ABOUT LONG LIVE LOCH LINNHE
Who we are
Long Live Loch Linnhe is a group of ordinary people with an extra-ordinary love for our sea loch, Loch Linnhe. Living and working in the local area, or with family connections to the area, we have been brought together by a frankly alarming proposal for a fish mega-farm at Lurignish, on the loch shore between the communities of Appin and Duror.
"Another fish farm, what's the fuss?" you might be asking. The Loch Long Salmon company's proposals are VERY DIFFERENT from any other fish farm. Using new and unproven technology which needs an industrial estate's worth of equipment running 24 hours a day on the shore, and huge fish cages which dwarf those from conventional farms, this would be the largest fish farm in Scotland with eight million fish. Urine and at least 15% of fish solid excrement would pass untreated into the loch, posing a significant threat to the delicate ecosystem and serene beauty of this part of Loch Linnhe.
Long Live Loch Linnhe members enjoy the loch for recreational purposes or simply treasure the natural beauty of the Loch Linnhe seascape - we feel that this scale of industrial development is wholly inappropriate for this location. We can't let Loch Linnhe be used as a large scale testing ground - the risks of damaging the loch for this and future generations are too high. So we'll be doing all in our power to stop this from going ahead.
Who we are not...
Long Live Loch Linnhe would like to make it clear that we are not a group representing ’the community’ or any ‘community council’ around the Loch that might be affected by any proposed industrial developments in our area.
We are lucky to have our hard-working community councils to do that job, and ultimately represent the majority view of their communities. We recognise of course that there will be folk ‘for’ and folk ‘against’ any proposed developments here. As Long Live Loch Linnhe, we have taken it upon ourselves as a group of concerned individuals to be proactive in thoroughly researching all related issues and potential impacts of any development - visual/environmental/animal welfare/local business/tourism etc - in the hope that our *group* decisions will be as informed as they can be at the time when they count.
Throughout the periods of community consultation in any planning process it will be the community councils that will be totally impartial in their communications with, and representation of, the majority views of their communities to the relevant bodies.
These may, or may not be the views of any individual associated with Long Live Loch Linnhe. Let us continue to inform ourselves whilst listening to, and respecting, each other’s points of view so that whatever happens we can continue to live and prosper side by side in this exceptionally beautiful area.
Find out more
What happens next?
In the next step, the developer will submit a notice of the porposed application (PoAN) to Argyll & Bute Council. (update: PoAN submitted 10 August 2023). At that point, the developer will commence formal consultations (PAC) with the Duror/Kentallen and Appin communities. Keep an eye on our News page and Facebook page for announcements.
Once a formal planning application is submitted (potentially mid October), we, members of the public, will have time to look more closely at the details of what is being proposed and submit responses to the Council and raise concerns with our Community Councils.
We've set up this website and a Facebook group to showcase the loch today, and to help inform local residents and those further afield about the proposal. Detailed research in to the unproven technology being proposed is being undertaken and we'll report our findings on this website so that you can make an informed decision on the proposed mega fish farm.
In the meantime, if you are concerned and object to the proposed development then please talk or write to your Community Councillors, Argyll & Bute or Highland Councillors and to MSP's to ensure they are fully aware. And get in touch if you would like to join us and help stop this inappropriate industrial development in its tracks.
KEEP IN TOUCH!
All ages enjoy Loch Linnhe. Image courtesy Susan MacColl Lamb