21 EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST SO FAR IN PLANNED INIS OIRR FISH FARM

Date Published: 04-Dec-2012

21 expressions of interest have so far been received for investment in a planned fish farm off Inis Oirr.

Bord Iascaigh Mhara has applied for the deep sea salmon farming licence at a site roughly 6 kilometres off Inis Oirr, which it says could create 500 jobs in the local area and generate a wage flow of 14.5 million euro per annum.

The licence is being sought to farm up to 15 thousand tonnes of organic salmon and Inland Fisheries Ireland has raised concerns over the scale of the project and the potential for negative impacts on wild salmon and sea trout stocks.

So far, 21 potential financiers spanning three continents have registered their interest in the 60 million euro investment on Galway Bay.

It’s now nearing the end of an eight week public consultation phase which began in mid-October.

Donal Maguire, Aquaculture Development Manager at BIM says the investment interest is reflective of the impressive market growth figures for farmed salmon around the world.