Salmon farm sparks divisions

EDITORIAL

THE prospect of a major project, especially with considerable job potential, invariably spells divisions in all communities. We’ve seen a fair share of it on our own doorstep here in Clare, some ongoing and likely to remain unresolved for some time.

The latest project, which has triggered a tsunami of opposition from anglers and environmentalists, is a proposed €60m deep-sea organic salmon farm, on two locations between Doolin and the Aran Islands.
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), with funding from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has applied for a licence for the Galway Bay project, which, it says, could create 500 jobs and generate a payroll of €14.5m per annum. It would be the largest organic salmon farm in Europe, producing up to 150,000 tonnes of salmon a year.

 

However, opponents claim the salmon farm would generate as much waste as a large town, some of which, they claim, would end up on beaches and in harbours. They are worried that wild salmon stocks could be decimated through the spread of sea lice and, in turn, this could cause untold damage to rivers.

On the jobs issue, they further claim 200 would be a more realistic figure to consider when compared with the jobs ratio in existing operations.

According to the promoters, financiers from all over the world have expressed an interest in the project and BIM has rejected some opponents’ claims as “ill informed and inaccurate”.

It will certainly be a case of trying to steer a course through stormy waters if BIM is to assuage opponents, who have decided to appeal directly to consumers to support their campaign. Ten organisations, including angling and environmental groups, are backing a national boycott of farmed smoked salmon for Christmas in protest against the expansion of salmon farming along the Irish coast.
Clare anglers will also be among a large group of demonstrators outside Minister Simon Coveney’s constituency office on Saturday.

Laying out the benefits, however, Jason Whooley, BIM’s chief executive officer, said, “In a time of world recession, there are few products that can boast the market growth that farmed salmon is experiencing. The figures have shown a steady upward curve since 1997 and, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN, this growth curve is likely to stay as world population increases.

“I can’t think of any other food product showing such consumer demand in these difficult economic times. This is a really exciting opportunity for Ireland, who already holds the position as ‘world leader’ in organic farmed salmon,” he said.

This is an extremely complex licence application, the outcome of which may probably be dependent on scientific information but every detail of local knowledge should be taken into consideration before the decision is made.

Shannon town to the fore

MENTION the name Shannon and one immediately thinks of it as a shorthand title for Shannon International Airport. The town, with a population of 9,700, is somewhat overshadowed by the airport but all the way back to the early 1980s, when a Town Commission was established, elected representatives and the business community have been striving to give Shannon the recognition it deserves as Clare’s second town.

Considerable advancements have been made since the mid-1960s, when the town was established primarily to house the influx of workers and their families, as new industries sprang up on the Free Zone and the airport grew. The limited facilities of that era have significantly advanced to include a town centre, retail outlets, service providers and public amenities.

In recent years, Shannon’s voice has been heard to a greater degree through the town council, area council, county council and Shannon Chamber.

This week, The Shannon Town and Environs Local Area Plan, the first standalone town plan for Shannon, was launched by Clare County Council. It points towards the future growth and development of the town up to 2018. The area covered by the plan stretches from Hurlers Cross through to the Free Zone and airport.

Ironically, immediately after the launch on Monday afternoon, around 30 local business people attended a meeting with Clare County Council, where they protested at the inequity in the rates levelled against them. SkyCourt manager Pat Kelly, on behalf of Shannon Businesses For Affordable Commercial Rates, in a detailed presentation, pointed out that a business person operating from a 1,000ft2 shop in Shannon (population 9,000) pays approximately €6,200 in annual rates to the local authority, compared to a figure of around €4,000 in Ennis (population 20,000).

“Shannon commercial rates are 17% more expensive than in Ennis and 22% higher than those in Kilrush,” he said.

When councillors expressed sympathy with their plight but suggested the business group should bring their case to the attention of local Oireachtas members, there was a fiery response.

They told the councillors that, as their representatives, it was their obligation to do this on their behalf. Following a number of contributions from councillors, Maurice Lynch of Rory Lynch Transport urged the councillors to work much harder to represent their constituents.

Effectively, the verbal exchange was the first challenge to the bona fides of the council’s commitment to the town. They want and deserve the same level of support that has become a given in respect of Shannon Airport.

The six-year plan aims to establish a strong and vibrant town centre, maximise the potential from Shannon’s location on the estuary, increase the town’s tourism potential and establish Shannon as a low-carbon town.

Central to the plan is provision for sufficient zoned land to cater for a population growth of well in excess of 2,000. It also makes provision for future development of aviation-related industry by zoning 2,000 acres around the airport.

There’s plenty of scope within the programme to deliver on at least some of the objectives within the six-year timeframe and to coat-tail on any developments around Shannon in terms of growing businesses and services within the town.