Call for councillors to agree consensus on fish farm plan

A number of West Cork county councillors are “keeping their counsel” in a continuing controversy over a planned new €3.5m fish farm in Bantry Bay.

However, many of the councillors said they are in favour of job creation and trust the statutory regulatory and planning processes to ensure the environment and fish stocks are not damaged by a proposed 12-14 cage organic salmon farm, at Shot Head, near Adrigole.

Beara-based councillor Danny Crowley (FF) said he wants his fellow Bantry area county councillors to agree a consensus on the project.

He hopes to raise the issue with colleagues at a council meeting next week.

At a meeting in Adrigole earlier this month, up to 100 people voiced their opposition to the plan, and the Bantry Bay Harbour Commissioners have also lodged an objection on the grounds of its location.

“I have met both sides, Marine Harvest and Save Bantry Bay,” Mr Crowley said. “I had a good meeting with Marine Harvest and also I met with objectors and their concerns must be taken seriously too. I need to look at this further though and then make the right decision.”

Cllr Jerry Sullivan (FG) said he had not yet made up his mind, but was “very mindful of the jobs that could be created by Marine Harvest”. “The only position that I would take would be pro-jobs. There have been salmon farms here since 1990. I live quite close to them and I know lots of people who work there. There hasn’t been any problems with those jobs.

“And the fact is, if Marine Harvest can get big enough supply, they will transfer their fish processing operation to Dinish Island in Castletownbere. That’s more jobs,” he said.

Cllr Pat Murphy (FF) said a balance must be struck between the needs of either side. “There are jobs on one side but then there are environmental and navigation issues on the other side.

“If it was compliant with all regulations, I’d have no objection. However, there are many issues that need to be balanced. We will have to trust the planning process though,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senator Denis O’Donovan (FF), who has openly supported the fish farm project, said if the proposed merger of Bantry Port with Cork Port was allowed, Cork Port would have control over many issues including fish farming.

“A recent report suggested Bantry might be better served in a standalone situation — but someone from the Port of Cork authority, whose name I will not reveal, told me not so long ago that the takeover would also involve fish farming and its problems in the bay, tourism, Whiddy Island, liners and other issues.”

Speaking in Leinster House, the Bantry-based senator said: “Former and current members of Cork Port inform me they do not want the proposal to take place. Apart from Whiddy Island, there are many intricacies in Bantry. It is designated as a tourist hub, there is inshore fishing and fish farming in the bay.

He said Bantry Harbour should “stand alone on its merits”. “The near-unanimous view of the harbour board members is that the least acceptable option is to succumb to Cork Port.”

Leo Varadkar, the transport minister, told Mr O’Donovan that Baltimore and Kinsale harbours transferred to local authorities this year, and Bantry Bay Harbour was now the only remaining harbour operating under the Harbours Act 1946.