salmon said the technology is already transforming the aquaculture industry in those countries by improving the welfare of salmon whilst creating economic opportunities and greener outputs.
