Planners give go-ahead for Rum salmon farm
Marine Harvest Scotland has been granted planning permission for a new salmon farm off the island of Rum.
The farm was given the green light by Highland Council planners, but has still to be granted a Controlled Activities Regulations licence by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Marine Harvest business support manager Steve Bracken said the company had high hopes for fish production at the open water site. Similar sites off Muck and Colonsay have performed well, with fish from Muck being some of the best for growth and quality throughout the firm's global operations.
"I think we would expect something very similar on Rum," said Bracken. "The locations are fantastic for growing fish because it is open water. We are very hopeful."
Marine Harvest plans to grow 2,500 tonnes of salmon in 12 x 120m pens. The fish will be fed from a new 400-tonne SeaMate barge supplied by Inverness-based Gael Force.
The farm will create 12 full-time-equivalent jobs, and Marine Harvest intends to apply for permission to build accommodation for its workforce.
"It (the farm) will mean an injection of salaries into the island of about £300,000 a year," said Bracken. "It is an area where they could do with an economic boost."
